Jeff Lobach, Partner, Barley Snyder

Jeff Lobach, partner at Barley Snyder, sat down with Invest: to discuss how the firm has navigated expansion, responded to evolving regulatory landscapes and remained committed to its core mission while adapting to a rapidly changing business environment. He emphasizes the firm’s strategic focus on high-growth sectors such as agribusiness, healthcare and logistics, noting that while technology can enhance service delivery, it can never replace the value of direct, personal relationships with clients. 

What recent changes in the legal and business environment have most impacted the firm and your clients, and how are you and your team adapting in response? 

We are seeing some differences in the federal government from last year up to the present. There have been some major changes in immigration policy, tax law and many other fields. We are keeping ourselves current and constantly updating our clients to keep up with the pace of change. 

Our connections to the Philadelphia metro area continue to grow. We have expanded our space in our Malvern office, which historically has been focused on intellectual property. We now have environmental and business lawyers on the ground in Malvern instead of serving the area from our other offices across Pennsylvania.

Where are you currently seeing the greatest demand, and how do those trends reflect broader shifts or developments in the business and regulatory landscape? 

We are seeing growth in many areas, some of which include intellectual property, litigation, M&A, regulatory compliance, employment, higher education and real estate. 

In the real estate sphere, there has been very little office development, but warehouses, data centers and other projects with major power demands are growing. One area of intense focus is development of data centers. We have been active with a number of these projects across the Commonwealth. 

In addition to extreme power demands, environmental, zoning, land acquisition and land development issues make these projects complex and slow to launch. However, there is a lot of pressure for the projects to get off the ground quickly. Our governmental systems, especially in Pennsylvania, are not conducive to quickly going from a concept to a functioning data center. We have formed an interdisciplinary team to bring together the right players at our firm to expedite these projects.

How are you guiding your clients to strike the right balance between managing potential risks and pursuing growth opportunities that could better position them for the future?

Our business team helps clients minimize risk through due diligence, while our litigators focus on resolution of disputes, often through mediation. Sometimes the powers available to a court cannot effect an outcome that is good for both parties. The result may not even be the best solution for the prevailing party. “Win-win” settlements can save relationships and allow businesses to continue working together. We encourage fairness and balance to reach solutions quickly.

Balancing risk against growth is a challenging proposition. Growth is not possible without exposure to at least some risk. It has been said that “the greater the potential reward, the higher the risk of a negative outcome,” but it is possible to reduce risk potential by careful assessment of accurate, complete, and reliable data to guide decision-making. The lawyer can best help a client in this sphere by assisting in making the best decisions from a holistic perspective, with all problem-solving angles considered.

In which sectors do you currently see the most promising opportunities for your clients, and in what ways is your firm positioning itself to help them capitalize on emerging trends?

Agribusiness is significant and a growth area for us. Many clients operate across the entire food chain, mostly for domestic consumption but with some relying on imports that could become scarce or expensive. It is hard to know what the impact of the tariffs will be in this sector, but they are not likely to be as great as in some other areas. We have an agribusiness team and are seeing a lot of growth there. Aggregation of these businesses is increasing, with larger companies buying smaller ones, and this trend will likely continue. 

In what ways are national labor and employment trends, from workforce shortages to evolving workplace policies, showing up in the issues that your clients bring to you?

Capable and motivated workers have never been as highly prized as they are in the current environment. Keeping an organization’s best people is critical to maintaining institutional stability and managing costs.

Culture is key for retention. Organizations must be or make themselves places where people want to stay. Employment is still historically high, and unemployment is low in many fields. Compensation, benefits, and retirement plans matter, but creating a sense of feeling heard and being valued is even more essential to building a loyal team.

We are hiring at all levels constantly. Our summer program for law students has been very successful, with this year’s three participants all accepting job offers with us after they graduate from law school.

How do you approach innovation in legal services, while still preserving the personal relationship-based model of the firm?

For most of us, the reason we come to work is for our colleagues and the relationships that we have with our clients. We continue to make house calls and survey our clients to ensure that their needs are being met. Relationships remain central. We use virtual meetings but prioritize in-person conversations for their richer dynamic and personal connection.

What role do you see the firm playing in strengthening the regional economy and the community as a whole over the next few years?

We have grown into a larger player ourselves in terms of a business. In the past few years, we’ve tripled in size and remain in growth mode. 

Most of what we do professionally is to provide the support for others to grow and flourish. We support growth across business, nonprofit, cultural, health care, education, and other sectors. The institutions and organizations we represent are essential for attracting and retaining talent in the region, which benefits them, ourselves, and all of our friends and neighbors across our footprint.

Our role in supporting others is more impactful than our own business activity. We serve as a force multiplier for the clients we serve.

As change and uncertainty continue for our clients and for ourselves, we adjust while staying true to our strategy.