Nationally recognized Bala Cynwyd Environmental Law Firm Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP Celebrates 25 Years of Growth

In 1989, Joseph M. Manko, Marc E. Gold and Bruce S. Katcher foresaw a growing need for environmental services and wanted to create a firm culture that produced the highest quality legal work, offered ancillary consulting services, and fostered an inclusive business model and civic involvement. To do so, they ventured out on their own, with a group of seven associate attorneys, including current managing partner Robert D. Fox, and opened a stand-alone environmental law practice.

Now known as Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox (MGKF), its 30 attorneys, two in-house technical consultants and two paralegals make it one of the largest environmental law firms in the country that garners not only local and regional recognition, but has also established a reputation nationally and internationally.  For the tenth consecutive year, MGKF has been listed in the top tier for environmental law in Chambers USA—America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and many of the attorneys are regularly listed in The Best Lawyers® in America and Pennsylvania and New Jersey Super Lawyers for environmental law.

Since the firm’s founding, MGKF has expanded its original environmental and land use umbrella to include an active litigation practice as well as concentrations in energy, health and safety law. “Working in this field is interesting, challenging and always evolving.  Since the environment is our overall focus, we stay on top of the emerging issues and challenges that confront our clients,” explains Gold.  “Through the years we have established and maintained credibility with the regulators, which reinforces the important role we play on behalf of our clients.” added Manko.  Those clients number both international Fortune 100 firms, and many of the most recognizable regional and local businesses. With Pennsylvania offices in Bala Cynwyd and Philadelphia, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the firm most recently added an office in Williamsport, Pa to better assist clients in addressing environmental and energy issues in and around the Marcellus Shale gas play. 

Despite the economic challenges in recent years, the firm has continued to thrive and grow. Fox said, “Our reputation attracts quality talent, but the firm’s focus on providing high quality, cost-effective legal services, understanding our clients’ businesses, and creating a professional, collegial work environment, keeps us challenged and focused.”  Katcher added, “Regardless of our growth through the years, we have never lost sight of the core principles we initially instituted—high quality legal service to our clients supplemented by our ancillary technical consulting services, commitment to the community and a work-life balance.”

MGKF also holds the firm to business principles that meet evolving global sustainability practices —from the firm’s high performance green office space to its daily office operations.  Recently, MGKF moved its Bala Cynwyd headquarters office from the fifth to the ninth floor at 401 City Avenue.  During the move they used the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System as a guide for sustainable design and construction.  MGKF is the first law firm in the Philadelphia region to achieve Gold level certification under LEED for Commercial Interiors for its office space. 

"Our LEED-certified office space is a reflection of our practice, firm culture and business operations,” Fox explained.  The firm’s sustainability efforts also won them the First Annual Law Office Sustainability Program Award of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s (PBA) Pennsylvania Lawyers United for Sustainability (PLUS) Program and the Lower Merion Township Environmental Advisory Council’s 2014 “Go for the Green” Commercial Award. 

In addition to their physical work space, the culture of the firm has also won acclaim.  MGKF was recognized by the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) for their customized employment philosophy.  In addition, the firm has been recognized as one of the region’s “Top Workplaces” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com since 2011.

Community commitment has always been on the forefront at MGKF.  Fox also celebrates 25 years of teaching at the University of Pennsylvania Law School—where he taught side by side with his mentor Joe Manko for nearly two decades.  Other attorneys in the firm teach at The Villanova School of Law and Drexel University School of Law.  In addition to education, MGKF attorneys donate countless volunteer hours serving as officers and board members of their local Environmental Advisory Councils, the Fairmount Park and Lower Merion Conservancies, Delaware Valley Green Building Council and Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance, among others.

MGKF concentrates its practice in environmental, energy, and land use law and litigation. It represents clients ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to small, privately held enterprises, both in the Mid-Atlantic region and on a national basis.  Offices are located at: 401 City Avenue, Suite 901, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; 535 Route 38, Suite 145A, Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and at 25 West Third Street, Suite 303, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. For additional information, visit www.mankogold.com or call 484-430-5700, 856-317-1299, or 570-567-7325.