Pittsburgh, PA, December 5, 2007 ― Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC announced today that Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph J. Cappy will join the firm after he retires from his judicial position on January 7, 2008.

The 64-year-old lawyer and judge will be a member of the firm's Litigation Section, and will play a significant role in the firm's mentoring program, particularly in the area of appellate law.

According to Tom VanKirk, Buchanan's chairman and CEO, "Chief Justice Cappy's nearly 30 years on the bench offers legal and professional insight that are as valuable to our clients as they are to the development of our young lawyers. His mix of experiences — from public defender to trial judge to chief justice — is extraordinarily rare. We're very fortunate to have him as a member of our team."

Chief Justice Cappy has served on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court since January 1, 1990, and became chief justice in 2003. He announced in September his intention to retire from the bench at the end of the judicial year.

Cappy said he and Buchanan arrived at an agreement in principle this past weekend after Justice Ronald D. Castille assumed administrative responsibility for the Supreme Court, effective December 1. He said details of his agreement with Buchanan will be finalized early next year.

"When I decided to retire as chief justice, I had no intention of going back into the private sector, but was certain that I wanted a new challenge," Cappy said. "I've known and admired Tom and this firm for years, and when we started these discussions, it became clear that this was the right environment for me. The prospect of working with clients and helping them solve legal and business problems is precisely what I am interested in doing at this point in my career."

About Ralph J. Cappy

Chief Justice Cappy began his judicial career in 1978, when he was appointed as a trial judge to the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where he served until his elevation to the Supreme Court. During his tenure as a trial judge, he served in the Family, Criminal and Civil divisions of the court and was appointed by the Supreme Court as administrative judge of the Civil Division, serving from 1986-90.

Before his service as a member of the Pennsylvania judiciary, Chief Justice Cappy was a law clerk to the president judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County from 1968-70. After that, he entered the general practice of law. He also served as an Allegheny County public defender, and was promoted to chief public defender from 1975-78.

Admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1975, Chief Justice Cappy is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations as well as the American Judicature Society and the Justinian Society. He was elected a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Allegheny Bar Foundation in 1996.

He served the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges from 1978 to 1990, and during that time he chaired numerous committees and was elected to the chairs of the conference serving as treasurer and secretary before his elevation to the Supreme Court. He chairs the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Judicial Council and chaired the Statewide Unification Committee.

Chief Justice Cappy is a member of the Conference of Chief Justices where he has served on the Board of Directors and has chaired the Mass Tort Litigation Committee. He has served on the Civil Justice, Government Affairs, Security and Emergency Preparedness, Access to Justice and Fairness in the Courts and the Mid-Atlantic Committees.

Additionally, he has been appointed to the United States Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction by the United States Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. He presently serves as chairperson on the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh. He also serves on the Board of Visitors of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and as vice chairperson of the Board of Directors of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health Systems.

Chief Justice Cappy has received many awards and citations, including:

• Harry Carrico Award by the National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, Virginia, received in November 2007
• The Bar Medal of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, one of only nine awarded in its 120 year history
• The Philadelphia Bar Association Bar Medal, its highest honor
• Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Widener University
• Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
• Distinguished Laureate Alumni Award, University of Pittsburgh
• Citation of Merit by Mothers Against Drunk Driving
• Man of the Year, Pennsylvania State Police
• Man of the Year, Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police
• Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Award
• Gold Medal for Distinguished Service Award, Order of Sons of Italy, Grand Judge of Pennsylvania
• Man of the Year, Sons of Italy
• Man of the Year, Italian Heritage Foundation

Chief Justice Cappy is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh (B.S., 1965) and its law school, (J.D., 1968).