We Listen.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE

The discerning client knows that the law is more than an abstract concept and that the value of choosing the right law firm transcends technical competence. Today’s sophisticated clients want a lawyer who serves as a trusted advisor; one who listens to and understands their needs and goals, identifies important legal issues that affect them, helps them define and make important choices, and works with them to develop and implement a strategy to realize their goals efficiently and effectively.

Our primary practice areas include:

  • Appeals Lawyers

    Appeals Lawyers

    Our appellate attorneys have briefed and argued appeals in multiple state and federal jurisdictions on a variety of matters. We have broad experience appellate cases including, most recently appeals addressing telecommunications, taxation and the constitutionality of state statutes. Our appeals lawyers frequently review the merits of appeals with clients and referring counsel to determine the …

  • Banking & Finance

    Banking & Finance

    Our banking lawyers in Chester County, PA have extensive experience leading financing transactions for community, regional and national banks, as well as representing the individual, business and developer in navigating the financing portion of their deals.

    Representing the Lender

    We represent community, regional and national banks in all types of loan transactions from drafting the …

  • Business Planning & Organizations

    Business Planning & Organizations

    One of the major components of our practice is the representation of small to medium size closely-held businesses. Our business planning lawyers in Chester County, PA provide a wide range of services relating to clients’ day-to-day business operations, counsel clients in the selection and formation of business organizations suited to their particular needs, and represent …

  • Business Transactions

    Business Transactions

    One of our most significant practice areas is the representation of closely-held businesses. Unruh Turner Burke & Frees provides a wide range of services to for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations
  • Chester County Real Estate Tax Assessment

    Chester County Real Estate Tax Assessment

    Our long established and active Chester County real estate tax assessment law group represents both commercial and residential owners as well as various taxing authorities. Our experience provides our attorneys with a comprehensive understanding of tax assessment law. We put our depth of knowledge to work for our clients to guide them through the tax …

  • Child Custody

    Child Custody

    The determination of physical and legal custody can be one of the most challenging and sensitive things a family can go through. The custody attorneys at Unruh Turner Burke & Frees, P.C., provide a compassionate and honest voice of reason during these challenging times, keeping the child’s best interest in mind. We are committed to …

  • Construction Litigation

    Construction Litigation

    Our commercial litigation, real estate and land use practice groups draw on and combine their extensive experience in litigation and in all facets of municipal, land use and real estate in order to enable Unruh Turner Burke & Frees to offer exceptional representation of clients (whether as plaintiffs or defendants) in most types of real …

  • Creditor’s Rights & Bankruptcy

    Creditor’s Rights & Bankruptcy

    Our creditor’s rights attorneys in Chester County, PA have extensive experience representing banks, trust companies, savings institutions, asset-based lenders, commercial landlords, commercial finance lenders, leasing companies and other financial institutions, in a broad range of commercial transactions, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights issues.  In addition to representing commercial lenders with drafting and negotiating transaction documents such …

  • Criminal Defense

    Criminal Defense

    The firm’s Criminal Defense team is dedicated to helping clients successfully navigate the stressful and confusing criminal justice system in Chester County and the surrounding areas. Whether you are being investigated for wrongdoing or charged with a crime, our firm is ready to defend your rights at each step of the process.

    Our lawyers …

  • Elder Law Solutions ®

    Elder Law Solutions ®

    Our Elder Law attorneys in Chester County help to guide families and individuals through the complex issues facing the elderly at all levels of wealth. Elder Law issues often involve questions of real estate, income, estate, and gift taxation, as well as trust, estate, and Medicaid laws and regulations. Since most families and individuals find …

  • Governmental

    Governmental

    Our governmental law attorneys in Chester County augments the in-house legal capabilities of county government by providing counsel in a variety of specialized areas. Drawing on our depth of experience in diverse areas such as real estate, land use, eminent domain, and public finance, our governmental law attorneys counsel county government and its agencies on …

  • Hotel, Hospitality & Franchising

    Hotel, Hospitality & Franchising

    Our hospitality lawyers in Chester County, PA offer comprehensive legal advice for hotel owners, developers and managers. These services supplement other practice areas of our firm, including commercial real estate, transactional, business entity and employment law.

