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HARRISBURG — David E. Schwager, a partner in the Wilkes-Barre law firm of Chariton, Schwager & Malak, began a two-year term representing the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) in the American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates at the conclusion of House of Delegates meeting at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco on Aug. 13.
As the policy-making body of the association, the ABA House of Delegates has the ultimate responsibility for establishing association policy on professional and public issues. The House meets twice each year, at ABA Annual and Midyear meetings.
Schwager, the president-elect of the PBA, will become the association’s 2020-21 president. He previously served as vice president and treasurer of the PBA and as chair of the PBA Finance Committee, PBA Investment Committee, PBA Planning Committee, PBA Bylaws Committee, PBA Statutory Law Committee, and the PBA Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, and was zone governor for Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
Schwager served on the boards of directors of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, the charitable affiliate of the PBA, and the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the continuing legal education arm of the PBA.
Schwager is a past vice chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Committee.
He is a past chair of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Schwager served as chair of the Third Circuit Bankruptcy Judge Merit Selection Committee and was a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Lawyers’ Assessment Committee and Investment Advisory Board and the Middle District Bankruptcy Court Rules Committee.
He is the treasurer of the Middle District (PA) Bankruptcy Bar Association and a past member of the executive committee of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association where he is a past president of its Young Lawyers Division.
Schwager’s practice focuses on real estate transactions and litigation, title insurance, real estate taxation, zoning and land use, business law, commercial litigation, municipal law and creditors’ rights. Named a “Pennsylvania Super Lawyer” by Philadelphia Magazine every year since 2010 and “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell, he is a member of the Advisory Committee on Real Property Law of the Joint State Government Commission of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Last year, Schwager was named a fellow of The American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Following a rigorous screening process, lawyers are elected to fellowship for outstanding legal ability, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law.
A past assistant district attorney for Luzerne County, Schwager is chair of the Kingston Borough Zoning Hearing Board and an assistant Luzerne County solicitor and has represented various municipal authorities and municipalities.
Schwager serves as president of the S. J. Strauss Housing Foundation and treasurer of Ecumenical Enterprises Inc. He is a member of the board of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, Greater Wilkes-Barre Growth Partnership, Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Fund and Martha Lloyd Community Services in Troy, Pa. He is a past president of the Jewish Community Center of Wyoming Valley, Temple Israel of Wilkes-Barre, the S.J. Strauss Lodge of B’nai B’rith and the Wyoming Seminary Alumni Association. He served as chair of the United Hebrew Institute School Board and the 2007 Jewish Federation campaign.
Schwager is a graduate of Lafayette College and Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University. He served on the executive committee of the Lafayette College Alumni Association and on the board of the General Alumni Association of The Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University.
Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access of legal services; and serve the lawyer members of the state’s largest organized bar association.