| This is a three generation law firm originally founded in 1901 as
Geisenberger & Rosenthal by Lionel R. Geisenberger and Isidore Rosenthal.
Lionel graduated from Lafayette College in 1888 and moved to Philadelphia
to establish a business. At age 40, after returning to Lancaster, he and
Isidore Rosenthal, then Rabbi of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim in Lancaster,
commenced reading law in the law offices of Coyle and Keller. Both men
were admitted to practice in the Courts of Lancaster County in 1901. Lionel
was admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 1904.
Geisenberger & Rosenthal's offices were located at 121 East King Street
in one of the oldest buildings still standing in Lancaster City, the same
building where Lancaster native Milton S. Hershey, founder of Hershey Chocolates,
maintained an office.
In addition to practicing law, Rabbi Rosenthal also continued to serve
as the spiritual leader of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim until 1917, when
he left to become Rabbi to a Congregation in New York. Lionel Geisenberger
continued as a sole practitioner until 1927, when his youngest son, Jacques
H. Geisenberger, joined him to form Geisenberger & Geisenberger, which
maintained offices at 49 and then 53 North Duke Street in Lancaster. Jacques
was born, raised and educated in Lancaster, graduated from Franklin &
Marshall College in 1923 and from The Law School of the University of Pennsylvania
in 1927. After serving a preceptorship with his father, Jacques was admitted
to the Courts of Lancaster County in 1927 and the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court in 1928. Lionel Geisenberger died in November, 1932. Jacques H. Geisenberger
continued as a sole practitioner at 40 North Duke Street in Lancaster until
1959, when he took on two associates: his son, Jacques H. Geisenberger,
Jr., and Robert L. Pfannebecker.
Jacques H. Geisenberger, Jr. also was born, raised and educated in Lancaster.
He graduated from Franklin & Marshall College in 1953, served two years
as a radar controller with the U.S. Air Force in Japan, and immediately
afterward entered The Law School of the University of Pennsylvania, where
he and Robert Pfannebecker were classmates. Both graduated in 1958, served
preceptorships with Jacques, Sr. and were admitted in January, 1959, to
the Courts of Lancaster County, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Upon admission to practice, Messrs. Geisenberger and Pfannebecker both
became associates to Jacques H. Geisenberger until 1962, when the three
attorneys formed the firm of Geisenberger, Pfannebecker & Geisenberger.
That partnership continued until the death of Jacques H. Geisenberger,
Sr. in January, 1970.
Jacques H. Geisenberger, Jr. and Robert L. Pfannebecker continued as
partners in the firms of Geisenberger, Zimmerman, Pfannebecker & Gibble
from 1970 until 1977, and Geisenberger, Zimmerman, Pfannebecker & Atlee
until 1982. Jacques H. Geisenberger, Jr. formed Jacques H. Geisenberger,
Jr., A P.C., which became Geisenberger & Herr and then Geisenberger
& Cooper, P.C. in 1992. In 2005, the firm became GeisenbergerCooper & Lanza,
P.C. |
