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George R. Burrell

George Burrell has been a leader in the business, civic, and political affairs of Philadelphia for more than 30 years. He served as a ranking official in the administrations of two mayors; a member of Philadelphia City Council; president of a minority-owned investment management business; general counsel to one of America’s premier African-American-owned businesses; and a partner in two prominent Philadelphia law firms. George brings the knowledge and experience he has developed as a lawyer, businessman, and public official to clients as an Of Counsel member of Kleinbard’s Business and Finance Department and a member of the Firm’s Government Relations Group.

George advises clients on building effective relationships with state, local, and federal officials; advocating on public policy and legislative initiatives; and competing for public and private sector procurement opportunities. He also serves as a strategic adviser to for-profit and nonprofit executives and board members on issues with public implications related to long-range planning and crisis management, and the development of coordinated corporate messaging for public affairs and government relations departments. George’s work with two African-American-owned businesses with national reputations has positioned him to understand the unique challenges faced by minority- and women-owned companies.

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George R. Burrell

Of Counsel
Business and Finance Department
215.496.7231
gburrell@kleinbard.com

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D. 1974)

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S. 1969)

Practice Areas

Admissions

Pennsylvania

Professional Highlights

Recognition & Accomplishments

  • George is a recipient of the Barrister’s Association of Philadelphia Honorable William F. Hall Award.
  • George is a prior winner of the Judge Learned Hand Award given annually by the American Jewish Committee and holds the distinction of being a founder and President Emeritus of the Black Alumni Society at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • George is a judge for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, a recognition given annually to entrepreneurs throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.
  • George has been a member of the selection committee for the Economy League’s annual Leadership Exchange program and participated in the program in Atlanta and San Francisco.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining Kleinbard, George served as a senior official in the administrations of Mayors Green and Street and as an at-large member of Philadelphia City Council.

He was a partner at Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel; Fox, Rothschild, O’Brien & Frankel; and Burrell, Waxman, Donaghy & Lee. He also served as president of Sturdivant & Co., a minority-owned equity investment firm; CEO of Innovation Philadelphia, a regional economic development program; and general counsel for PRWT Services, Inc., one of Black Enterprise’s top 100 African-American-owned businesses in America.

Representative Matters

  • Represents several minority- and women-owned businesses in government relations, procurement, contract negotiation, and general business matters.
  • Represents a health services provider that competes for public contracts in multiple states.
  • Has worked in his general counsel role with company executives, board leadership, and outside counsel to close deals to acquire, provide financing for the expansion of, and sell the company’s subsidiary pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.  He served as Secretary to the company’s Board of Directors and implemented a strategy that redefined the company’s role as a corporate citizen and positively changed its public profile and competitive positioning.

Community Activities

George was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to serve on the Governor’s Council on Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunity. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Community College Foundation.

He is a former member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Pennsylvania; the Urban League of Philadelphia (Chairman); the National Bar Association (Vice President); the Kimmel Center for the Regional Performing Arts; the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority; the Economy League; and the Center City District.  He was also, with former Congressman William H. Gray, III, a founder of Operation Understanding, a youth leadership program for African-American and Jewish high school juniors.

George is a regular participant on Inside Story, a popular local public affairs television program airing on Sunday mornings.

In addition, as a volunteer, George frequently mentors newly elected officials and young professionals interested in public service.

George R. Burrell

Of Counsel
Business and Finance Department
215.496.7231
gburrell@kleinbard.com

George Burrell has been a leader in the business, civic, and political affairs of Philadelphia for more than 30 years. He served as a ranking official in the administrations of two mayors; a member of Philadelphia City Council; president of a minority-owned investment management business; general counsel to one of America’s premier African-American-owned businesses; and a partner in two prominent Philadelphia law firms. George brings the knowledge and experience he has developed as a lawyer, businessman, and public official to clients as an Of Counsel member of Kleinbard’s Business and Finance Department and a member of the Firm’s Government Relations Group.

George advises clients on building effective relationships with state, local, and federal officials; advocating on public policy and legislative initiatives; and competing for public and private sector procurement opportunities. He also serves as a strategic adviser to for-profit and nonprofit executives and board members on issues with public implications related to long-range planning and crisis management, and the development of coordinated corporate messaging for public affairs and government relations departments. George’s work with two African-American-owned businesses with national reputations has positioned him to understand the unique challenges faced by minority- and women-owned companies.

Representative Matters

  • Represents several minority- and women-owned businesses in government relations, procurement, contract negotiation, and general business matters.
  • Represents a health services provider that competes for public contracts in multiple states.
  • Has worked in his general counsel role with company executives, board leadership, and outside counsel to close deals to acquire, provide financing for the expansion of, and sell the company’s subsidiary pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.  He served as Secretary to the company’s Board of Directors and implemented a strategy that redefined the company’s role as a corporate citizen and positively changed its public profile and competitive positioning.

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D. 1974)

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (B.S. 1969)

Admissions

Pennsylvania

Professional Highlights

Recognition & Accomplishments

  • George is a recipient of the Barrister’s Association of Philadelphia Honorable William F. Hall Award.
  • George is a prior winner of the Judge Learned Hand Award given annually by the American Jewish Committee and holds the distinction of being a founder and President Emeritus of the Black Alumni Society at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • George is a judge for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, a recognition given annually to entrepreneurs throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.
  • George has been a member of the selection committee for the Economy League’s annual Leadership Exchange program and participated in the program in Atlanta and San Francisco.

Prior Experience

Prior to joining Kleinbard, George served as a senior official in the administrations of Mayors Green and Street and as an at-large member of Philadelphia City Council.

He was a partner at Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel; Fox, Rothschild, O’Brien & Frankel; and Burrell, Waxman, Donaghy & Lee. He also served as president of Sturdivant & Co., a minority-owned equity investment firm; CEO of Innovation Philadelphia, a regional economic development program; and general counsel for PRWT Services, Inc., one of Black Enterprise’s top 100 African-American-owned businesses in America.

Community Activities

George was appointed by Governor Tom Wolf to serve on the Governor’s Council on Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunity. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Community College Foundation.

He is a former member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Pennsylvania; the Urban League of Philadelphia (Chairman); the National Bar Association (Vice President); the Kimmel Center for the Regional Performing Arts; the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority; the Economy League; and the Center City District.  He was also, with former Congressman William H. Gray, III, a founder of Operation Understanding, a youth leadership program for African-American and Jewish high school juniors.

George is a regular participant on Inside Story, a popular local public affairs television program airing on Sunday mornings.

In addition, as a volunteer, George frequently mentors newly elected officials and young professionals interested in public service.