In the shadows of the ornate Capital building, along the banks of the Susquehanna, stands a law firm with a stoic, yet diverse past 140 years in the making.
A past that includes defending Major Marcus Reno in a Court of Inquiry concerning his conduct at the Battle of the Little Big Horn; representing some of the nation’s most powerful industries, including the Pennsylvania Railroad; making sure the average Joe and Jane have affordable legal representation and that members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community are treated with equality and dignity.
Although this sounds like something ripped from the pages of the latest John Grisham legal drama, in reality it’s the story of Harrisburg’s oldest law firm, Nauman, Smith, Shissler & Hall LLP.
“We like to say we are proud of our past but poised for the future,” said Craig Staudenmaier, the firm’s managing partner who has practiced litigation for 30 years.
From their offices on the 18th floor of 200 N. 3rd St., the firm literally and physically stands above other firms in the city.
With a staff of six lawyers, six support staff plus a part time student law clerk, Nauman, Smith represents large corporations in highly specialized areas, including media and First Amendment law, insurance regulation, corporate structure, tax and nonprofit organizational, governance law and railroad transportation.
“We have represented railroads for over 100 years, from the Pennsylvania Rail Road to Norfolk Southern, CSX and Amtrak along with a number of regional and short line railroads,” said Staudenmaier, noting the cases range from Public Utility Commission and Surface Transportation Board matters, to litigation and real estate.
In a 1946 case, the firm took the liability passenger case of Picking v. Pennsylvania Railroad Co. to the United States District Court after the railroad was sued for the false imprisonment and constitutional violations in connection with transporting a person in the custody of peace officers from Pennsylvania to New York. The court held that since railroads were required to transport such persons while in the custody of peace officers, and the warrants were valid, the railroad was simply doing its duty.
One of the firm’s more unique cases occurred in 1954, in Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In Scibelliv vs. Pennsylvania Railroad Co., a child was injured while hopping onto a flatbed car. The court affirmed the railroad had no legal duty to provide guards to keep people from climbing on trains.
The firm also serves small businesses, municipalities and individuals. The newest partner, Suzanne Friday, works with non-traditional families on estate planning. She also has been successful in requiring hospitals to include both members of same-sex couples as parents on their children’s birth certificates.
In recent years, the firm has landed many impressive cases, which have drawn national attention.
Some of its biggest public access cases include representing The Patriot-News before the state Supreme Court where salary information of Penn State employees in the state retirement system was ruled public record, including that of late head football coach Joe Paterno. It also won for the state media a decision that found retreat expenses of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency’s board were public record.
The firm has “benefited greatly” from being located in the city, close to county, state and federal courts and agencies, Staudenmaier said. To support the Capital City, the firm’s lawyers and staff volunteer and serve a number of charities and nonprofits.
“The firm appreciates its rich history in the city,” he said.
