About CHRISTEN

With over 30 years of experience, Christen is trusted by developers, municipalities, and private clients alike. She thrives in high-stakes land use matters, combining deep legal knowledge with quick thinking and a practical perspective. Her leadership has earned her consistent recognition among the region’s top zoning and real estate attorneys, and clients value her tenacity, efficiency, and unwavering commitment to their goals.

Specialties

REAL ESTATE

LANDUSE & ZONING

MUNICIPAL LAW

Admin Contact

Dottie Kerr
DKerr@HRMML.com

Christen G. Pionzio

(215) 661-0400 • CPionzio@HRMML.com

Christen G. Pionzio is a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Zoning Department. For more than 30 years, she has guided clients through complex real estate, zoning, municipal, and land use matters, representing both large corporations and private individuals.

Christen has extensive experience facilitating land acquisition and development for commercial landowners, developers, and private citizens, navigating local, state, and federal approvals, as well as sophisticated financing. She also represents buyers and sellers of commercial real estate, offering cost-saving strategies and resolving obstacles to keep transactions on track.

A trusted advocate in zoning and land use, Christen secures approvals and zoning relief for private developers, helping them maximize property potential. She is especially adept at handling high-profile, often controversial land use cases, bringing efficiency, foresight, and a steady hand to every matter. In addition, she advises municipalities to protect their interests and counsels zoning hearing boards on applying the law fairly and effectively. She currently serves as Solicitor to Hatfield Township and six local Zoning Hearing Boards in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and she is frequently called upon as conflict counsel by her solicitor colleagues. Christen has also served as solicitor for the Montgomery County Prothonotary and has been appointed Master by the Court of Common Pleas in partition actions.

With experience representing both developers and municipalities, Christen offers a unique perspective at the negotiating table. Known for her deep legal knowledge, quick thinking, sense of humor, and charismatic energy, she builds strong relationships with clients and colleagues alike. She is detail-oriented yet practical, anticipating issues before they arise and always keeping clients and consultant teams focused on their ultimate goals.

Christen’s skill and dedication have earned her consistent recognition. She has been selected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in Land Use and Zoning Law since 2021, while the firm has been named a “Best Law Firm” by Best Lawyers (former ranking by U.S. News & World Report) since 2015.

Beyond her practice, Christen has been an active leader in the legal community. She served on the Montgomery Bar Association’s Executive Committee (2010) and Board of Directors (2010–2013), and is a member of its Real Estate/Land Use and Municipal Law Committees, as well as the Pennsylvania and Bucks County Bar Associations. She also serves in leadership roles within the broader community, including as President of her 211-unit Homeowners’ Association, founder and Vice President of the Irish-American Society, and in other civic roles.

Christen graduated with honors from the University of Scranton and earned her J.D. from Widener University School of Law.