McNees welcomes 24-person education law group from Fox Rothschild; establishes new Plymouth Meeting office
April 1, 2026
Press Releases
HARRISBURG, Pa. (April 1, 2026) – Growing its footprint in southeastern Pennsylvania, McNees Wallace & Nurick has welcomed the former 24-person education law group of Fox Rothschild, including 18 attorneys, to the firm – making it the largest number of new team members to join McNees at once in the firm’s history.
Anchoring the firm’s new Plymouth Meeting office, the newly joined team members bring with them a well-established practice that serves public K-12 schools, private and independent schools, and higher education institutions across Pennsylvania.
With the 24 new team members, McNees has grown its ranks to more than 340 professionals, including more than 170 attorneys.
“Attracting a team of this caliber is a significant milestone that reflects our strategic trajectory,” said McNees Chair Brian Jackson. “Over the last several years, McNees intentionally invested in the technology and infrastructure necessary to support a group of this size and sophistication. We are thrilled that these respected and highly skilled professionals have chosen McNees as their new home, as together, we can offer an elevated level of client service that is unmatched in our region.”
Attorney Jeffrey Sultanik will lead McNees’ newly expanded Education Group, bringing a wealth of experience as the former chair of Fox Rothschild’s education law practice. The combined team of 45 attorneys and professionals in the Education Group serves more than 125 education-sector clients in labor and employment, student and personnel matters, Title IX, litigation, real estate, construction, procurement, public finance, governance, and day-to-day operational issues.
“As our practice evolved, we recognized the need for a platform that could foster our growth over the next several decades,” Sultanik said. “McNees offers exactly that – an environment where our core strengths in education law align well with the firm’s existing practice. We are particularly energized by the immediate opportunities to collaborate with the labor and employment, construction, and public finance teams. These parallel practices create a strong alignment that will allow us to grow, providing our clients with a more robust and integrated suite of services than ever before.”
The following attorneys, formerly of Fox Rothschild, have joined McNees and will serve clients from McNees’ new Plymouth Meeting office at 401 Plymouth Road, Suite 620:
- Jeffrey Sultanik – Chair of the Education Law Group
- Mark Fitzgerald – Member
- John Miravich – Member
- Bonnie Young – Member
- Kyle Berman – Member
- Ellen Enters – Member
- Alexis Spurlock – Of Counsel
- Alicia Luke – Of Counsel
- Beth Shore – Of Counsel
- David Comer – Of Counsel
- Heather Matejik – Of Counsel
- Loren Szczesny – Of Counsel
- Michele Mintz – Of Counsel
- Shannon Pierce – Of Counsel
- Timothy Gilsbach – Of Counsel
- Abigail Guenther – Associate
- Alyssa DeTreux – Associate
- Colleen Degnan – Associate
In addition to 18 attorneys, the incoming group includes four paralegals and two legal assistants, with plans to add additional staff at the Plymouth Meeting office to support client service.
“Our group has always operated as a cohesive unit and maintaining that collective strength is vital for our clients,” said Mark Fitzgerald. “Every client we represent relies on a different facet of our team’s skillset, so transitioning together as a single, 24-professional group ensures total continuity of service.”
“In McNees, we found a culture that mirrors our own, one that does exceptional work for its clients while providing a premier workspace for its people,” said Bonnie Young. “From our first meeting, it was clear that the firm’s leadership follows through on their commitments, and we are thrilled to begin this next chapter.”
McNees has positioned its education law group as a comprehensive regional resource. The expansion integrates their established education practice, championed by Kimberly Colonna and primarily focused on the higher education sector, with the incoming group deeply rooted in the K-12 space. While each team brings distinct experience, they share significant crossover in special education and Title IX matters. This alignment combines the talents and resources of both groups to provide a full-service legal solution for educational institutions on every legal matter they may have.
“When you connect with people from a prestigious Am Law 100 firm like Fox Rothschild, you expect a high level of sophistication and technical skill,” said McNees Chief Operating Officer Jenna Wagner. “However, what truly excited us was quickly learning that this group is made up of genuinely down-to-earth individuals who share our values. In addition to being market-leading practitioners, they are the kind of collaborative, approachable people you want in the room as colleagues and as partners on your most complex legal matters. It’s rare to find such a seamless fit for both teams.”
McNees has continued to grow its footprint in the greater Philadelphia region in recent years, including opening its first office in the region in 2021 and expanding and relocating to Radnor in Delaware County last year.
The new Plymouth Meeting office features 10,324 square feet of space with 18 offices, two conference rooms, and several shared workstations. To meet the needs of incoming attorneys and their clients, McNees will now also maintain a physical office in Berks County in Reading. The move comes at the same time McNees signed an office lease to relocate its Harrisburg operations to 202 Senate Ave. in Camp Hill to accommodate a modern, hybrid workforce.
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McNees is a multidisciplinary law firm founded in 1935 with more than 170 attorneys representing businesses, associations, institutions, municipalities, and individuals. The firm serves clients worldwide from 12 offices in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Plymouth Meeting, Pittsburgh, Radnor, Reading, State College, and York, Pa.; Columbus, Ohio; Frederick and Towson, Md.; and Washington, D.C.
