Personal Injury Litigation

Pennsylvania - New Jersey - New York - Nationwide

Zack Needles
The Legal Intelligencer
April 13, 2011

Smerconish Leaves Beasley Firm for Kline & Specter

Radio talk show host Michael A. Smerconish has left his position as of counsel with The Beasley Firm to become of counsel with Kline & Specter, effective immediately.

Smerconish told The Legal Tuesday that he's been friends with Kline & Specter's principals, Tom Kline and Shanin Specter, for decades, dating back to when all three lawyers practiced at The Beasley Firm together.

Smerconish said he had recently expressed to them that he was considering leaving The Beasley Firm.

"For a number of reasons, it felt like this was a good time for a change," he said. Smerconish said he had a decade-long relationship with Jim Beasley Sr. until his death in 2004, admitting that "on a certain level, it's upsetting to me to no longer be associated with his legacy."

But, he added, his new affiliation with Kline & Specter is "a forward-looking relationship."

"There's no carry-over from The Beasley Firm," he said, calling it a "clean break."

Jim Beasley Jr., head of The Beasley Firm, said he and Smerconish are "friendly" but that Smerconish hadn't practiced at the firm since before Jim Beasley Sr.'s death.

"He was more my dad's guy than" he was mine, he said. "I probably haven't seen him in three or four years."

Kline said Smerconish will be "actively involved in both advising and counseling in cases he and the firm are working on collectively."

Smerconish said that while his current schedule would not permit him to actually try cases, it's not something he rules out for the future.

"In fact, it's something I look forward to," he said.

Smerconish said he retains his law license because there are still a number of people who seek his counsel.

Therefore, he said, "it's important I have a good affiliation with a place where I'm comfortable and confident" referring matters.