Previous Law Firm Name

• Chariton & Keiser, LLP, January 1, 1997
• Chariton & Keiser, January 1, 1991
• Shaffer & Chariton, January 1, 1968

Law Firm Overview

About the Firm

At Chariton & Schwager, we believe that trust and mutual respect are key components in an attorney/client relationship. We endeavor to build trust and mutual respect into all of our client services. The attorneys and staff of Chariton & Schwager strive to meet client needs in the most effective manner possible while also fostering a finely tuned working relationship.

Chariton & Schwager is a full-service law firm devoted to general civil practice in all Pennsylvania and federal courts. Spanning five decades, the combined experience of our attorneys encompasses

History of the Firm

The law practice of Louis Shaffer spanned over 50 years and served as the foundation for the formation of Chariton & Schwager. Attorney Shaffer was known for his impressive and distinctive legal career and for being an outstanding servant to his community. Attorney Shaffer's example provided the firm with a solid base of trust, respect and dedication. A recognized leader among his peers, Attorney Shaffer served as President of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association, the Luzerne County Bar Association. Always taking his responsibilities seriously, Attorney Shaffer served his clients and his profession until his death in 1984.

Infallibly courteous, Lou Shaffer was a conciliator, a lawyer who recognized the fact that a lawyer's duty was not to tear people apart, but to bring them together. That sense of character, which Louis Shaffer carefully cultivated, is still a strong and integral part of the firm.

 

In 1999, after nearly two decades in practice with Attorney Shaffer, his son-in-law, Jerry B.Chariton (left), joined with David E. Schwager (center), an accomplished and respected attorney, to form the firm of Chariton & Schwager. Recently, Jeffrey J. Malak (right) has become partner, bringing his talent and expertise to the firm.

The firm is housed in a previously neglected, deteriorating historical building on South Main Street in downtown\ Wilkes-Barre, PA. As part of a continuing commitment to the community, in conjunction with a distinguished architect, this hidden jewel underwent an exhaustive restoration and renovation. The effort was recognized by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry in 1992 when the restoration project was presented the prestigious "Pride of Place" Award. The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society also recognized the rehabilitation of this structure in 1992 with an historic preservation award for adaptive reuse. Today the structure stands as a beacon of creativity and foresight in the downtown area.

Areas of Practice

• Business Organizations
• Business, Corporate & Commercial Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Creditors' Rights
• Elder Law
• Estate & Orphans' Court Litigation
• Estate Administration
• Estate Planning
• Municipal Law
• Real Estate Law
• Tax Planning
• Title Insurance
• Trusts
• Wills & Probate
• Zoning & Land Use

Honors and Awards

• Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers

Published Works

• Chapter 1, Estate Planning in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Bar Institute Press
• Chapter 7, Fee Agreements in Pennsylvania, 2d Ed.

Classes and Seminars

• Various Seminars, American Bar Association
• Various Seminars, Pennsylvania Bar Institute
• Various Seminars, Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Various Seminars, Middle District (PA) Bankruptcy Bar Association

Pro Bono Activities

• Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section
• Advisory Committee on Real Property Law of Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission, January 1, 2004 - Present
• Board Member, Dickinson School of Law General Alumni Association, June 1, 1998 - Present
• Chair, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Committee on Tax Issues Relevant to Trusts and Estates
• Chair, American Bar Association Taxation Section Committee on Small Firm Lawyers, June 1, 1994 - May 31, 1996
• Chair, Estate Planning Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2006
• Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Financing of Real Estate Committee, June 1, 2003 - May 31, 2005
• Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association Real Estate Taxation Committee, June 1, 2002 - May 31, 2003
• Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association Probate Procedures Committee, June 1, 1983 - May 31, 1988
• Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association Estate Planning Committee, June 1, 1988 - May 31, 1998
• Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association Statutory Law Committee, June 1, 2001 - May 31, 2004
• Chair, Luzerne County Orphans' Court Rules Committee, January 1, 2000 - Present
• Chair, Luzerne County (PA) Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, June 1, 1995 - May 31, 1997
• House of Delegates, Pennsylvania Bar Association, May 1, 2000 - Present
• Kingston Zoning Hearing Board, January 1, 2001 - Present
• Middle District (PA) Bankruptcy Rules Committee, January 1, 2003 - Present
• Solicitor, Music Box Players
• Solicitor, District 16 Little League
• Treasurer, Middle District (PA) Bankruptcy Bar Association, October 1, 1996 - Present
• Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, May 1, 1993 - December 31, 2000
• Board, Wilkes University Law School Initiative
• Member, Pennsylvania State University Planned Giving Advisory Council

