Frank A. Chernak Inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers
October 5, 2020
Types : Press Releases
Montgomery McCracken is pleased to announce that Frank A. Chernak has been inducted as a fellow to the American College of Trial Lawyers (“ACTL”), one of the premier legal associations in North America. The special induction ceremony at which Chernak became a Fellow took place during the recent Induction Ceremony at the 2020 Spring Meeting of the College in Tucson, Arizona. The meeting had a total attendance of 679.
Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds, who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are approximately 5,800 members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows.
The College maintains and seeks to improve the standards of trial practice, professionalism, ethics, and the administration of justice through education and public statements on independence of the judiciary, trial by jury, respect for the rule of law, access to justice, and fair and just representation of all parties to legal proceedings. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice.
Chernak is chair of Montgomery McCracken’s Labor and Employment practice group and serves on the Firm’s Management Committee. He has recently tried cases to verdict in federal courts in Baltimore, Md. (a “Me Too” sexual harassment case), Philadelphia, Pa. (a criminal records class action trial), and Chicago, Ill. (a race, age, disability discrimination and retaliation case). Frank’s practice focuses on defending entities in personal injury matters and employers and municipalities in constitutional, Title VII, race discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation, reverse-gender and retaliation, age discrimination, national origin, hostile work environment, FMLA, and ADA cases. He also counsels and trains clients on all employment and civil rights matters, including compliance with ADA, FMLA, FLSA, and EEO laws, hiring and firing practices, harassment investigations, and non-compete litigation.
In October 2019, The Philadelphia Business Journal selected Chernak to its Best of the Bar: Philadelphia’s Top Lawyers list for Employment Litigation.
Outside of his practice, Chernak serves as a parent volunteer at the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, New Parents’ dinner and is an active Board Member and Secretary at the Sunnybrook Golf Club. He also is a Master of the University of Pennsylvania Inn of Court and a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Federal Courts Committee. In addition, Chernak was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, where he flew more than 10,000 hours in a C-130 as a navigator for units in Arkansas and Pennsylvania. He served on active duty on the Arabian Peninsula during Desert Storm, flying 47 combat support missions. He is a recipient of the U.S. Air Force Air Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon.
Chernak received his J.D., cum laude, from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, his M.S. from the University of Arkansas, and his B.S. from the State University of New York at Cortland.
About Montgomery McCracken
Montgomery McCracken is a full-service law firm with offices in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. The firm represents leading businesses, multinational corporations, nonprofit organizations, and individuals across a wide range of industries in complex litigation, intellectual property, bankruptcy and financial restructuring matters, corporate transactions, and challenging disputes. Follow the firm on Twitter at @MMWR_Law.