MURRAY S. ECKELL
Murray began the practice of law in the City of Chester in 1959 following his graduation from the Law School of the University of Pennsylvania. His undergraduate work was completed in 1956 at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
After practicing at the law firm of Snyder and Snyder for three years, Murray practiced alone for a short time. Thereafter, he, along with Don Sparks, formed Eckell & Sparks in the spring of 1964 which was the genesis of the present law firm. During his first 15 year of practice, Murray engaged in the general practice of law, primarily litigating commercial and personal injury cases specializing in the trial of condemnation cases. His practice gradually became restricted primarily to the areas of real estate and commercial law, and administration of decedents’ and incompetents’ estates, and Housing Authority law. Throughout the growth of the firm and from its original inception through its merger with Vadino and Auerbach, and alter with Arthur Levy’s law firm, Murray was, until 2009, the chief executive officer.
His activities in the legal arena were extensive and varied. One of his principal accomplishments was his appointment by then-Governor Milton Shapp to the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County as Judge in March of 1977. When his term expired, he chose to forego running for election and returned to his partners in the active practice of law.
Murray has spent many years in service to local, state and national bar associations. He served as director and ultimately as president of the Delaware County Bar Association; has been chairman of several statewide committees of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, a member of the House of Delegates of the Pennsylvania Bar, a member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association, and in 1994 was elected to the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Bar Associations for a three-year term. He served as solicitor for a number of municipal governing bodies and twice served as solicitor for the Chester Housing Authority. Over the years, his municipal clients also have included Marple Township, Springfield Township, Nether Providence School District, Chester School District and the District Justice Division Office of the Court Administrator of Delaware County. Following his tenure as judge, Murray served as special counsel to the Board of Judges for ten years. Early in his career he served as law clerk for the Honorable Leroy Van Roden in the Orphan’s Court of Delaware County and thereafter continued for a short time as judicial clerk for the then-President Judge Henry G. Sweeney. Murray taught as an adjunct professor of law at the Penn State University, Delaware County Campus. He was a member of the panel lecturing on the art of negotiations on behalf of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and was the course planner and lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute on the subject of law office management for small and medium-sized law firms. He has received every major award available to be presented by the Delaware County Bar Association for service to the profession and served 12 years in the disciplinary system of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
He has been a member of the Disciplinary Board by direct appointment from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and in 1993-1994 was appointed its chairman.
Murray was a long-time private pilot with many hours of flying time. He had an instrument (?) rating as well as a multi-engine rating. He combined his legal and flying experiences by serving as a lawyer-pilot for the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association where he served pilots having legal issues involving their flying adventures. Murray retired from the active practice of law August 31, 2020. He resides with his wife, Elayne, in Upper providence.
Areas of Practice
Admitted to Practice
- Pennsylvania
Education
- Law School of the University of Pennsylvania,
Juris Doctorate, 1959
Professional Memberships
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Delaware County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Current Status
- Lawyer Emeritus
BAR ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES, ACTIVITIES AND FUNCTIONS
BAR ASSOCIATION COMMITTEES
1965
Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
1967
Minimum Fee Committee
Grievance Committee
1968
Minimum Fee Committee
Nominating Committee
1969
Public Relations Committee
Rules Committee
Preservation for the Right to Trial by Jury Committee
Administrative Procedure Committee
1970
Grievance Committee
Judicial Selection Committee
Preservation for the Right to Trial by Jury Committee
Trial Practices Committee
Mastership Appointment Committee
1971
Chairman, Judicial Selection Committee
Preservation for the Right to Trial by Jury Committee
Mastership Appointment Committee
1972
100th Anniversary Committee
Mastership List Committee
Medical Dental Law Committee
Committee of Unauthorized Practice of Law
1973
Economics of Law Committee
Delaware County Bench Bar Conference Committee
Mastership Appointment Committee Medical Dental Law Committee
1974
Chairman, Economics of Law Committee
Medical Dental Law Committee
Mastership List Committee
Bench Bar Conference Committee
1975
Chairman, Economics of Law Committee
Bench Bar Committee
1980
Medical Dental Law Committee
1994
Chairman, Personnel Committee
1973-1985
Co-Chairman of the Bench Bar Conference
OFFICES
1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980
Board of Directors
1967
Secretary
1977
Vice President
1978
President Elect
1979
President
PENNSYLVANIA BAR ASSOCIATION
1973
Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
1979-1982
Economics of Law Committee
1980-2001
Member of the House of Delegates
