Organizations that endure have a few things in common: vision, leadership and a commitment to continually improve. Look no further than Begley, Carlin and Mandio LLP, a vital member of the Bucks County community that has been providing skilled legal services to individuals, businesses and governmental entities for more than eight decades.
There’s a rather simple reason behind Begley, Carlin and Mandio’s success and, in turn, its longevity: the commitment of its team of attorneys, who work together to deliver effective, efficient and high-quality legal representation. They fight for clients when a fight is called for, and they embrace reasonableness and cooperation when this approach is better suited for a client’s needs.
The legal team of Begley, Carlin and Mandio believes the key elements to excellent client service include responsiveness, accessibility, an understanding of the client’s “world” and communication. Most importantly, though, their goal is “to make every client feel confident that they have made the best choice, and that they are going to be treated specially, individually and comprehensively,” says managing partner Tom Hecker, who joined the firm in March 1978 and was a county prosecutor in the district attorney’s office for more than five years.
A Strong Foundation
Begley, Carlin and Mandio has both a bright future and a storied history. The firm traces its roots to a Bristol real estate firm started by Hugh B. Eastburn. Attorney William J. Begley came to Bristol in the early 1930s, establishing a law office in space rented from Eastburn, developing a firm with a practice focused around estate planning and estate and trust administration. In 1948, Eastburn brought on John P. Fullam, who had been hired as the town’s solicitor. In 1951, the three attorneys formed a partnership under the firm name Eastburn, Begley and Fullam, growing throughout the 1950s, including the additions of Anthony (“Tony”) A. Mandio and Ed Popkin.
In the aftermath of Eastburn’s death and Popkin’s retirement, the partners changed the practice’s identity to Begley, Carlin and Mandio. On November 1, 1984, the firm moved its offices to Langhorne, in the Oxford Valley Mall Complex.
Due to its clients’ historically broad range of legal needs, the firm offers a range of services in a variety of practice areas, including arbitration and mediation, family law, banking, municipal law, business law, personal injury and wrongful death, commercial and construction law, civil litigation, real estate law, criminal law, municipal law, school law, elder law and incapacity planning, Social Security disability, employment law, workers’ compensation, estate administration and probate, zoning and land development, and estate planning. “It’s easier to say what we don’t do,” says Hecker.
The firm represents clients in Bucks and Montgomery counties, as well as those in Mercer County, N.J. These include area school districts, colleges, economic development corporations, townships, boroughs, banks, and credit unions, among many others. Its roster of corporate clients includes Clear Channel Outdoor, CVS, Dunkin’ Donuts, First Federal of Bucks County, Fulton Bank, Giant Food Stores, Lowe’s Cos. Inc., McDonald’s, Mealey’s Furniture, Parx Casino, Rite-Aid Corp., SEPTA, Sunoco, Target, TD Bank, Walgreens, Walmart and Wawa.
One of the hallmarks of the firm is its passion for giving back to the communities in which it does business and helping them to prosper. Among the many groups with which the firm has been involved are the American Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Bucks County, Bristol Rotary, Bucks County Bar Association, The Friends of Washington Crossing Park, Habitat for Humanity, Croydon and Langhorne Middletown Fire Companies, Lenape Valley Athletic Association, St. Mary Medical Center Foundation, United Way of Bucks County, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Youth Orchestra of Bucks County.
Hecker adds that the firm is also proud of its leadership in various locally based legal, civic and charitable organizations. He and his colleagues believe involvement in the community maximizes the firm’s ability to provide clients with the best legal services possible.
Looking to the Future
July 1 marked a new beginning for the firm, with the opening of an office at 123 West Bridge Street in New Hope. Colin M. Jenei, Esquire LLC, formerly of Jenei and Cohen, will be Of Counsel to the firm at this location. “We really saw it as an area underserved with legal services,” says Hecker. “We love the area and are so happy to be part of its growth. We are fortunate to have Colin with his longstanding presence in the New Hope community become part of our firm.”
Hecker believes the real estate world has become very active again.
“We represent developers and their applications in Bucks and eastern Montgomery counties,” he says. “These are very popular places to live, and the area has seen significant activity for commercial development. That means new office buildings, gas stations, retail and all of the [resulting infrastructure]. An increasing population means more support services, new labor forces, better access and more to make these areas attractive for big and small companies. Over the last 18 monthswe’ve seen significant residential growth [in terms of] townhouses and new single homes.
"Newly adopted laws, ordinances and regulations require legal skills to help understand the different requirements that come with these changes," he continues. "The fact is that every time you have to deal with new state, township, borough and school codes, you need people with an extensive understanding of what that entails. Every time there’s a new law, you have to know how this impacts you, how you need to comply with regulations. It’s an ever-changing process, and we need to be able to explain to you how it impacts your everyday life.”
Another important aspect of the firm’s work is tied to recognizing trends and adapting to meet the needs of a rapidly changing society.
“We’re all getting older,” Hecker says. “There are baby boomers who need services, so we’re addressing their needs through an elder law practice and providing guidance to families, estate planning and finding benefits. People are living longer, so hopefully they’re seeing an improvement to their quality of life. We want to help them to sustain their lifestyle and to prepare for what’s to come. We care about people, and we want them to know that we can help them with their problems. We use our legal skills with compassion. We listen. Everything we do is in the best interests of our clients.”
Blending a rich history with an ever-growing passion for the law, Begley, Carlin and Mandio is perfectly suited to fulfill the changing needs of its clientele. Hecker points to founding partner Tony Mandio as both an example and a source of inspiration.
“At 90 years old, [Mandio] is still working and is very productive,” Hecker says. “We all look to him for guidance. He’s a great source of wisdom. He represents the continuity of the firm. We have a very low staff turnover, and I believe that stability has been very good for the people we serve.”
Begley, Carlin and Mandio LLP
215-750-0110 | www.begleycarlin.com
Two Office Locations
680 Middletown Blvd.
Langhorne, PA 19047
123 W. Bridge Street
New Hope, PA 18938
Photograph by Allure West Studios
