Andrew A. Chirls

Andrew A. Chirls

Fineman Krekstein & Harris
  • Real Estate Law
  • Pennsylvania
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Biography

Andrew Chirls has tried a broad variety of business and tort cases. A graduate of the University of California (Boalt Hall) School of Law, he served as a clerk for the U.S. District Court in New Jersey for a year and then spent 25 years litigating at Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen, where he was a partner from 1989 to 2009. He was Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2005.

Class actions and mass torts: Mr. Chirls is known for his practice in class actions and multi-district litigation, both as an advocate and a neutral. He was appointed in 2013 by the United States District Court in Philadelphia to oversee and resolve discovery disputes in the Zoloft Birth Defects national multi-district litigation. He serves by appointment of the Court as Common Benefit Fund Administrator in the Avandia multi-district litigation. Mr. Chirls has been class counsel in a number of securities cases, and represented the AHP Settlement Trust, which administered a $4.3 billion class settlement from the marketing of the diet drug Fen Phen.

Business litigation: Mr. Chirls has also tried contract cases arising from mergers, acquisitions and dissolutions. He is recognized as an authority in the field of property rights and condemnation law, involving the constitutional rights of property owners when governments and utility companies take property for public projects.

Attorney discipline: Mr. Chirls represents and consults with lawyers on attorney discipline and professional ethics matters.

Torts: He was the first lawyer to represent a plaintiff in an AIDS/HIV discrimination case before a jury in Pennsylvania, and was lead defense counsel in a class action involving exposure to toxic metals at a dialysis clinic.

Education
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
J.D. (1981)
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University of Pennsylvania
B.A. (1977) | Design of the Environment (Architecture)
Honors: Cum Laude
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Professional Experience
Attorney
Fineman Krekstein & Harris
- Current
Partner
Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen
-
Chancellor
Philadelphia Bar Association
Clerk
U.S. District Court in New Jersey
Publications
Articles & Publications
The Law of Eminent Domain
American Bar Association Real Estate Section, Eminent Domain Division
Awards
Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
Service Award
Lambda Legal Defense
Social Justice Award
Jewish Social Policy Action Network (“JSPAN”)
Special Recognition Award for pro bono service
Human Rights Campaign
Community Service Award
Gay and Lesbian Professional Network of Philadelphia
Service Award
Equality Advocates Pennsylvania
Award for pursuit of civil rights
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
Professional in Human Relations Award
Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations
International Human Rights Award
International Human Rights Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association
Michael Greenberg Community Service Award
Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP)
AV Preeminent Rating
Martindale-Hubbell
Professional Associations
Pennsylvania State Bar  # 35422
Member
Current
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Academy of Court
Appointed Masters
Current
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American Law Institute
Member
Current
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American Bar Association
Member
Current
Activities: Real Estate and Trusts Section; Litigation Section
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Pennsylvania
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Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
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Supreme Court of the United States
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United States Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit
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United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
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Practice Area
Real Estate Law
Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
Additional Practice Areas
  • Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation/Business Disputes
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Websites & Blogs
Website
Fineman Krekstein & Harris
Blog
Fineman Krekstein & Harris Blog
Contact & Map
Philadelphia Office
Ten Penn Center 1801 Market Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Telephone: (215) 893-9300
Cherry Hill Office
20 Brace Rd Ste 350
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Telephone: (856) 795-1118