Mr. Rathburn’s practice includes a wide array of business transactions and business law matters, including entity selection and formation; the drafting, review and negotiation of contracts; corporate governance; joint ventures; debt and equity financing transactions; domestic and international mergers, acquisitions and divestitures; corporate restructurings and recapitalizations; asset sales and purchases; commercial transactions; technology law matters; shareholders’ rights; intellectual property law; gaming law and other regulatory matters; tax and securities matters; and real estate transactions .

He has extensive experience representing individuals, start-up entities, Fortune 500 companies, multi-national businesses, privately-held companies, emerging technology enterprises, financial institutions, law firms and other professional firms, authors, artists and musicians; nonprofit organizations; health care providers, and governmental entities.  Over the course of the last two decades, Mr. Rathburn also has served as outside general counsel to numerous businesses, and represented clients in business matters in the United States, Canada and Western Europe. Mr. Rathburn also is frequently called upon to handle the structuring of complex litigation settlements. 

A former editor in chief of the Dickinson Law Review and long-time editor of Chapters 1 - 42 of the Matthew Bender publication, Dunlap-Hanna Pennsylvania Forms, Mr. Rathburn is a prolific writer.  He is the primary author of “Recognizing the Blind Spots in the World of Partnerships and LLCs,” a 300+-page course manual published in 2005.  He recently has authored several new chapters of the Dunlap-Hanna treatise and form book, including “Business Organizations,” “Capital Formation and Finance,” “Limited Liability Companies” and “Contracts”.  Mr. Rathburn has written articles and other materials about topics that include multi-state issues for professional firms, the issuance of ownership interests in exchange for services; piercing the “corporate” veil in LLCs; unique issues for single member LLCs (SMLLCs); the dangers of preemptive rights; recapitalizing an LLC; and ensuring an orderly transfer and succession of a business enterprise.

Mr. Rathburn received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University, Oxford, OH. He was awarded his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from The Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, PA, where he served as editor in chief of the Dickinson Law Review.

Mr. Rathburn also is active in the community. In October 2009, Mr. Rathburn was elected to a three-year term as a member of the Board of Directors of the Haverford Education Foundation.  He also has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Dickinson School of Law, and the Board of Directors of the General Alumni Association of The Dickinson School of Law.  Mr. Rathburn also has served as President of the Haverford Soccer Club (HSC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides year-round soccer programs to more than 3,000 children and young adults each year.  Mr. Rathburn has been an active leader of HSC for the past decade, and has served as HSC’s Chairman, Secretary, Vice President of Administration and Director of Travel Soccer, as well as a member of the Board of Directors. He also has been Chairman of the club’s Scholarship Committee, Rules Committee and Communications Committee.

Mr. Rathburn was the course planner and faculty member for the full-day seminar, “Recognizing The Blind Spots In The World Of Partnerships And LLCs.”  He also has lectured on business law topics including entity selection and formation; issues affecting professional firms; using a corporate model for LLCs; issues in drafting operating agreements; recapitalizing an LLC; the hidden burdens of preemptive rights; and ethical considerations in the formation of a multi-member entity.

Mr. Rathburn has been listed in Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who Among Rising Young Americans.  In 2007, Mr. Rathburn was recognized as one of the “Pennsylvania Super Lawyers” in the June 2007 issue of Philadelphia magazine and Law & Politics magazine, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.  Super Lawyers are chosen based on peer review and independent research by Law & Politics, and is intended to recognize the top 5% of all Pennsylvania attorneys. In recognition of his dedication to his community and commitment to youth, Mr. Rathburn was honored by Haverford Township as a “Hometown Hero.”

He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, including its the Business Law Section, as well as the Philadelphia Bar Association (and Business Law Section), and American Bar Associations. Mr. Rathburn is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania.