Greenberg Traurig's Philadelphia office. Photo: Marissa Weekes Mason/Greenberg Tra

Additions

Greenberg Traurig continued the growth of its real estate practice with the addition of Jon S. Robins as a shareholder.

Robins handles complex finance, equity investments and real estate activities, including workouts and distressed assets.

Robins joins Greenberg Traurig following a 16-year tenure at Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg.

Prior to Klehr Harrison, Robins practiced law at Dechert for eight years.

A graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law, he frequently presents on real estate matters such as decoding complex components of documentation, loans and negotiating transactions involving foreign borrowers.

Elected and Appointed

Luzerne County lawyer David E. Schwager, a partner in the Wilkes-Barre law firm of Chariton, Schwager & Malak, was appointed president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Schwager has a history of leadership within the organized bar.

He is completing his current term as PBA president-elect.

During 2018-19, Schwager served as the association's vice president. From 2013 to 2016, Schwager served three one-year terms as PBA treasurer and as chair of the PBA finance committee and PBA investment committee.

From 2010 until 2013, Schwager was a PBA zone governor, representing the interests of lawyer members in Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

During 2018 to 2019, he was chair of the PBA non-dues revenue task force and is co-vice chair and past chair of the PBA planning committee. He is a past chair of the PBA bylaws committee; the PBA real property, probate and trust law section; the PBA financing of real estate committee; the PBA real estate taxation committee; and the PBA statutory law committee.

Schwager recently served on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation. He is a life fellow of the foundation.

From 2012 to 2018, Schwager was a member of the board of directors of Pennsylvania Bar Institute.

Schwager was the 2017-18 chair of the disciplinary board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

He served as chair of the Third Circuit bankruptcy judge merit selection committee and was a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's lawyers' assessment committee and investment advisory board and the Middle District Bankruptcy Court rules committee.

He is a past vice chair of the American Bar Association young lawyers division's real property, probate and trust law committee.

He is a past treasurer of the Middle District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Bar Association and a past member of the executive committee of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association and is a past president of its young lawyers division.

In 2018, Schwager was named a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Schwager's practice focuses on real estate transactions and litigation, title insurance, real estate taxation, zoning and land use, business law, commercial litigation, municipal law and creditors' rights.

A past assistant district attorney for Luzerne County, Schwager is chair of the Kingston Borough zoning hearing board and an assistant Luzerne County solicitor and represented various municipal authorities and municipalities.

Schwager serves as president of the S.J. Strauss Housing Foundation and treasurer of Ecumenical Enterprises Inc. He is a member of the board of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Growth Partnership, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Fund and the Martha Lloyd Community Services in Troy.

He is a past president of the Jewish Community Center of Wyoming Valley, Temple Israel of Wilkes-Barre, the S.J. Strauss Lodge of B'nai B'rith and the Wyoming Seminary Alumni Association. He served as chair of the United Hebrew Institute school board and the 2007 Jewish Federation campaign.

Schwager is a graduate of Penn State Dickinson Law. He served on the executive committee of the Lafayette College Alumni Association and on the board of the General Alumni Association of

The Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University.

He is admitted to practice law in all of the state courts of Pennsylvania as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.