Honored

Wapner, Newman, Wigrizer, Brecher & Miller's Samuel Anyan was named the nation's best advocate by the National Bar Association.

The National Bar Association's 40 Under 40 Nation's Best Advocates Awards recognize the top talented individuals, principally within the African-American legal community, who have achieved prominence and distinction, professionally and philanthropically.

The awardees represent a cross-section of legal professionals, including lawyers from big, medium and small firms, solo and industry practitioners, government lawyers, judges, academicians, corporate counsels, young elected officials, and various other lawyers, all of whom are using their law degrees in innovative and community-impacting ways.

Inductees are chosen based on their achievement, innovation, vision, leadership and legal community involvement.

The award is only given to one attorney every year, chosen from the 40 Under 40 list from the NBA.

Anyan became an associate at Wapner Newman in February 2010.

Prior to joining Wapner Newman, Anyan served as a law clerk to First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Judge Lisette Shirdan-Harris.

He presently represents clients injured due to defective products, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises liability and construction site accidents. Additions

Thomas, Thomas & Hafer added Christopher M. Gallagher as a new attorney to the firm. Gallagher is an associate in the Philadelphia office.

Gallagher comes to the firm with more than 13 years of legal experience and more than 25 trials litigated to verdict.

His practice focuses on the defense of general liability, insurance coverage and bad faith matters.

He's practiced for more than 11 years in Connecticut where he specialized in civil litigation with an emphasis on personal injury and complex property insurance litigation.

Before joining the firm, Gallagher oversaw the litigation of professional liability claims throughout the country on behalf of various insurance carriers.

Gallagher is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

He received his J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law.

Elected and Appointed

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young senior adviser Mark S. Schweiker was appointed executive-in-residence of Rider University's department of political science's homeland security program on Aug. 8.

Schweiker will use his emergency management, crisis response and counterterrorism experiences from his former role as governor of Pennsylvania to support the university's graduate-level homeland security program.

The homeland security program prepares professionals for leadership roles in protecting the United States from natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other threats to the safety of communities.

Schweiker serves as an adviser to help clients undertake and manage government relations and public affairs issues.

He provides guidance, as well as government and media relations services to Fortune 500 companies, privately held firms and nonprofit organizations, including business development and insight to corporate growth pursuits, crisis management, executive branch lobbying, legislative lobbying and regulatory lobbying.

Announcements

The Legal and Pennsylvania Law Weekly are looking for verdicts and settlements to report.

If you're a plaintiffs or defense attorney who has obtained a verdict or settlement in Pennsylvania county or federal court recently, email Zack Needles at [email protected].