Edward "Ned" Madeira Jr.

Edward "Ned" Madeira Jr., a longtime member of firm leadership at Pepper Hamilton whose practice was a core part of the firm's business for decades, has died at the age of 92.

Madeira died May 21 of heart failure. His relationship with Pepper Hamilton spanned well over six decades.

During that time he served as managing partner, beginning in 1974, as well as litigation department leader from 1982 to 1992. He became vice chairman of the firm in 1989, and served as co-chairman from 1992 to 1994, after which he was named chairman emeritus.

He was also credited with building the firm's pharmaceutical and medical device practice, which became a key area for Pepper Hamilton. It restructured in 2017 to become part of a cross-practice health sciences department, which remains a core business of the firm.

"He was nationally viewed as a go-to litigator in that space. We built from what he had established," said Nina Gussack, who worked closely with Madeira and counted him as her mentor. Gussack went on to chair the firm, and was the head of the health sciences department when it was established.

"He took so many people under his wing," she added.

Madeira started working at the law firm then known as Pepper, Bodine, Stokes and Hamilton in 1953 and went on to spend 64 years practicing at the firm. According to the firm, he was also the last living link to George Wharton Pepper, who joined the practice of Bayard Henry in 1890 and became the first name partner on the masthead in 1940, as well as John D.M. Hamilton, who became a name partner in 1948.

"He was a firm historian," Gussack said. "He remembers the days when it was only 25 lawyers, and he reveled in the growth and reach of the firm."

It was shortly after Madeira joined that Pepper Bodine merged with Evans, Bayard & Frick to become 38 lawyers. And just a few months ago, the firm announced its latest transformational move—a merger with Am Law 50 firm Troutman Sanders, which is set to become official July 1.

"When we shared the news with him about our combination with Troutman Sanders, he was so forward-looking," Gussack said. "Ned was always about opening doors for future growth."

Even after he retired, Madeira stayed connected with the firm and came to the office, Gussack said, and he continued to seek out opportunities to talk with partners or associates about litigation strategy. He could be seen around Pepper Hamilton's offices as recently as several months ago.

In addition to his work at the firm, Madeira was a volunteer with the Defender Association of Philadelphia and served as its board president for more than 25 years. He served as chairman of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Federal Judicial Improvements and its Commission on Separation of Powers and Judicial Independence, and led the ABA's Justice in the 21st Century Commission. And he was chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission for Justice Initiatives.

Madeira was one of the inaugural recipients of The Legal's Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2013.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Gracie, and his three daughters—Martha of Villanova, Pennsylvania, and her partner Beth; Melissa Gormley of Freeport, Maine, and her husband Christopher; and Amanda of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and her husband Michael—as well as two grandchildren, David Gormley and Alice.