Mark P Thompson, Education Attorney in West Chester, Pennsylvania

A member of the Lamb McErlane Municipal Group since 2001, Mark Thompson concentrates his practice on municipal, land use, environmental law and property tax assessment matters. With his experience in the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board and on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Mark also counsels clients in the areas of solid waste, water, sewage and environmental litigation.

Mark handles a wide variety of municipal, land use, property tax, administrative and environmental law matters and advises townships, boroughs, school districts and municipal authorities, as well as corporations and individuals. He has represented clients before state and local administrative tribunals, as well as before Courts of Common Pleas, the Commonwealth Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Mark served as a law clerk at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Southeast Regional Counsel in Conshohocken and Southwest Regional Counsel in Pittsburgh. He also served as a law clerk with the Honorable Robert J. Cindrich of the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. While at the University of Pittsburgh, Mark worked at the Law School’s Family Support Clinic, where he represented indigent clients evicted from their residences before the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

Prior to joining Lamb McErlane, Mark served as assistant counsel to the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board in Harrisburg, where he worked directly for the Honorable Bernard A. Labuskes, Jr. Mark previously wrote a monthly municipal law column on current issues for the Pennsylvania Law Weekly.

Publications / Presentations

Publications

“Municipal Law and Dup Process: Who is shocking to Whom?” The Legal Intelligencer Real Estate Quarterly, October 2, 2006

“With Rights, Responsibilities – Supreme Court clarifies liability for local roads taken back from PennDOT” Pennsylvania Law Weekly, July 4, 2005

“Paving the Way; PennDOT Steps in to Smooth the Development Process”Pennsylvania Law Weekly, May 30, 2005

“Britain a Model of Antisprawl; High Gas Taxes and a Top Transit System Encourage Riding and Walking”The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 2, 2005

“Growing Greener; Voters to Weigh in on Funding Open Space Preservation”Pennsylvania Law Weekly, April 25, 2005

“Getting Them Where They Work; Municipalities are Taking Advantage of a New Taxing Opportunity”Pennsylvania Law Weekly, March 28, 2005

“Taking the Law at Its Word; Commonwealth Court Reinforces Municipal Power for Injunctive Relief”Pennsylvania Law Weekly, February 28, 2005

“Letting the Sunshine In; In 2005, Further Scrutiny is Coming for Pennsylvania’s Open Government Laws”Pennsylvania Law Weekly, January 24, 2005

“Not So Uniform; Pennsylvania’s New Uniform Construction Code has Many Exemptions”Pennsylvania Law Weekly, November 1, 2004

“Well Worth the Price; Seeking an ‘Advice’ or Opinion From the Ethics Commission Can Protect Public Officials” (with Vincent M. Pompo, Esq.) Pennsylvania Law Weekly, October 4, 2004

Presentations

On August 6, 2013 at a Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) conference in Philadelphia, “Presenting Your Case to the Zoning Hearing Board: Variances, Special Exceptions and Appeals.” The course gave tips on handling an application, preparing exhibits and witnesses, dealing with surveys and plans, how to avoid procedural errors, the best means for dealing with municipal officials, potential opponents and adversaries, and issues to look for when taking an appeal to court.

On December 5, 2012, “How to Present a Case to a Zoning Hearing Board: Variances, Special Exceptions, and Appeals from Zoning Officers” at the 16th annual Real Estate Institute conference in Philadelphia, PA.

January 19, 2010, “Environmental Hearing Board Practice & Local Land Use Implications” Chester County Bar Association Municipal Law Section CLE.

COMMUNITY SERVICE & AFFILIATIONS:

• Solicitor for the following municipalities:

- Borough of Downingtown

- Charlestown Township

- Franklin Township

• Solicitor for the West Goshen Township Zoning Hearing Board

• Board of Directors – Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce

• Board of Directors – Housing Partnership of Chester County

• Chairman – West Chester Borough Citizen’s Financial Advisory Committee

• Board of Directors – West Chester Downtown Foundation

• Member -Comprehensive Plan Task Force Committee for the Borough of West Chester

• Member – Stormwater Utility Implementation Advisory Committee for the Borough of West Chester