1986
Judicial Administration Committee
1986-1987
Judiciary Committee – Appointed as one of a two-member subcommittee to evaluate the qualifications of a sitting justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for endorsement by the Pennsylvania Bar Association for statewide retention election in 1987
1987
Draft Committee
1988-1990
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee
1989-1991
Committee for the Alternate Dispute Resolution for Lawyers
1994-1997
Member of the Board of Governors
1997
Appointed by Governor Schapp to serve an unexpired term as judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County
SOLICITORSHIPS
Chester Housing Authority 1962-1964; 1992-1996
Musicians Union Local 484 AF of M, January 1, 1968 through 1992
Borough of Brookhaven, January 1, 1970 through December 31, 1971
Solicitor for the County of Delaware to evaluate juvenile public defenders program for the County of Delaware and for the Governor’s Justice Commission for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1973
Special Counsel to the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County 1975-1990
Special Counsel Marple Township
Special Counsel Springfield Township
Special Counsel Neither Providence School District
Special Counsel District Justice Division Office of the Court Administrator of Delaware County
Special Counsel to the School District of the City of Chester for Disciplinary Hearings
Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Leroy Van Roden in the Orphans’ Court of Delaware County May 17, 1968 until the judge’s retirement, then continued for a short time as judicial clerk for President Judge Henry Sweeney.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Adjunct Professor of Law 1974 – Widener University Paralegal Course
Instructor – Pennsylvania State University, Delaware County Campus Business Law 1968
Panel member and lecturer 1978, “The Art of Negotiations” for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute lectures given to lawyers in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh
Course planner and lecturer – law office management for small and medium-sized law firms sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and offered in five locations throughout Pennsylvania in 1981
Moot Court Judge – Widener Law School 1981
American University thesis entitled “Voting in the Security Council of the United States and Its Possible Revision” 1955
April 22, 1955 – Testified before the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations subcommittee on United Nations Charter Review – subject of the testimony was revision of the United Nations Charter concerning voting procedures.
Authored the concept of and organized the first trial school for newly admitted lawyers to the Delaware County Bar. The trial school project of the Delaware County Bar Association received the 1981 Award of Merit from the American Bar Association.
Course planner for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute – formulated curriculum and selection of faculty and participated in the presentation of course study in five cities 1981
COMMUNITY/SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
1976
Appointed Independent Arbitrator for the Borough of Darby and the Borough of Sharon Hill regarding police arbitration
1980
Appointed Chairman Borough of Darby Police Arbitration Panel
1980-1986
Board of Managers General Alumni Society University of Pennsylvania Law School
1985
Chairman of the Nominating Committee
1961-1981
Member of the Board of Directors of the Delaware County Chapter of the National Foundation March of Dimes (1975-1980 elected Second Vice President)
1961-1963
Brookhaven Borough Zoning Board of Adjustment – served as Chairman in 1963
1973-1976
Elected Secretary/Treasurer of Dickinson College Alumni Club of Southeastern Pennsylvania New Jersey. Automatic move up to Vice President in 1974 and to President in 1975
1986
Delaware County Drug and Alcohol Commission
1987-1991
Member Board of Directors of Suburban Music School
2001-2002
Director Advisory Board of Founders Bank
PROFESSIONAL/POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
1980
Recipient of the Orlowski Award given annually by the Delaware County Bar Association and the Board of Judges to the lawyer who does most to improve bench bar relations
1980-1983
Appointed by Governor Thornberg of Pennsylvania to the Trial Court Nominating Commission of Delaware County
1981-1987
Appointed by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to a Discipline Hearing Committee – Chairman 1986
1988
Recipient of the E. Wallace Chadwick Memorial Award. Presented by the Delaware County Bar Association in recognition of services to the legal profession in the furtherance of interprofessional development, communications and education
1988-1991
Appointed by the Supreme Court to the Disciplinary Board
1989-1990
Chairman of the Rules Committee of the Disciplinary Board
1991
Recipient of the Paul R. Sand Presidents Award presented by the Delaware County Bar Association in recognition of service to the legal profession
1991-1992
Appointed by the Pennsylvania Bar Association as delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates
1991-1994
Reappointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to the Disciplinary Board – Vice President 1992-1993. Appointed Chairman of the Board by the Supreme Court 1993-1994.
1994-1997
Appointed Zone 9 Governor to the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Bar Association
2001
Appointed instructor by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for “Bride the Gap” program
2002
Appointed by the Delaware County Courts to the Commission to Redistrict Nether Providence Township
2005
Recipient of the Elizabeth C. Price Award presented by the Delaware County Bar Association at Law Day