About BERNADETTE
With more than 25 years of experience, Bernadette represents municipalities, developers, lenders, and property owners in complex real estate and zoning matters. She is widely regarded for her depth of knowledge in land use and zoning law and delivers seasoned counsel and practical solutions that move projects forward.
Specialties
Admin Contact
Lydia Fisher
Bernadette A. Kearney
(215) 661-0400 • BKearney@HRMML.com
Bernadette Kearney is a Principal of the firm with more than 25 years of experience in municipal, real estate, zoning, and bankruptcy law. She represents a wide range of clients, including municipalities, zoning hearing boards, construction code appeals boards, commercial and residential property owners, developers, and lenders. Her work spans land acquisitions, financing transactions, and litigation before zoning hearing boards, the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.
Bernadette has been consistently recognized for excellence in her field. She has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List for Land Use/Zoning annually since 2014, an honor awarded to no more than five percent of attorneys statewide, and was selected as a Top Attorney in Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate Law by Philadelphia Life Magazine in 2016.
Earlier in her career, Bernadette clerked for the Honorable Emanuel A. Bertin of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas. While earning her J.D. from Temple University School of Law in the evening, she worked full time as a Case Administrator for Chief Bankruptcy Judge David A. Scholl in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
An active leader in the legal community, Bernadette currently serves as Co-Vice Chair of the Montgomery Bar Association’s Real Estate Committee. She has also served on the MBA Board of Directors and as Chair of its Young Lawyers Section. In addition, she is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Bernadette earned her B.A. in Journalism, summa cum laude, from Temple University in 1990 and her J.D., cum laude, from Temple University School of Law in 1997. She is dedicated to guiding clients through complex real estate and zoning matters with practical solutions and seasoned counsel.
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East Whiteland Township (2016-present)
Douglas Township (2003-present)
Bangor Borough (2018-present)
Penndel Zoning Hearing Board (2016-present)
North Wales Zoning Hearing Board (2012-present)
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Admissions
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Education
Temple University School of Law, (J.D., cum laude, 1997)
Federal Judicial Clerkship Clinical in the E.D. of Pennsylvania, 1996-1997
Temple University (B.A. Journalism, summa cum laude, 1990)
Temple University President’s Scholar
Member of Kappa Tau Alpha, Journalism Honor Society
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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
Vice Chair, Real Estate Committee
Victim Services Center of Montgomery County
Secretary, Board of Directors
Board of View for Montgomery County
Member of Le Tip of Blue Bell
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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”
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Named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List for Land Use/Zoning, 2014-Present
Named to Top Attorneys list by Suburban Life magazine (2016, 2018) in the areas of Land Use & Zoning Law, and Real Estate Law
Selected as 2016 Top Attorney by Philadelphia Life Magazine for Land Use & Zoning Law and Real Estate Law
Listed as “Awesome Attorney” for Land Use/Zoning Law, Suburban Life Magazine, 2012, 2013
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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.