Pepper Hamilton LLP announced that Thomas P. Dwyer has joined the firm as a partner in the Corporate and Securities Practice Group. Geoffrey D. Schwartz, who has worked closely with Dwyer, has also joined the firm as an associate in the Corporate and Securities Group. Both joined from Blank Rome LLP and will reside in the Philadelphia office.
Dwyer focuses his practice on advising and executing mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital transactions. He also serves as outside general counsel to a number of emerging, middle market and public companies who rely on his advice on general corporate matters and for which he coordinates additional firm resources in areas such as intellectual property, regulatory matters, litigation and tax. Dwyer has experience working with clients in many industries, including: energy and energy technology, information technology and software, health care and health care technology, life sciences, infrastructure, internet services, manufacturing, business services and gaming.
Brian Katz, chair of the firm’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee said, “Adding a highly respected deal-maker like Tom Dwyer to our ranks serves to strengthen Pepper’s corporate and securities practice and to enhance the services we offer to business organizations of all sizes, from emerging growth companies to Fortune 500 companies. Tom’s multifaceted practice also includes significant experience in the energy space, which adds to Pepper’s knowledge base and positions the firm for continued success in that growing field.”
Dwyer will serve on the steering committee of Pepper’s leading Emerging Company Practice Group, which serves emerging growth companies and their investors. Dwyer will also serve as co-chair of Pepper’s Sustainability, CleanTech and Climate Change Team. His energy experience includes serving as special in-house counsel to the treasury and capital markets groups of a Fortune 500 energy company. Dwyer initiated and leads the Mid-Atlantic Energy Technology Forum, and as chairman of the 2009 IMPACT Conference, he successfully introduced, initiated and implemented the program’s first-ever “cleantech track.” In addition, Dwyer sits on the Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) Investment Advisory Committee (the BFTP committee which makes energy-related investments).
Prior to joining Pepper, Dwyer was a partner with Blank Rome LLP in Philadelphia and served as co-chair of the firm’s venture group. Also, as an active participant in the energy group, he founded and co-chaired the firm’s cleantech practice.
Dwyer said he is very excited about his move to Pepper. “Pepper has a first-class corporate group, with leading private equity, M&A and emerging company practices. Pepper’s corporate platform is an excellent match for my practice and my clients’ businesses. I look forward to using my experience in a wide variety of corporate, technology and energy matters to assist Pepper’s clients and to working with my new partners to grow the firm’s practice in those areas. Pepper has a sterling reputation in the legal community and I am pleased to be a part of it,” Dwyer said.
Dwyer earned his J.D. in 1994 from the University of Baltimore School of Law and his A.B. from Brown University in 1990. Schwartz earned his J.D in 2007 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and his A.B. from Brown University in 1999.