    Our attorneys have extensive experience with the unique aspects of hotel ownership and operation, including the acquisition, maintenance and …

  • Internal Investigations

    Internal Investigations

    Our internal investigation lawyers in Chester County, PA provide comprehensive reports, conclusions and recommendations in any number of situations requested by our clients. The internal investigation group knows that time is always a major factor when addressing issues on behalf of our clients, and all of the resources of the group are brought to bear …

  • Labor & Employment Law

    Labor & Employment Law

    Our Pennsylvania employment law attorneys provide sophisticated representation to our clients on a variety of matters that arise in the modern workplace. We recognize that employment and labor-related disputes often require immediate attention, and so we are poised to meet those needs of our clients by providing consultation, advice and, if necessary, representation in civil …

  • Litigation

    Litigation

    Our first rate Litigation Group is staffed by experienced litigation lawyers in Chester County, PA who provide aggressive advocacy in responding to clients’ needs and are poised to handle a wide variety of sophisticated commercial and consumer related matters.

    Our Litigation Lawyers have experience handling disputes in the following areas: Creditors’ Rights in Bankruptcy Creditor’s …
  • Mediators & Arbitrators

    Mediators & Arbitrators

    Litigating disputes in the judicial system takes a substantial financial and emotional toll on both the parties to the litigation and the judicial system itself. Increasingly, parties have turned to arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to avoid the expense and delay typically involved in litigation.

    Several of our attorneys are …

  • Municipal & School Law

    Municipal & School Law

    Our municipal and school law practice offers a unique blend of experience in municipal law, municipal authority law and school law. Our municipal attorneys in Chester County, PA counsel townships, boroughs, zoning hearing boards, municipal authorities and school districts on the wide range of issues confronting these bodies. In addition, we have extensive expertise in …

  • Real Estate Development

    Real Estate Development

    Unruh Turner Burke & Frees’ real estate development practice integrates the resources of our first rate land use and real estate transactional attorneys who, working closely with our clients and other members of the development team, guide our clients through the various phases and potential pitfalls of their residential, commercial or retail development projects.

    Our …
  • Real Estate Transactions

    Real Estate Transactions

    Unruh Turner Burke & Frees has one of the most active and well-respected real estate practice groups in the region, serving clients who range from some of the most prominent and respected residential and commercial developers in the area to individual real estate investors and individual homeowners.

    Whether our client is acquiring and developing raw …

  • Taxation

    Taxation

    Our tax firm offers a broad range of individual, business and estate tax planning services through our professional tax attorneys in Chester County, PA. These services supplement our services in other areas such as estate planning and representation of clients in real estate and commercial transactions and the formation of business entities.

    We provide comprehensive …

  • Telecommunications, Wireless & Cable

    Telecommunications, Wireless & Cable

    Our telecommunications lawyers in Chester County, PA have a full range of resources available to municipal and private clients in this complex and constantly evolving practice area.  We craft wireless and right of way ordinances for municipalities, and have litigated tower and infrastructure cases in both state and federal courts.  At the same time we …

  • Trust and Estate Administration

    Trust and Estate Administration

    Our experienced trust and estate lawyers in Chester County, PA offer a range of services designed to make estate and trust administration simple and effective. These services include assistance in the filing of Federal Estate and Gift Tax Returns, and Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax Returns. We also work with the client’s tax advisors, or obtain the …

  • Trust, Estate & Wealth Preservation

    Trust, Estate & Wealth Preservation

    Our Firm’s team of estate planning attorneys in Chester County, PA guide clients through the process of trust and estate planning as well as more sophisticated asset protection and federal estate tax planning strategies. We also represent corporate and individual fiduciaries including guardians, executors and trustees and assist them in handling all aspects of estate …

  • Zoning & Land Use Law

    Zoning & Land Use Law

    The land use & zoning law attorneys help clients navigate the complex zoning, subdivision and land development process, and the myriad of regulations affecting new construction and land development. We work extensively with property owners, developers, municipalities, zoning hearing boards and planning commissions.

    We represent developers in hearings before zoning hearing boards, boards of supervisors …

Sophisticated, Responsive and Focused.

