Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin attorneys Joseph J. McGrory, Jr., William G. Roark and John F. Walko presented a Medical Marijuana Legislation Update to the Montgomery County Zoning Officers Association on September 14, 2016. They presented on the new legislation and its impact on municipalities and zoning officers. Thirty-seven zoning officers from Montgomery County, Chester County and Bucks County were in attendance.
Joseph J. McGrory, Jr. is Chairman of the Municipal Law Department at Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell and Lupin, and a member of the Real Estate Department. He has over 30 years of experience handling zoning, subdivision, land development and municipal law matters. Joe currently serves as Township Solicitor for Upper Merion Township, Limerick Township, Douglass (Berks) Township, West Vincent (Chester) Township, East Whiteland (Chester) Township, and West Conshohocken Borough. He is also the Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor for Plymouth Township. He has represented many townships in the past and he is currently special counsel to townships for difficult or complex cases. In the land use area, Joe has significant experience in cases involving power plants, quarries, mobile home parks, high rise complexes, a 2,000 unit complex, billboards, trash to energy plants and many other difficult land use cases. A past chairman of the Montgomery Bar Association Real Estate Committee, Joe has also served on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery Bar Association. Joe currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Municipal Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. A frequent lecturer on real estate law subjects, Joe has been called upon to speak several times at the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Real Estate Institute and at the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. In 1998, Joe formed the Montgomery County Zoning Officers Association and he continues to be its solicitor and a frequent speaker at its meetings. Joe has been selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list for the years 2013-2015. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. A graduate of Delaware Law School, (J.D. 1983), Joe received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University (B.S. 1980).
William G. Roark is a Principal of Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin and a member of the firm’s Litigation Department. He focuses on environmental litigation and catastrophic injury cases. His litigation experience includes representing those suffering from: traumatic brain injuries; medical malpractice and exposure to dangerous chemicals. Mr. Roark also represents individuals and businesses in the medical marijuana industry by helping them comply with Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Act. His time is spent assisting clients to understand the permitting application process and the requirements associated with entering this industry. Because he has remained on the forefront of the legislative development and implementation of the Act, Mr. Roark has been asked to plan and present at various educational seminars eaching other professionals about this new law. Since 2014, he has devoted his time to expanding the legal profession’s knowledge and awareness of the Medical Marijuana Act and its precursors so that profession can be better prepared to meet the numerous legal needs on the horizon. Mr. Roark is an active member of the Montgomery Bar Association, chairing and participating in various committees. Mr. Roark is a past editor for the Montgomery County Law Reporter, past chair of the Environmental Law Committee and a contributing editor to Montgomery County’s Civil Practice Manual. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2016, Mr. Roark was selected to participate in Montgomery County’s prestigious Leadership Academy. A graduate of Bucknell University (B.A. Economics, cum laude, 2003), Mr. Roark received his law degree with honors in 2006 from Villanova University where he served as a member of the Villanova Moot Court Board Executive Committee.
John F. Walkois a member of the firm’s Municipal Law, Real Estate Law, Medical Marijuana, and Criminal Defense departments. Although John assists with the firm’s array of municipal clients, John serves as the Solicitor for Narberth Borough, Solicitor to Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds, Deputy Solicitor for Upper Merion Township and West Vincent Township, and in the past has served as Assistant Solicitor to neighboring Bridgeport Borough.John’s practiceals of ocuseson Association Law, where he assists condominium and homeowners’ associations, as wellas developers, builders, and land owners,in the development andoperation of such associations throughout the Delaware Valley. John is also the appointed Hearing Officer for the Abington Township Red Light Camera program. John was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers Rising Stars Edition in the area of State, Local & Municipal Law for 2016. He received his law degree from Villanova Law School in 2007, where he received awards for his pro bono service, trial team, andmoot court board participation.Prior to law school, John received his Masters and Associates degrees from Bryn Athyn College, and his Bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from West Virginia University in 2002.
Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin is one of the leading law firms in Eastern Pennsylvania providing legal counsel to businesses, municipalities and individuals in such areas as business law, litigation, real estate matters, municipal law, trusts and estates, family law, criminal law and personal injury matters. The firm’s singular focus is on achieving the best possible result for its clients. For more information, please go to www.hrmml.com.
