Klehr Harrison Announces New Role for Founding Partner Leonard Klehr at Lubert-Adler; Klehr Becomes Of Counsel at Firm

KLEHR HARRISON ANNOUNCES NEW ROLE FOR FOUNDING PARTNER
LEONARD KLEHR AT LUBERT-ADLER; KLEHR BECOMES OF COUNSEL AT FIRM

Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg & Ellers, LLP, a Philadelphia-based law firm, today announced that Leonard M. Klehr, one of the firm’s founding partners and a leading figure in the Philadelphia legal and business community, will transition from Partner to Of Counsel to pursue an opportunity with a long-time client, the Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds. Klehr will become Vice Chairman and a partner at Lubert-Adler. Klehr will maintain an office and continue a close affiliation with the firm that he helped to found in 1983.

Though the transition is a bittersweet occasion, the firm and Klehr are committed to embracing the change and are optimistic about the new business opportunities it presents. Both Klehr and

the firm have agreed that the transition will emphasize continuity and business development opportunities created by Klehr joining a major firm client.

“Klehr Harrison is a dynamic business law firm,” said Klehr. “As one of its founders, I am committed to being a critical component of the firm’s future success as part of my new affiliation with Lubert-Adler.”

Lubert-Adler is a group of privately-held real estate opportunity funds based in Philadelphia, with more than $4 billion in equity and over $10 billion in assets.   Klehr was instrumental to the formation of the business when, in 1997, he paired Dean Adler and Ira Lubert and the law firm formed the first Lubert-Adler fund.  Today, Lubert-Adler is one of the leading real estate private equity funds in the country and is one of Klehr Harrison’s largest clients. 

“We are thrilled to have Lenny join us,” said Dean Adler.  “At the same time, Klehr Harrison has been and will continue to be a vital relationship for the continued growth of Lubert-Adler.  We only expect that relationship to increase.”

“Klehr Harrison will remain a formidable presence in the regional legal and business landscape,” said William A. Harvey, the firm’s managing partner.   “The firm has a deep roster of talented partners who, as a group, pride themselves on the firm’s entrepreneurial spirit and focus on achieving client business objectives. This business-oriented mindset, fostered by the founding partners, has attracted high profile lateral partners to join the firm.  It has also more recently acted as a catalyst for a number of firm lawyers to transition from the practice of law to the management of their own as well as clients’ businesses.

Klehr Harrison, in the midst of its strongest year ever financially, enjoys noted success at the local, regional and national levels in key practice areas, including real estate, business and securities litigation, private equity fund formation, land use, zoning and bankruptcy.

Klehr’s transition parallels the leadership transition that has taken place at this first-generation law firm over the last several years. Founding partners William A. Harvey and Morton R. Branzburg continue to occupy key roles, with Harvey serving as managing partner since 1997. At the same time a core group of younger partners has stepped into leading roles at the firm in management and client development.

“Lenny, Mort and I have been together for thirty years,” said Harvey.  “We all wish Lenny well, and at the same time, we look forward to the challenges and opportunities presented by him becoming a client. Our firm is one of the most profitable in the region, and will continue to be a successful and exciting place for many years to come.”