Richard Somach Appointed Corporate Counsel of America On Wheels

Richard B. Somach, a Member of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., has been appointed Corporate Counsel of America On Wheels (AOW), a non-profit, local museum featuring over 75 bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles, and trucks from different time periods.  Open since 2008, the exhibit displays the evolution of transportation from past and present to the future.  AOW also offers educational programming and development to students on the history, as well as the mechanical and creative processes, of vehicle restoration.

“I am honored to be corporate counsel to America On Wheels – the new collaboration between the museum, the NB Center for American Automotive Heritage, and the Historic Vehicle Association is going to bring about new and exciting things for the museum and Allentown. As a lover of classic cars, it is nice when my passion outside of the office is interwoven with my work,” said Somach.                             

Somach focuses his practice on real estate, commercial law, and creditors’ remedies, representing real estate development companies, shopping centers, and local banks.  In the banking area, Somach assists clients with their transactional, litigation, and operational needs and has extensive experience handling collections, foreclosures and complex commercial workouts.   He has represented real estate owners, developers and investors in a broad range of transactions including zoning matters, residential subdivisions and shopping center development.  As a licensed title insurance agent, Somach manages the title insurance and settlement company, ABE Settlement Services, to creatively serve client needs.  He currently serves as legal counsel to the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS®.

Somach earned his J.D. in 1974 from Hofstra University and his B.A., with honors, from Lehigh University in 1971.  Active in many community organizations, Somach is a past president of the Salisbury Township School Board.  He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Lehigh County Bar Association, where he served as President in 1992.  He is Assistant Lehigh County Solicitor, advising the Sheriff’s Office, the Tax Assessment Office, and the Tax Claim Bureau, and frequently writes and lectures on real estate matters, sheriff’s sales, and real estate tax sales.  Somach collects antique automobiles and represents several valuable collections, as well as many local automobile and motorcycle dealerships.