For this week’s “Business Spotlight” we sat down with Patrick McKenna, a Managing Partner at Gawthrop Greenwood, P.C., which is located at 17 East Gay Street!

1. Tell me about your firm and any particular things you believe make it unique.

Gawthrop Greenwood is one of the most historic law firms in the Greater Mid-Atlantic Region. Its legacy began in 1904 when Robert S. Gawthrop, Sr. was admitted to the bar of Chester County, Pennsylvania. More than 100 years later, the law firm he founded has produced six judges (including the first female judge in Chester County), 11 presidents of the Chester County Bar Association, and dozens of prominent lawyers whose commitment to unparalleled service has long distinguished them across the Mid-Atlantic region.

2. What services or products do you offer?

If there’s one thing to be learned from the pandemic, it’s that your business and family needs can change swiftly. We consider it our mission to offer a suite of services that fulfill those changing needs while keeping you on a confident and steady course. Our clients are diverse, including businesses, individuals, and governmental entities that entrust our law firm with representation in a wide range of matters including business and real estate, commercial litigation, estate and tax planning, land use and development, and family law.

3. How long have you been in business?

Almost 120 years.

4. What do you love most about being located in West Chester?

For a place so steeped in history, West Chester has an impressive ability to adapt and remain relevant to our changing neighborhood and business needs. I feel lucky to have spent most of my career here, and to have been a part of helping develop the thriving downtown district we’ve witnessed over the past decade or so. There’s a real sense of pride in being a part of regrowth as we move past the pandemic, and I think we’re all feeling that right now.

5. What can you tell me about the culture or atmosphere of your firm?

You don’t think of a law firm as a homey place, but our clients are continually telling us they feel at home here. That’s really important to us because often when people walk through our doors, they are facing some of the most difficult challenges of their lives: growing a business, adapting to a changing family situation, and advocating for their communities.

6. Is there anything else you would like to share about your firm?

We uphold a rich tradition of giving back to our community by supporting more than 30 local nonprofits and community organizations every year. We also ensure that each employee has a paid workday each year to put toward a community service project of their choice, as well as the flexibility to accommodate community work. This means a lot to us, and to our clients. It is no doubt part of the reason we are consistently named one of the Best Places to Work by the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Learn more about us on our website at https://gawthrop.com.