Personal injury law firm Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich and Ryan is proud to announce that Senior Attorney, Brenda Harkavy, has been elected to the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Board of Governors. The Board is the governing body responsible for overseeing the Association’s business and shaping the policies that guide thousands of lawyers across the City. Harkavy is a fearless advocate, expert litigator, and former Special Victims Unit prosecutor who has dedicated her career to securing justice for survivors of abuse, exploitation, and human rights violations, and her election reflects her recognized devotion to advocating for justice through the legal community.
A Recognized Leader in Survivor Advocacy and Complex Litigation
As a member of LBDRR’s Crime Victim Division, Harkavy advocates for survivors of crime, including cases involving sexual abuse, assault, human trafficking, and other forms of exploitation. Throughout her career, she’s been at the forefront of landmark litigation, including helping secure the record-breaking settlement against USC involving former gynecologist George Tyndall, the largest sexual abuse recovery and personal injury settlement ever achieved against a university in United States history.
Beyond overseeing the Association’s business, the five-member Board serves as an influential leadership body responsible for shaping policy, guiding professional standards, and helping steer the future of the legal profession in Philadelphia. Its work ensures that the legal community remains responsive, forward-thinking, and aligned with the needs of both practitioners and the people they serve.
Brenda Harkavy’s Extensive Leadership Across Legal Organizations
Harkavy holds leadership roles on several legal committees, is the Board President of the Support Center for Child Advocates, co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Women’s Right’s Committee, the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Women in the Profession Legislative Subcommittee, Co-Chair of the American Association for Justice’s Sexual Assault Litigation Group, and has earned numerous accolades, including being named a 2025 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, an ALM 2024 Pennsylvania Lawyer on the Fast Track and a Rising Star editorial feature in the 2024 Pennsylvania and Delaware Super Lawyers Magazine for her tireless commitment to advancing survivors’ rights.
Harkavy is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and United States District Courts for the Districts of Maryland, Eastern and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan LLP (www.laffeybucci.com) is a Philadelphia-based, trauma-informed personal injury law firm dedicated to representing individuals who have suffered severe injuries due to negligence. Since 2009, the firm has provided exceptional “leave no stone unturned” representation in personal injury, construction accident cases, workers’ compensation, workplace falls, and product liability. The crime victim department, staffed by former sex crimes prosecutors, exclusively represents survivors of abuse, assault, and human trafficking nationwide. The firm’s attorneys bring over 140 years of combined experience and have secured more than $850 million in compensation, providing a track record of relentless advocacy and results-driven representation for their clients.