Ballard Spahr's Meredith Swartz Dante and Robert J. Clark have been recognized by prominent local publications as outstanding young attorneys with exceptional records of professional success and commitment to their communities.
Mr. Clark, an associate in the firm's Litigation Department, was recently profiled as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal's "40 under 40." The list recognizes 40 of Philadelphia’s professionals under the age of 40 who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their industries and extraordinary commitment to their communities.
Ms. Dante, also an associate in the firm's Litigation Department, was named a "Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Legal Intelligencer and will be profiled in the publication's June 13 supplement. The 32 winners were selected by a six-member judging panel comprising evaluators from across the state and legal profession. She was also recently listed as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal's "25 Young Lawyers on the Rise," which profiled the City's notable millennial attorneys.
Mr. Clark focuses on government relations and regulatory work. Drawing on several years of experience in government and politics at the federal, state, and local levels, he helps his clients interact effectively with government to achieve their business objectives. Mr. Clark represents clients in significant public/private economic development and infrastructure projects, public procurements and bid protest proceedings, complex matters involving the regulation of charitable trusts, and administrative and licensing matters.
Before joining Ballard Spahr, Mr. Clark served from 2003 to 2005 as the Director of the Office of Public Liaison under Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell. In this role, he was responsible for all appointments to Commonwealth boards, commissions, judicial vacancies, and non-civil service positions in agencies and departments under the Governor's jurisdiction. From 2005 to 2009, Mr. Clark served as a Special Assistant to Gov. Rendell, directing the Commonwealth's efforts to begin the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening Project.
Ms. Dante represents employers across industries including retail, financial services, technology, life sciences, health care, manufacturing, and higher education in a broad range of labor and employment disputes. Ms. Dante partners with clients to devise legal solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of the client’s business. She regularly advises clients in matters involving discrimination, whistleblower complaints and retaliation, wage and hour issues, reductions in force, restrictive covenants, and diversity and inclusion programs. She has experience defending clients in single plaintiff, class, and collective actions across the spectrum of employment laws.
Ms. Dante has an active pro bono practice. She counsels nonprofit organizations on personnel issues, with clients ranging from homeless shelters to an organization dedicated to discovering safer, nontoxic treatments for pediatric cancer. Ms. Dante also provides compliance guidance and management training and drafts independent contractor agreements and employment contracts for Nationalities Service Center, a regional refugee and immigrant services organization.
About Ballard Spahr
Ballard Spahr LLP, an Am Law 100 law firm with more than 500 lawyers in 15 offices in the United States, provides a range of services in litigation, business and finance, real estate, intellectual property, and public finance. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, life sciences and technology companies, health systems, investors and developers, government agencies and sponsored enterprises, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. The firm combines a national scope of practice with strong regional market knowledge. For more information, please visit www.ballardspahr.com.
