Pietragallo Gordon office.

Speakers

Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti partner Kevin E. Raphael, chair of the firm's Title IX practice, is set to speak April 15 at the University Risk Management and Insurance Association's regional conference.

Raphael will be presenting with Benjamin Evans of the University of Pennsylvania and Dean Constantine of American International Group on the topic "What You Need to Know About Current Title IX Regulations."

During the one-hour program, the speakers will discuss the new regulations, review how they differ from the existing regulations, address case studies, discuss potential litigation risks, and review how insurance companies may respond.

Raphael represents colleges and universities in Title IX matters and works with clients to audit educational institutions' policies and procedures, revise policies and procedures, and implement training programs for administrators and staff.

Raphael also assists clients in conducting investigations, using his experience in investigating sexual assaults.

Elected and Appointed

Blank Rome announced that partner Edward W. Chang, who serves as vice chair of the firm's consumer finance litigation group, was appointed to the board of directors of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the nation's largest trails organization.

RTC works to bring trails to more communities across the country.

With more than one million grassroots supporters and 23,000 miles of rail-trails nationwide, RTC establishes policies and practices that ensure trails are built.

As a member of the board, Chang will work with other board members to strengthen RTC's mission of creating a nationwide network of trails and more bikeable, walkable communities in the United States.

In addition to his involvement with RTC, Chang serves as chair of the board of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which is a founding partner of the Circuit Trails, an RTC project and one of the largest multiuse trail networks in America.

Additions

Cozen O'Connor announced tax attorney Jennifer W. Karpchuk joined its national tax practice. Karpchuk, a litigator, brings to the firm more than a decade of experience handling state and local tax-related disputes and transactions, including those involving corporate-level mergers and acquisitions.

She joins Cozen O'Connor as a member and will reside in its Philadelphia office.

Karpchuk comes to Cozen O'Connor from Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry, where she served as senior counsel in that firm's tax practice.

She represents clients with state and local tax issues, including challenging tax audits and assessments, assisting businesses and individuals seeking refunds from state and local governments, and representing clients looking to reduce interest and penalties associated with past due taxes via state and local amnesty, voluntary disclosure programs and administrative appeals.

She also helps businesses determine and minimize nexus and potential nexus exposure for state sales and use tax, income tax and gross receipts tax.

As such, she advises on the tax implications of pending and past transactions and represents clients challenging taxing authority rulings on nexus-related activities.

Recently named chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association state and local tax committee, Karpchuk is also co-chair of the American Bar Association's state and local tax committee's sales and use tax subcommittee and miscellaneous taxes subcommittee.

She is also secretary of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's tax section.