Robert A. Graci, former Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge and retired Chief Counsel to the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania, has joined the law firm of Saxton & Stump as Senior Counsel. Graci will strongly impact the continued growth of the firm’s appellate, internal investigations and Title IX services. He will also provide alternative dispute resolution services through Optimal Dispute Resolutions, a subsidiary of Saxton & Stump.
Graci announced his retirement in August 2018 as Chief Counsel to the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania. In this role, Graci was Chief Legal Adviser to the Board and was responsible for supervision of the Board’s staff, the Board’s investigations and its prosecutions before the Court of Judicial Discipline. He served in various capacities in leading and supporting investigations into allegations of misconduct and other activities of the Board.
“We are honored to welcome Judge Graci to Saxton & Stump,” said James W. Saxton, the firm’s CEO. “He is a brilliant strategic thinker and advocate. His career of more than 40 years, including his work within the appellate judiciary and the Attorney General’s Office where he was handling some of the most challenging and complex legal matters and numerous high-profile investigations, will benefit all our clients. With the addition of now two well-respected former judges, including Lawrence F. Stengel in our Lancaster office, Saxton & Stump continues to strategically focus on growing our capabilities for outstanding client service.”
“I am very pleased to join a remarkable team of lawyers and to work alongside Judge Stengel,” said Graci. “Saxton & Stump appears to be committed to innovation, technology and client service. Their leadership team is dedicated to thoughtful and intentional growth and has a reputation for adding professionals who are leaders in their areas. I am excited to join the Harrisburg office, which will triple in size this year.”
Graci served on the Superior Court from 2002 to 2004 before becoming a Member in the Harrisburg office of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, focusing his practice on appeals, white collar criminal defense, general litigation, regulatory and administrative law and governmental relations. Drawing on his many years as an appellate litigator and judge, he chaired the firm’s Appellate Practice Group, further refining his brief-writing and appellate advocacy skills while successfully navigating several appeals.
Prior to his appointment to the bench in 2002, Graci was the Assistant Executive Deputy Attorney General for Law and Appeals of the Criminal Law Division of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. As a Deputy Attorney General for nearly 18 years, he briefed and argued cases in each of the state and federal appellate courts in Pennsylvania, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court.
Graci has lectured for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges, the Minor Judiciary Education Board, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute, Delaware State Bar Association and other forums. He has authored several articles and CLE course materials and has been recognized for his accomplishments by the Pennsylvania Bar Association and by several attorneys general he served.
Based in Pennsylvania, Saxton & Stump is a legal and consulting firm that represents healthcare professionals and other businesses. The firm represents their clients in a wide range of legal and consulting services, including healthcare litigation and risk mitigation, labor and employment, corporate insurance coverage and bad faith matters, construction litigation, commercial litigation, estate planning, intellectual property, internal investigations and business law. In addition to a team of experienced lawyers and paralegals, the firm employs physicians, nurses, psychologists, physician reimbursement specialists, health policy thought leaders and business consultants.
