Ernest Holtzheimer
JD ’16
Partner, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott (Philadelphia)
Age 33
My Greatest Accomplishment:
My election to the partnership at my firm. During my second year of law school, I recall somewhat jokingly responding to interviewers’ questions that I saw myself as a law firm partner in the next five years. While I wasn’t elected to firm partnership quite that quickly, I was very fortunate to achieve my goal of becoming partner relatively early in my career. For that, I thank my clients for their faith in me and my colleagues for the opportunity to assist with their legal issues, and the many advisers and mentors I’ve had over the years whose shoulders I stand on.
How Drexel Helped Me:
Drexel trained me to be the transactional attorney I am today. The thought-provoking transactional lawyering courses, Entrepreneurial Law Clinic and co-op program all played key roles in my professional development and allowed for me to take on a higher level of client work early in my legal career. Professors and advisers at Drexel also helped me hone my networking skills and imparted the importance of local and national bar associations as mediums for professional and business development, which have continuously paid dividends throughout my career.
Where I Hope to Be in Five Years:
Career-wise, I hope to be in a position similar to the one I occupy today. I thoroughly enjoy my work as an attorney, as managing director of the Rowan Innovation Venture Fund and as a board member of various nonprofit organizations. Though the honest answer to that question is that I hope to be lounging on a beach somewhere with my wife as a Kona-qualifying triathlete (a guy can dream, right?!).
The Change I Would Most Like to See in the World:
I’d like to see an end to the disconcerting amount of hatred and violence we’ve seen throughout the world in recent years. Children here in Philadelphia and across the globe deserve to grow up in a world where they don’t have to worry about becoming a victim of unprovoked violence while at school or playing in the street in front of their house. This is a solvable issue and one that I hope the leaders of our communities allocate more resources toward solving soon.