Philadelphia, July 14, 2004 – LAWFUEL – The president of the Republic of France, Jacques Chirac, has named Peter J. Tucci, Esq., a partner with the law firm of Piper Rudnick LLP, Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor.
Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the National Order of the Legion of Honor recognizes eminent service to the Republic of France and is the most prestigious [civilian?]award granted by the French government. It is granted for outstanding achievements in cultural, scientific, and humanitarian fields. Recipients of this honor are designated by a decree signed by the president of France.
His Excellency Jean-David Levitte, the ambassador of France to the United States, noted that Mr. Tucci has been recognized as “a sign of the high esteem my country has for you and [in recognition of] your fine professional career and sustained commitment to upholding French interests, especially in the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Philadelphia.”
Mr. Tucci incorporated the Philadelphia Chapter of the French-American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) in 1989 and has served on its board of directors since its founding. Since 2000, Mr. Tucci has served as the president of the chapter, which has grown to become the second largest one in the United States. Through his involvement in FACC, Mr. Tucci has been an enthusiastic and energetic supporter of investment and trade between the two countries.
Mr. Tucci commented, “I was surprised and profoundly honored to receive notice of this great distinction. I will wear the insignia with great pride.” Other Americans who have been awarded the order include Ronald Reagan, Neil Armstrong, and Colin Powell.
Francis B. Burch, Jr., and Lee I. Miller, co-chairs of Piper Rudnick, commented, “The firm has just announced the opening of our first international office – in Paris. So this honor is particularly timely in addition to being well-deserved. We are very proud of Peter’s work.”
About Piper Rudnick LLP
Piper Rudnick is a business law firm of about 975 lawyers with U.S. offices in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Edison, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Reston, San Francisco, Tampa, and Washington. In 2004, Chambers USA named 40 of the firm’s lawyers (up from 28 in 2003) among America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, including two who received the rare “Exceptional” rating and one “Senior Statesman,” particularly in the areas of real estate, corporate, litigation, and labor and employment. The firm’s practice is focused on:
§ Litigation, including national business and securities, product liability and toxic torts, intellectual property, antitrust, labor and class action litigation, and a white-collar group featuring a former Watergate prosecutor. This group includes eight members of the American College of Trial Lawyers (one of whom also served as president), two former United States Attorneys and a former federal judge.
• Real Estate, comprising one of the largest and most diverse practices in the United States, with a focus on transactional, finance and securities capabilities for owners and investors in all property sectors. In 2004, Chambers and Partners, the Practical Law Company and Who’s Who Legal in separate independent surveys of clients and competitors all ranked the Real Estate group as the undisputed leading real estate practice in the nation. The group includes the President-elect and a former President of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, as well as 16 other members of the College.
§ Business and Technology, including corporate and securities, corporate governance, franchise and distribution, intellectual property, media, information technology, taxation, bankruptcy, biosciences, IPOs, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, project finance, and other major transactions for companies of all sizes.
§ Government Affairs, including the nationally known federal affairs and legislation group formerly with Verner Liipfert Bernhard McPherson and Hand; a government controversies practice headed by the former general counsel of a leading telecommunications company; and prominent regulatory practices in government contracts, environmental, e-commerce and privacy, tax legislation, antitrust and communications. This group includes former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey.
§ International, with significant capabilities in trade regulation, dispute resolution, and cross-border transactions, complemented by our strategic alliance with The Cohen Group, an international strategic business advisory firm headed by former U.S. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Joseph Ralston, and former U.K. Defense Minister and NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson.
In June 2004, the firm announced the opening of its first international office in Paris, with the addition of over fifteen lawyers from Cariddi Mee Rué.
