Philadelphia, PA, October 17, 2008 — Rudolph "Rudy" Garcia, a shareholder in the Litigation practice of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, will become chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2011. Garcia is unopposed and will be confirmed as vice chancellor this December, without an election.

Garcia said the profession has been good to him so he wants to help others prosper. He worked his way through college and law school and has enjoyed a successful career.

"I am grateful that the bar welcomed me and aided my long-term development," Garcia said. "I feel that I should do what I can to help others achieve their goals as well. I also want to harness the association’s resources to improve our professional environment."

Garcia has been active in the bar association for many years, including serving three multi-year terms on its Board of Governors, chairing a section and various committees and serving as a bar association delegate in the American Bar Association's House of Delegates. Currently, he is co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Charter & Bylaws Committee.

Among Garcia's objectives are:

• Making the association more valuable to members and better communicating why active participation is worthwhile.
• Defending the judiciary from efforts to undermine its authority, objectivity and independence.
• Working constructively with the City of Philadelphia, other governmental entities and the region's business community to pursue our common goals.
  
• Working with schools to improve public education in Philadelphia.
• Supporting efforts to improve the judicial selection process.
• Encouraging lawyers to provide pro bono services to those who cannot afford legal assistance.
• Eliminating the additional tax burden imposed on partnerships and other unincorporated law firm entities.
  

About the Philadelphia Bar Association

The 13,000-member Philadelphia Bar Association, founded in 1802, is the country's first chartered metropolitan bar association and Pennsylvania's largest local bar association. As such, it is a keystone in the ongoing developments of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania legal systems.

About Garcia

Rudy Garcia focuses his practice on complex business litigation. He has handled cases in such areas as antitrust, securities, banking, real estate, telecommunications, deregulated energy markets, insurance and construction.

Garcia received his J.D. from Temple University School of Law, and his B.A. from Temple University.