In his new position as executive director of the Philadelphia Bar Association, Harvey Hurdle Jr., MBA ‘89, will blend personal with professional.

Hurdle spent his career leading various nonprofit and for profit organizations, including president and CEO of Leap Strategy LLC and COO and then CEO of Sellers Dorsey, a national healthcare consulting firm. He was also the COO of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest civil rights and public advocacy organization in America.

But his new appointment as executive director of the Philadelphia Bar Association is the first time he will directly serve the legal community, and it is a powerful change of pace for Hurdle. “I really value our legal institutions, because the ability to marry my husband and adopt my son were obtained by very smart lawyers and brave judges,” he says to The Legal Intelligencer. “I’m very excited about this job.”

As his first act of executive director, Hurdle will meet with bar members in order to identify their needs, and what issues should be a priority. However, he already has a few personal goals for the position. He hopes to increase access to justice for people who cannot afford it and to evolve the services the association provides to better assist attorney’s working in the changing legal market.

“The association’s leadership and staff look forward to working with Hurdle because of his passion for the association’s mission; his financial, managerial and operational skills and experience; his business acumen; and his strong interpersonal and communication skills,” Philadelphia Bar Chancellor Mary F. Platt says during the announcement of Hurdle’s appointment.

Prior to Hurdle’s appointment, Mark Tarasiewicz served as executive director for four years, and was a bar association member for more than two decades. After resigning in July of 2018, Tarasiewicz became executive director of administration for Spector Gadon & Rosen.

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