Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts Strengthens Statewide Leadership with Six New Board Members

[Philadelphia PA] — [August 12, 2026] — Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC), a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to ensuring a Pennsylvania judicial system focused on impartiality, fairness, accessibility, and respect, today announced the addition of five new members to its Board of Directors and the return of Robert Heim to its Board of Directors. The five new Directors are Siobhan Cole, Neal R. Devlin, William Shotzbarger, Chelsea L. Smith, and Curtis Stambaugh.

Sarah Gitchell, PMC’s Board co-chair emphasized, "We are pleased to welcome five new Directors and one returning Director to our Board. Their experience, judgment, and commitment to improving Pennsylvania's courts will be invaluable as we continue advancing a judicial system that is impartial, fair, accessible, and respectful to everyone it serves. I look forward to partnering with each of them in the important work ahead."

The new board members, from across the Commonwealth, bring a broad range of legal experience and a shared commitment to PMC’s mission of expanding access to justice and modernizing Pennsylvania’s courts:

Robert Heim is Special Counsel for Dechert LLP’s antitrust practice. A nationally known trial lawyer, he focused his practice on antitrust, defamation, products liability and complex commercial litigation. He is a past Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association and past President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. He is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. and Chair Emeritus, PMC.

Siobhan Cole is a partner at Holland & Knight in Philadelphia, where she represents individuals and commercial clients in complex business disputes, class action defense, and appellate litigation. She has argued before courts including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the D.C. Circuit, and previously served as a mediator in the Philadelphia court system.

Neal R. Devlin is a Shareholder at and President of Knox Law Firm in Erie, where he litigates complex contract, business, and intellectual property disputes and handles white-collar matters in state and federal courts nationwide. He clerked for the Honorable Richard L. Nygaard on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and holds a J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

William Shotzbarger is a partner at Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia, focusing his litigation practice on antitrust and competition, complex commercial disputes, and white-collar criminal defense and government investigations. He has tried cases in federal and state courts nationwide and holds a J.D., magna cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law.

Chelsea L. Smith is an associate at Fisher Phillips LLP in Philadelphia, where she represents employers in labor and employment matters, including employee defection, restrictive covenant, and trade secrets matters and discrimination and harassment claims. A PMC alumna, Smith previously served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the organization before going on to earn her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she competed on Temple Law’s National Trial Team.

Curtis Stambaugh serves as Assistant General Counsel at Energy Transfer in Harrisburg. He previously was an equity member of McNees Wallace. He is Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of Carlisle Summerfair and Past President of Carlisle Fish & Game Association, Inc. He assisted in founding the Carlisle Shooting Sports Foundation, served as the initial President, and is currently on the Board of Directors.