Richard W. Perhacs
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814-459-2800
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Richard W. Perhacs

Of Counsel

For over 40 years, Richard has counseled both local government and business employers on labor and employment law issues. He has represented more than a dozen public school systems, including Erie’s Public Schools with over 1,300 employees. A former faculty member in Gannon University's MBA program, he also taught Employment Relations for Penn State Behrend's Black School of Business. He served four County Executives as Solicitor for Labor Relations for Erie County prior to being appointed as County Solicitor in May 2018.

Richard is the fiction book reviewer for the Erie Reader, the Erie region’s arts and culture magazine. Some of his past reviews can be viewed here. He recently received his Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and is a former commercial pilot. He also coached youth hockey for 12 years. Richard is Board Vice President (and former Board President) of the Multi-Cultural Community Resources Center and is actively involved in programs aiding the Erie area’s Hispanic immigrant population. He is conversationally proficient in Spanish.

Practice Areas

  • Duquesne University, J.D.; cum laude; Editor, Duquesne Law Review
  • St. Vincent College, B.A.; cum laude
  • Seton Hill University, Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Ratings

  • Appointed Erie County Solicitor in May 2018
  • Helped the Oil City School District negotiate to outsource its entire custodial and food service operations. The decision, which came after 14 months of negotiations facilitated by Mr. Perhacs, will save the district an expected $425,000 annually
  • Recently served as counsel to the Mayor of the City of Erie assisting with the restructuring of fire and police department contracts
  • Regularly counsels administrators in school districts of all sizes in personnel matters
  • Appointed to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation panel of neutral labor arbitrators

Community and Professional Service

  • Multi-Cultural Community Resources Center, Board Vice-President
  • SafeNet, Board Vice-President
  • American Mensa, Admission Test Proctor

Professional Affiliations

  • Erie County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, Fact Finders and Arbitrators Panel

Speaking Engagements

  • Firm's Biennial Workplace Law Forum, November 2013 and 2015
  • Author of Labor Relations for School Leaders: A Practical Guide to Labor Contracts, Negotiations, Strikes and Grievances (First and Second Editions), a book that leads school board members and administrators through an array of labor relations situations. The book is published by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) and has been used as a text at the University of Pittsburgh, Westminster College, and Gannon University. For more information or to order the book, see the PSBA Publication Order Form.
  • In March, 2014, Mr. Perhacs' first novel, Cuernavaca, was released. A thriller set in southern Mexico, it is available at Amazon.com
  • Firm's Municipal Law Symposium, April 2013
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