Ancillary Businesses

• Agent for Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company, a LandAmerica com

West Practice Categories

Administrative Law, Administrative Hearings & Adjudication, Administrative Rulemaking, Licensing, Regulatory Enforcement, Agriculture Law, Crops, Equine, Farms & Ranches, Livestock, Antitrust & Trade Regulation, Antitrust Law, Mergers, Acquisitions & Divestitures, Trade Regulation, Banking & Finance Law, Commercial Banks, Credit Unions, Lending & Secured Transactions, Loan Workouts, Foreclosure & Alternatives, Public Finance, Savings & Thrifts, State & Municipal Bonds & Financing, Bankruptcy Law, Collections & Repossessions, Creditors' Rights, Foreclosures, Garnishment, Reorganizations & Restructuring, Workouts, Business & Commercial Law, Commercial Leasing, Contracts, Debtor/Creditor, Franchising, International Transactions, Joint Ventures, Secured Transactions, Transactions, Uniform Commercial Code, Business Organizations, Business Successions, Closely Held Businesses, Corporate Governance, Directors' & Officers' Liability, Dissolution, Formation & Business Planning, Limited Liability Companies, Non-profit & Tax-exempt Organizations, Partnerships, Reorganizations, Shareholders' Rights, Trade Associations, Collections, Communications & Media Law, Cellular Communications, Internet, Television & Film, Eminent Domain, Construction Law, Construction Contracts, Construction Liens, Government Construction Contracts, Housing & Construction Defects, Education Law, Colleges & Universities, Private Schools, Election Campaign & Political Law, Election & Campaign Law, Government Relations & Lobbying, Legislative Practice, Public Law, Employment Law -- Employer, Employment Contracts -- Employer, Municipal Employment -- Employer, Energy Law, Cogeneration, Minerals & Mining, Oil & Gas, Public Utilities, Entertainment, Sports & Leisure Law, Art, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, Travel & Leisure, Environmental Law, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney and Appointment, Trusts, Wills, Gaming Law, Casinos, Pari-mutuels Betting, Government Agencies & Programs, Housing & Urban Development, Medicare & Medicaid, State & Local Agencies, Government Contracts, Government Procurement, State & Municipal Contracts, Health & Health Care Law, Hospital Law, Insurance Law, Directors' & Officers' Liability Insurance, Fidelity, Guarantee & Surety, Title Insurance, Trade Secrets, Business & Trade, Foreign Investment, Internet -- Cyberspace, Domain Names, Electronic Commerce, Identity Theft, Litigation & Appeals, Bankruptcy Litigation, Complex Litigation, Federal Appellate Practice, Federal Trial Practice, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, Tax Litigation, US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, US Supreme Court, Mergers & Acquisitions, Natural Resources Law, Logging & Timber, Water & Riparian Rights, Probate & Estate Administration, Estate Administration, Real Estate Law, Commercial Real Estate, Condemnation, Condominiums & Cooperatives, Conveyancing, Land Use & Zoning, Landlord/Tenant, Residential Real Estate, Science & Technology Law, High Technology, State, Local & Municipal Law, Municipal Corporations, Municipal Employment, Municipal Liability, State Government, Tax Increment Financing, Taxation Law, Corporate Taxation, Estate & Gift Taxation, Income Taxation, Property (Ad Valorem) Taxes, Transportation Law, Aviation, Railroad, Trucking