Jon and his wife Amy are the parents of three amazing children: Adrienne, Ethen and Charlie.
Jon is highly active in his community and across PA, supporting various local and statewide causes. However, Jon’s proudest philanthropic legacy is the charity that he and his wife Amy founded in 2009. While Jon and Amy were visiting the horribly impoverished regions known as “townships” surrounding Capetown, South Africa, they fell in love with the children in this region and realized that they could make a huge difference in their lives. Soon after, they started Love To Langa, a 501(c)(3) charity, that is focused on educating and supporting children in these same townships. Amy has committed herself full time to Love To Langa as the Executive Director and Jon remains an active Board Member and co-founder. Some of Love to Langa’s many accomplishments are:
- A Montessori School is under construction and funded entirely by Love To Langa. At least 200 children at a time will be able to obtain an education in this beautiful new school scheduled for completion in 2021.
- Construction of a swimming academy, where children learn how to swim, in the township of Philippi, completed in 2017. Drowning is the second largest cause of death for children in South Africa.
- Building a large annex onto a school in the township of Philippi, which was completed in 2016. This early learning center helps impoverished children get on an education track at a very young age, dramatically increasing their chance of staying in school and off of the crime and drug infested streets in Philippi.
- Building an annex and garden at an orphanage in Langa township.
- Funding outreach programs for teenagers in Langa township.
- Funding scholarship and enrichment programs for hundreds of children, paying their tuition and supporting their education.
- Funding teacher training programs.
- Providing safe transportation for children to get to school each day.
Other examples of Jon’s extensive community involvement:
- Judge Pro Tem in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
- Arbitrator/mediator of matters throughout southeastern PA
- Past Member of esteemed Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Executive Board
- Honorary Member of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD)
- An active member of the community, Jon is a “Master Of The Bench” of the Inn of the Courts at the Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, PA, where he mentors young lawyers and law students.
- Honored on behalf of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund for his free representation of 9/11 victims and families
- Regular sponsor/supporter of AIM academy, a renowned school and research center in Conshohocken, PA, focused on educating children with various reading challenges and learning disabilities
- “Master Of The Bench” for the Inn of the Courts at the Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, PA, where he mentors young lawyers and law students
- A featured speaker to lawyers on various topics, including representing victims of bus and truck crashes, utilizing law firm technology
- Taught classes or been invited to appear as a featured speaker at universities in Pennsylvania and South Africa
- Sworn into the United States Supreme Court by Ruth Bader Ginsburg