James E. McErlane
Senior Partner
- Business
- Banking and Finance
- Real Estate
- Municipal Finance
- Attorney Discipline / Ethical Matters
Jim McErlane is a Senior Partner in the Law Firm of Lamb McErlane P.C., West Chester, PA. He is one of the founding members of the firm which organized on January 1, 1971. His practice has concentrated in the area of general business, finance, real estate, municipal and governmental regulations. He has been named as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for General Business Law. He was in the U.S. Navy 1967-1970, with one year in Vietnam.
Jim has been actively involved with the Boards of many organizations over the years, including: Member, Board of Directors, The Chester County Community Foundation, The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board (former Chair), Business and Industry Chamber for Chester County (former Chair), the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Philadelphia Regional Port Authority, Chester Valley Bancorp (Chair), Paoli Hospital – Community Volunteers in Medicine, Board of Consultors of the Villanova Law School, West Chester University Foundation, Boy Scouts of America -Chester County Council; Chester County Food Bank; and Chester County Library Trust; among others.
OTHER PRACTICE AREAS:
- Governmental Regulation
ADMISSIONS:
- Pennsylvania
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Federal District and Circuit Courts for the Third Circuit
BOARDS:
Member, PA Commission on Judicial Independence, appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court September, 2024
EDUCATION:
- Villanova Law School, JD
- Villanova University, BA
AWARDS/RECOGNITION:
Rated by Super Lawyers
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- 2021 Chester County Economic Development Council Hall of Fame Recipient
- Recipient, Legal Intelligencer’s 2021 Professional Excellence Award for Lifetime Achievement
- 2021 Chairman’s Award, Republican Committee of Chester County
- Recipient of the 2020 Jeanne Molitor La Rouche Leadership Award
- 2019 Philadelphia Inquirer Influencer of Law for Lifetime Achievement
- Named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2005
- Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
- Named 2019, 2020, 2021,2022,2023,2024 Best Lawyers in America©
- Named a Best Lawyers in America 2020 Lawyer of the Year for Municipal Law in the Philadelphia area
- Named a 2020 Five-Star/Top Attorney by Suburban Life Magazine
- Main Line Today Top Lawyer 2021
- Recognized as a 2023 ‘Top Lawyers’ of Chester County by Daily Local News Readers’ Choice
PODCAST:
- Eminent Domain in Pennsylvania, click here to listen to the Lamb McErlane PC legal podcast featuring attorneys Jim Sargent & Jim McErlane.
In the News
- Lamb McErlane PC Senior Partner James E. McErlane Appointed to the PA Commission on Judicial Independence
- Twenty-One Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as 2025 Best Lawyers in America© & Ones to Watch
- Twenty-Four Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as 2024 Main Line Today ‘Top Lawyers’
- Twenty-Eight Lamb McErlane Attorneys Voted 2024 ‘Top Lawyers’ of Chester County by Daily Local News Readers’ Choice
- Twenty-Two Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Named 2024 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Nineteen Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as 2024 Best Lawyers in America© & Ones to Watch
- Twenty-Eight Lamb McErlane Attorneys Voted 2023 ‘Top Lawyers’ of Chester County by Daily Local News Readers’ Choice
- Twenty-One Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Named 2023 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Thirty-Two Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as “Top Attorneys” in Suburban Life Magazine
- Thirty-Four Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as “Top Attorneys” by Suburban Life Magazine
- Sixteen Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers in America© & Ones to Watch 2023
- Thirty Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as 2022 Main Line Today ‘Top Lawyers’
- Twenty-Eight Lamb McErlane Attorneys Recognized as 2022 “Top Lawyers” by Daily Local Readers
- Twenty-One Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Named 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers & Rising Stars
- Thirty-Six Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as “Top Attorneys” by Suburban Life Magazine
- James E. McErlane Inducted into Chester County Business Hall of Fame by the Chester County Economic Development Council
- Sixteen Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers in America & Ones to Watch 2022
- Twenty-Nine Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as 2021 Main Line Today Top Lawyers
- Twenty-Eight Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as 2021 “Best Lawyers” in Chester County
- Lamb McErlane Senior Partner James E. McErlane Recipient of the Legal Intelligencer’s 2021 Professional Excellence Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Eighteen Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Have Been Named 2021 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Lamb McErlane PC Supports WCU Foundation and the 2021 Annual G.A.L.A.
- Thirty-Eight Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Named Suburban Life Five-Star / Top Attorneys
- Lamb McErlane PC Senior Partner James E. McErlane to Receive Jeanne Molitor La Rouche Leadership Award
- Seventeen Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Recognized as Best Lawyers in America© & Ones to Watch 2021
- Nineteen Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Have Been Named 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Named Suburban Life Philadelphia Top Attorneys
- Thirteen Lamb McErlane PC Lawyers Recognized as The Best Lawyers in America© 2020
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Twenty-Six Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2019 Main Line Today Top Lawyers
- Lamb McErlane PC Supports the Chester County Community Foundation’s Sweet Charity Event
- Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys James E. McErlane, Joel L. Frank and Mary-Ellen H. Allen Recognized as Philadelphia Inquirer’s 2019 Influencers of Law
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Ten Attorneys Recognized in the Best Lawyers© in America 2019
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Twenty-Two Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2018 Main Line Today Top Lawyers
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Thirteen Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2018 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and One Rising Star
- Lamb McErlane PC Senior Partner Jim McErlane is Featured in VISTA Today, Chester County Leadership
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Eight Firm Attorneys Have Been Named Suburban Life Top Attorneys
- Lamb McErlane Announces Twelve Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2017 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
- Lamb McErlane Partner Praises ‘Exemplary’ Work of County’s Voter Services During Presidential Recount – Vista Today Article Featuring James McErlane
- Lamb McErlane Managing Partner Joel Frank and Senior Partner James McErlane in Washington, DC on Inauguration Day
- Lamb McErlane Donates School Supplies to the Salvation Army of West Chester
- Lamb McErlane Senior Partner Jim McErlane to Serve as an At-Large Delegate and on the Platform Committee for the 2016 Republican National Convention
- Lamb McErlane PC was a Proud Sponsor of the Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America 2016 Distinguished Citizen Awards Dinner
- Lamb McErlane Announces Eleven Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2015 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Lamb McErlane PC Senior Partner James E. McErlane Recognized by West Chester University and the March of Dimes
- Lamb McErlane PC Attorneys Volunteer to Establish Official Trust to Benefit 6 Year Old Ryan McMillan
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Four Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2014 Main Line Today Top Lawyers
- Lamb McErlane Announces Thirteen Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2014 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
- Lamb McErlane PC Announces Nine Firm Attorneys Have Been Named 2013 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Three Rising Stars
- Lamb McErlane Announces Fourteen Attorneys Have Been Named 2012 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
- Lamb McErlane Partner Appointed By PA Supreme Court