From: Jeffrey Sussman, Inc.
Marketing Public Relations
249 East 48 Street FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY 10017

For: Offit Kurman

Contact: Jeffrey Sussman
212-421-4475
[email protected]
www.powerpublicity.com


OFFIT KURMAN CONTINUES RAPID PHILADELPHIA EXPANSION,

TOP REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY, FORMER CORPORATE CEO

TO HEAD FIRM’S REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT


Philadelphia, PA --- Jim Ettelson, one of Philadelphia’s pre-eminent real estate attorneys and a former corporate CEO, has joined the firm of Offit Kurman as a Principal
to head a newly expanded real estate department. The announcement was made by Ted Offit, the firm’s managing principal, who stated: “Jim Ettelson has represented some of the largest real estate entities not just in Philadelphia, but in states throughout the nation. Among his clients have been one of the largest consumer products companies in the United States, a major real estate and shopping center development company, a leading local health care system, and an important local university, among numerous others.
“Prior to becoming an attorney, Jim was the CEO of a major men’s clothing manufacturing firm in Philadelphia. During that period, he served as the youngest member in the history of the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Clothing Manufacturers Association. Thereafter, in the mid 1980’s, Jim became Executive Vice President of Piedmont Industries, a diversified public company and, for six years, commuted to their headquarters in New York City.
“Between 1993 and 2005, he was reelected to three four-year terms as a Commissioner of Lower Merion Township. He worked closely with then City Councilman Michael Nutter to create the City Avenue Special Services District. In November, 2003, during his tenure as Board President, he was a member of a delegation of U.S. mayors to the Peoples Republic of China where he met with a group of Chinese counterparts in Shanghai and Beijing to develop areas of mutual economic cooperation.
“At Offit Kurman, Jim’s practice will focus on transactional corporate business and real estate law. His activities will range from business organization and counseling, equity and debt finance negotiation, lease/sale negotiation and agreement preparation to land use and zoning issues. His combined business and legal experiences have made Jim a much sought-after attorney whose clients are a virtual who’s who of corporate America.”
In addition to his many accomplishments, Jim spent over eight years as a part time associate professor and lecturer at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (now, Philadelphia University). His curriculum included teaching courses in Marketing and Management, Survey of the Apparel Industry and Business Law. He currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Management Department of the Haub School of Business at St. Josephs University.
Mr. Ettelson is a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations, the Lawyers Club of Philadelphia and is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Third Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.
He presently serves on several nonprofit and civic boards such as the Methodist Home for Children, New Horizons Senior Center, and the Lower Merion Library Foundation, and he is currently President of the Merion Community Association and CEO of the Merion Foundation, a charitable trust.
In addition to its office in Philadelphia, Offit Kurman, which is a full- service commercial law firm, has offices in Baltimore, Bethesda, Owings Mills, and Maple Lawn, Maryland; Wilmington, Delaware; and Tysons Corner, Virginia. The firm’s website is www.offitkurman.com

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