Amanda J. Sundquist

Amanda Sundquist’s practice is focused on education and municipality law and land use and zoning. On the governmental side, her clients include school districts, townships, boroughs, counties, authorities, business improvement districts, zoning hearing boards and planning commissions. She advises on a wide range of topics necessary for their daily operations, such as policy and ordinance development, application of state and federal law, personnel and student issues, contracting and bidding, and the Right-to-Know Law.

In her land use and zoning practice, Amanda guides developers, business owners and homeowners through the zoning development and approval process, including advocacy at hearings and before appellate courts. As Amanda’s practice is in many ways “two-sides of the same coin,” she is able to provide both her governmental and developer clients with a unique understanding of all parties’ wants and needs, supported by an unwavering focus on creating a viable path to move projects forward.

A 2010 Legal Intelligencer “Lawyer on the Fast Track,” a 2011 recipient of the Chester County Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Service Award, a 2020 VISTA Today Millennial Superstar, a Daily Local News Best Lawyer in School Law, a Main Line Today “Top Lawyer” in Municipal Law, a multi-year Philadelphia Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” and listed among the 2021 Best Lawyers in America^®, Amanda’s clients and colleagues alike value and appreciate her accessibility and focus on their needs. Amanda’s capacity to effectively advocate for each client’s goals is supported by her ability to apply the law in a practical manner that her clients can incorporate into their every-day operations.

Amanda’s proven skill in analyzing and overcoming serious problems and daunting obstacles on behalf of her clients is enhanced by her seemingly natural aptitude for de-escalating even the most challenging scenarios. Because many of Amanda’s clients operate in the public eye, she remains ever-mindful of designing workable plans of action that consider the impact on public relations and community perception. Amanda’s dexterity in written and oral communication is further enhanced by her proven management competency. She provides clients with smart and comprehensive advice, an exemplary level of service and total responsiveness when getting her clients what they need.

Practice Areas

• Municipal and School Law
• Zoning and Land Use Law
• Governmental
• Real Estate Development
• Appeals
• Internal Investigations

Education

• University of Richmond, The T.C. Williams School of Law, J.D. (2006)
  • Richmond Journal of Law & Technology, Senior Staff Member
  • Moot Court Board, Intra-Scholastic Chair, Oral
• Bucknell University (2003)
  • B.S., Biology

Admissions

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (2006)
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2008)
• United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (2013)
• United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit (2015)

Memberships

• Chester County Bar Association
  • Young Lawyers Division, Chair (2010)
  • Board of Directors (2009 to 2012)
  • Law Day Committee, Chair (2016 to present)
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Education Law Committee
• American Bar Association
  • Young Lawyers Division State and Local Government Law Subcommittee (2013 to present)
• Chester County Workforce Development Board
  • Governance Committee (2013 to 2018)
  • Governance Chair (2015 to 2018)
  • Executive Governance Committee, Co-Chair (2018 to present)
• Chester County Association of Township Officials
  • Education Committee (2015 to present)
  • Affiliate Member Council (2015 to present), Secretary (2015 to present)
• Exton Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Board of Directors (2018 to present)
  • Business and Education Partnership (2011 to 2015)
  • Governance Affairs Committee (2015 to present)
• P.E.O. International

Publications & Presentations

• Author and Presenter, Local Government 101: Sunshine Law, Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce (2019)
• Author and Presenter, Local Government 201: Funding Emergency Services, Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce (2018)
• Author and Presenter, Ethics for Township Leaders:  Shifting Sands and Bright Lines, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Annual Education Conference, (2018)
• Moderator, Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Mobility, Chester County Association of Township Officials (2018)
• Author and Presenter, Medical Marijuana:  The Smoke Clears, PBI Real Estate Institute, (2017)
• Moderator, The Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act: Planning and Zoning Considerations, Chester County Association of Township Officials (2017)
• Author and Presenter, Before You Hit Send: Navigating an E-mail Minefield, Pennsylvania School Board Solicitors Association Symposium (2016)
• Author and Presenter, The Impact of Reed v. Town of Gilbert on Municipal Sign Ordinances, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Annual Educational Conference (2016)
• Moderator, Child Protective Services Law, Chester County Association of Township Officials (2015)
• Author and Instructor, Pennsylvania Municipal Government Academy Planning Track Primary Course, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (2015-2016)
• Moderator, Scrambled Eggs: What You Need to Know About Backyard Chickens, Chester County Association of Township Officials (2015)
• Author and Presenter, Religion, Prayer and Public Meetings, Chester County Bar Association, Fall Bench Bar Conference (2014)
• Researcher and Author, Case Update for Solicitors and Labor Counsel, PELRAS 32nd Annual Training Conference, State College (2014)
• Author and Presenter, Introduction to Legal Issues Related to School Bullying, American Bar Association, YLD Fall Conference – Arizona (2013)
• Author and Presenter, Don’t Get Burned, What You Need to Know About Sunshine, Ethics and the Prevailing Wage, Chester County Association of Township Officials, Spring Conference (2012)
• Guest, Legal Talk, 1520 AM (2011)