High Swartz LLP.

Our Local Law Firm

High Swartz, a local law firm with offices in Norristown, PA and Doylestown, PA, provides general practice counsel and legal services to individuals and businesses. Near the county seat and heart of Montgomery County, our location is convenient to all parts of Metropolitan Philadelphia and Eastern and Central Pennsylvania. In 2016, we merged with McNamara, Bolla & Panzer of Doylestown, a well-respected firm in Bucks County, PA, expanding our reach to suburban Philadelphia counties.

Our law firm is committed to providing efficient and responsive legal service representation to businesses, public and privately-held entities, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, municipalities and individuals throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic region.

The firm's legal services are divided into the following primary practice areas:

Alternate Dispute Resolution: including Family Law Mediation, facilitation and Binding Arbitration services.

Business Law: including counseling and representing private and public for-profit corporations and non-profit organizations; mergers and acquisitions; preparation of complex commercial agreements; technology and internet; taxation; and government regulation.

Domestic Relations and Family Law: including divorce, equitable distribution, alimony, child support, custody, prenuptial agreements, protection from abuse, tax considerations, mediation and arbitration matters. Equitable distribution matters involve valuation and division of real estate, closely-held corporations, stock options, retirement assets, collectibles, and trust issues, as well as more routine assets.

Employment Law: including counseling employers on personnel matters; litigation over employee discharges and discipline; handling employment discrimination and sexual harassment matters; drafting and negotiating employment and severance contracts; trade secret, confidentiality, and
non-competition issues; drafting and reviewing of employee handbooks; representation in unemployment compensation hearings; and labor negotiations, arbitrations, and injunctions.

Environmental Law Regulation and Defense: including advising clients on proactive strategies to limit risk; developing Act 2 brownfields and other site restoration projects; prosecuting (or opposing) permit applications in state, interstate, and federal jurisdictions; and defending clients threatened with enforcement before state and federal agencies or courts.

Estate, Elder Care, Trust and Probate Law: including wills and trusts; estate planning; probate and estate administration; income, estate, and inheritance taxation; elder care and long-term care financing issues.

Litigation in state and federal courts: including trials for both plaintiffs and defendants; business, commercial, professional and personal injury litigation; construction and bankruptcy claims; domestic relations matters; administrative proceedings and appeals to both state and federal courts.

Municipal Law: including service as Solicitors to townships and boroughs, zoning hearing boards, municipal authorities and other government agencies; bond counsel to government agencies and authorities; contract negotiation and advice on public contract and bidding matters; representation of government agencies on organizational and regulatory matters; drafting of municipal ordinances; land use and zoning matters; and litigation.

Real Estate Law: including commercial and residential real estate financing, construction, and development; syndications; land use and zoning matters; eminent domain (condemnation); environmental matters; commercial leases; and real estate settlements.
portraits of high swartz law firm founders
History of High Swartz

Evans, High, Dettra, and Swartz were announced to the community with a proclamation of sorts in the newspaper of record. The following announcement appeared in the Norristown Times Herald, Nov. 30, 1914:

New Law Firm Formed

Composed of Montgomery Evans, Samuel H. High, John M. Dettra and
Aaron S. Swartz, Jr.

"This announcement is made in the advertising columns of the
Herald, where also is announced the dissolution of the partnership
heretofore existing between John Faber Miller and Mr. High.

The dissolution became necessary when Mr. Miller yesterday assumed the
office of Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County.

"Messrs. Evans and Dettra have long been associated in the law
business and Mr. Swartz who is the son of Aaron S. Swartz, President
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, has had an office with this firm but until now was not a member thereof.

"The new law firm will have its offices in the Miller Building, Nos. 329-333 DeKalb Street."

The history of High Swartz legal services is told through the names of those who founded the law firm and those who have passed through its doors during the past century.

Samuel H. High Sr., Montgomery Evans, John M. Dettra and Aaron Swartz Jr. were the patriarchs of the legal services. They formed a bond 100 years ago, and that bond is still strong today.

"My grandfather, Samuel H. High, as a relatively young attorney was practicing with John Faber Miller, in 1914," recalls Gilbert High Jr. "Miller was appointed to the bench that year and Montgomery Evans, John Dettra and my grandfather joined in a partnership, Evans, High, Dettra and Aaron Swartz, Jr. a young lawyer who came into the firm, and became named partner.

"From the beginning the firm was quite successful. Granddad was a generalist. He was a litigator. He did municipal work. He represented bank; the old Jenkintown Trust Company. He did their estate work."

"My grandfather would have been about 36 when the firm was formed," Gilbert High Jr. continued. "He died in 1945. He was 67. He had a farm in Horsham. His regular house was in Jenkintown. He worked five nights a week in an evening office in Jenkintown. He was in Norristown during the day. He did entirely civil work. John Dettra did almost entirely estate work."
High Swartz Offices: Relocation and Expansion

The legal services of High Swartz have evolved over the years along with the local firm. Evans, High, Dettra & Swartz started out on DeKalb Street in what was known as the Miller Building at the turn of the century, and moving on into the 21st Century High Swartz can be found a short walk away on East Airy Street.

An announcement appeared in The Norristown Times Herald on July 1, 1935 when the legal service moved into what is now its home at 40 E. Airy St.

New Building Opened Today By Legal Firmold picture of high swartz law firm being constructed in 1920s norristown pa

Air Conditioning Among Features of Offices Occupied By High, Dettra and Swartz One of the most modern buildings in Montgomery County was opened this morning at 40 East Airy Street by the law firm of High, Dettra and Swartz.

Air conditioning is one of the features of the new building. The two story building is styled after colonial architecture with draperies, pictures and furniture carrying out the theme.

The front door opens into a large and spacious reception lobby in which stands an antique grandfather's clock. The corridors are covered with a black and white rubberized linoleum.

There are three offices on the first floor and three on the second. Each office is exquisitely furnished with a brown color scheme. The walls are finished with knotty pine wood.

In the front of the building on the second floor is a large, rectangular law library with more than 2,000 legal volumes. The library is furnished with overstuffed chairs and a long conference table.

The law offices are occupied by Attorney Samuel H. High Sr., Attorney Aaron S. Swartz (Jr.), Attorney John M. Dettra, Attorney Louis M. Childs, and Attorney Samuel H. High Jr.

Locations	No. of Attorneys
Doylestown, PA	6
Norristown, PA	16

Practice Areas	No. of Attorneys
Corporate	1
Government and Government Relations	2
Intellectual Property - General	1
Litigation	6
Litigation - General (consumer)	2
Litigation - Labor & Employment	1
Real Estate	3
Trusts and Estates	1