COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE • NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AFFILIATIONS AND EXEMPTIONS • CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BUSINESS LAW • BUSINESS REORGANIZATION AND ENTITY RESTRUCTURING • TAX ASSESSMENT APPEALS & PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS • TAXATION • MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS • CHARTER SCHOOLS
Marie K. McConnell is a shareholder and Chair of the Firm’s Corporate, Business & Banking Group. Her practice focuses on commercial transactions, including commercial real estate acquisitions and sales, entity restructures, charter schools, for-profit and nonprofit mergers and acquisitions and organizational issues. She also has significant experience in counseling clients with respect to tax exemptions and tax assessment appeals.
Ms. McConnell merges an undergraduate background in economics and an LL.M. in taxation into her legal practice, resulting in thoughtful, business-oriented solutions that fit each client’s goals. She is a trusted advisor to her clients and values the personal relationships she has built over the years. Ms. McConnell is dedicated, driven and highly responsive.
Ms. McConnell brings the same passion with which she serves her clients to the Lehigh Valley community and the firm itself. She is currently serving as Secretary of CREW Lehigh Valley, the local 200+ member chapter of a 14,000 member global organization dedicated to transforming the commercial real estate industry by advancing women. Additionally, she is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, as well as its Compensation and Hiring and Retention Committees.
In 2019, Ms. McConnell was honored by Lehigh Valley Business as a Woman of Influence. In addition, her peers recognized her as a “Super Lawyer – Pennsylvania Rising Star” from 2012-2023, a designation awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania under 40. She was also recognized by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce as the inaugural “Future Business Leader of the Lehigh Valley” in 2013.
She is local to the area, having grown up in Allentown.
EDUCATION
- Muhlenberg College, B.A., cum laude, 2005
- Villanova University School of Law, J.D., 2008
- Villanova University School of Law, LL.M., Taxation, 2009
PROJECTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Representation with respect to every aspect of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisition, development, financing, construction and utilization.
- Legal counsel to local and nationally recognized nonprofit organizations, including hospitals and universities. Representation includes restructuring, mergers, affiliations and supporting organizations.
- Solicitor to multiple Charter Schools. Representation includes obtaining and renewing charters, governance, financing, facilities, and contract matters.
- Defense of charitable status with respect to tax challenges and handling of tax exemption hearings and trials on behalf of nonprofit organizations.
- Representation of taxpayers in various tax matters, including income tax, domicile issues and gross receipts tax matters. Regularly appears before the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Board of Appeals, Board of Finance and Revenue and Commonwealth Court.
REPORTED DECISIONS
- Phoebe Services, Inc. v. City of Allentown, 262 A.3d 660 (Pa. Commw. 2021)
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- CREW Lehigh Valley, Secretary, 2024, 2023 & 2015 – 2018; Past-President, 2022; President, 2021; President-Elect, 2020; Delegate, 2019; Member, 2010 – Present
- CREW Network, Nomination Committee, Member, 2019
- Bar Association of Lehigh County
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- American Bar Association
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Webinar Speaker, Maintaining Hospital Nonprofit Status, HealthCare Appraisers, November 17, 2020
- Panelist, Navigating the New Normal – Professional Services Webinar, Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox Ladies Speakers Series, May 27, 2020
- Speaker, Project Blueprint, Increasing Ethnic Diversity in Volunteer Leadership, Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley, annually 2015 – present
- Speaker, LEAD Now, Understanding Board Service, Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley, annually 2018 – present
- Speaker, Legal Structures for Your Business, Including Benefits of a B-Corp, Evolve Her September 13, 2018
- Speaker, Corporate Boot Camp, Client Seminar, September 23, 2014
- Speaker, Real Estate for the Health Care Industry: Tax Assessments & Tax Exemptions, Client Seminar, April 23, 2014
- Speaker, Ryan Leadership Institute, De Sales University, March 18, 2014
HONORS & AFFILIATIONS
- Named a Woman of Influence by Lehigh Valley Business, 2019
- Inaugural “Future Business Leader” of the Lehigh Valley Award, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, 2013
- Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Rising Star Edition, 2012-2023
- Named a “Select Lawyer” in:
- Business/Commercial Law, Contracts Law, Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeals Law and Taxation Law, 2014
- Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeals Law, 2015 – 2017
- Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal “20 Under 40” Award, 2011
COMMUNITY ACTIVITY
- Phoebe Ministries, Audit, Finance and Investment Committee, Member, 2014 – 2019
- Allentown School District Foundation, Board of Directors, Member, 2011 – 2017; Governance Committee, 2011 – 2018
- Volunteer Leadership Council- Lehigh Valley Unit, American Cancer Society East Central Division, Former Member
CALL DIRECT
610-797-9000, ext. 387
ASSISTANT INFORMATION
Angela Scott
610-797-9000, ext. 361
