Bernadette A. Kearney

Bernadette Kearney has practiced real estate law for over ten years and is a member of the firm's Real Estate and Zoning Department. Her areas of concentration include municipal, real estate, zoning and bankruptcy law matters. Bernadette has represented clients before municipalities, zoning hearing boards, the Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. She has also acted as solicitor to townships, zoning hearing boards and Uniform Construction Code Appeals Boards. Her clients include commercial and residential clients in land acquisitions and financings  and lenders who finance commercial and residential developments. Prior to joining the firm, Bernadette served as a law clerk for The Honorable Emanuel A. Bertin of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas. While attending Temple University School of Law in the evening, Bernadette worked full time for the Clerk's Office of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania as a Case Administrator for Chief Bankruptcy Judge David A. Scholl. Bernadette is an active member of the Montgomery Bar Association (MBA), currently serving as the Chair of Municipal Committee.  A past member of the Board of Directors of the MBA and past Chair of the Young Lawyer Section of the MBA, she is currently a member of the Real Estate/Land Use Committee.  In addition, Bernadette is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), and serves as one of the Regional Coordinators for the High School Mock Trials sponsored by the PBA. Bernadette received her undergraduate degree from Temple University (B.A. 1990) in Journalism, Summa Cum Laude, and her law degree, Cum Laude, from Temple's School of Law in 1997.

Recent Representative Cases:

* Assisted with the zoning and land development approval for a new Catholic high school in Upper Providence Township  

* Assisting non-profit in obtaining conditional use and land development approval for recreation center in Montgomery County

* Obtained zoning approval for sole proprietor to operate business from residential property  

* Counsel small businesses, associations and individuals as to collection of debt in bankruptcy cases

Speeches/Publications:

• Lecturer, Real Estate, Lorman Group Zoning and Land Use
• Lecturer, Montgomery Bar Association Real Estate/Land Use Committee and Municipal Law Committee
• Lecturer, Northeast District American Water Works Association and The Eastern Section WWOAP Fall Joint Meeting on "Shutting off Water"

Professional and Civic Memberships:

• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Montgomery Bar Association
  • Young Lawyer Chair (2003)
  • Member, Board of Directors (2004-2006)
  • Chair Municipal Law Committee
  • Past Co-Chair of the Real Estate/Land Use Committee
  • Member, Real Estate/Land Use Committee
• Member of Le Tip of Blue Bell

Personal Interests:

Bernadette is an avid reader and enjoys spending her free time with her family. During the summer, you can find Bernadette on the beach at the Jersey Shore.