Richard W. Perhacs
Of Counsel
For over 40 years, Richard counseled both local government and business employers on labor and employment law issues. He 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, and served as County Solicitor from 2018-2022.
Richard was 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 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. 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 (through early 2022)
- 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
- 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
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America®, (Labor Law - Management, 2015-2021 and Employment Law - Management, 2016-2021)
Community and Professional Service
- Multi-Cultural Community Resources Center, Former Board Vice-President
- SafeNet, Former 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
- Fifteen Knox Law Attorneys Included On 2021 Best Lawyers in America® List
- Attorneys Perhacs and Zaruta Provide In-Service for Superintendents
- Twelve Knox Law Attorneys Named to 2020 Best Lawyers in America® List
- Second Edition of Richard Perhacs' "Labor Relations for School Leaders" Book Now Available
- Richard Perhacs Serves as Fiction Book Reviewer for The Erie Reader
- Eleven Knox Law Attorneys Named to 2019 Best Lawyers in America® List
- Richard Perhacs Appointed as Erie County Solicitor
- Richard Perhacs Earns Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction
- Richard Perhacs Appointed to PA Labor Relations Board Panel
- Richard W. Perhacs Successful in Helping County Maintain Accountability at Prison
- Richard W. Perhacs Negotiates to Save School District over $400k Annually