  • “At Unruh Turner Burke & Frees, the client’s objective is never lost in the details and as a result, even complex deals get done quickly and efficiently..."

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  • “Unruh Turner Burke & Frees has been a tremendous resource to me and my team throughout the past 17+ years. This highly-talented group delivers the...”

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  • “Unruh Turner Burke & Frees has been a trusted source of advice and counsel on all levels of governmental law and regulation, from zoning and land use...”

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  • "Our Trust Department has utilized Unruh Turner Burke & Frees’ expertise for several years to assist our clients with their overall estate plans. They..."

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  • “Over the last 25 years Unruh Turner Burke & Frees has represented our residential building and development enterprise in many capacities including real..."

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  • "Based on my long-term relationship with Unruh Turner Burke & Frees, I can wholeheartedly recommend its services to any business owner who wishes to work with...”

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  • “We recently hired Unruh Turner Burke & Frees to handle a conditional use application for our Chestnut Street Lofts apartment project in downtown West Chester..."

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  • “I have been working with Unruh Turner Burke & Frees for many years. They have provided legal counsel in the areas of Estate Planning, Land Use, Litigation and...”

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  • “I have relied on the firm's legal advice to make critical decisions on handling family wealth and making appropriate decisions for my family's future.”

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  • “… This highly-talented group delivers the highest quality legal work and brings real-world experience in a very cost-effective manner…”

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  • "If there is an issue facing a municipality, Unruh Turner Burke & Frees is the source for sound guidance and direction.”

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  • “…They have provided legal counsel in the areas of Estate Planning, Land Use, Litigation and Real Estate. In every one of those areas I have been blessed with great ...”

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  • "Whether we are competing in a strong market or working through a declining market, it has always been reassuring to know that Unruh Turner Burke & Frees has both..."

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meet our elite team

Trusted Counsel and Guidance Since 1990.

The lawyers of Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees have provided that trusted counsel and guidance to our clients since 1990. We have developed and maintained long-lasting client relationships, in many cases spanning decades, with a personal approach that puts clients first. Our lawyers place the utmost emphasis on listening to what our clients want, being accessible and responsive, and applying the expertise, knowledge and experienced judgment required to achieve the best possible outcome. Our business, government and individual clients receive the same high level of attention to detail and care.

meet more of our team

Strategic Partners Navigating the Legal and Regulatory World.

As a strategic partner, Unruh Turner Burke & Frees helps clients navigate the increasingly complicated legal and regulatory world. Whether we are handling a matter that can be resolved with practical and simple solutions or one that demands sophisticated strategies and techniques, and whether we are representing an individual, small business or large institution, we combine a thorough knowledge of diverse areas of the law with years of experience and practical judgment to serve our clients’ needs.

But first, we listen.

Latest News

20

Nov

Unruh Turner Burke & Frees Welcomes Associate Asha I. Steele

We are pleased to introduce Asha I. Steele, our newest associate at Unruh Turner Burke & Frees. Asha will be working with our litigation, transactional, municipal, and school law practice groups, providing support in Orphan’s Court matters, commercial real estate and business transactions, municipal and zoning affairs, and general litigation.

Asha began as a …

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6

Nov

Unruh Turner Burke & Frees Recognized In Eight Practice Areas In The 2024 Edition Of Best Law Firms®

Unruh Turner Burke & Frees is once again honored to be recognized with tier designations by Best Law Firms® The firm has been named a Tier 1 national firm for Land Use and Zoning Law for the third year in row. Additionally, seven practice areas achieved metropolitan-tier rankings in the …

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21

Sep

Class Of 2023 West Chester Area School District Scholarships Awarded

Unruh Turner Burke & Frees congratulates the 2022-2023 recipients of the Unruh Turner Burke & Frees Scholarships which were awarded to students from West Chester East High School, Bayard Rustin High School, and B. Reed Henderson High School to support their pursuit of higher education.

The Firm has a long-standing tradition of awarding a …

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West Chester, PA
17 West Gay Street
P.O. BOX 515
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 692-1371
Phoenixville, PA
120 Gay Street
P.O. Box 289
Phoenixville, PA 19460
(610) 933-8069