Overview

About Richard B. Somach

About Richard B. Somach

Richard Brent 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, Richard assists clients with their transactional, litigation, and operational needs, and handles collections, foreclosures, and complex commercial workouts.

Richard has represented real estate owners, developers, and investors in a broad range of real estate transactions, including zoning matters, subdivisions, and shopping center development.

A licensed title insurance agent, Richard is the founder of the title insurance and settlement company ABE Settlement Services, creatively serving client needs.  He is legal counsel to the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS®, a trade association that represents nearly 3,000 real estate professionals.

As a former Assistant Lehigh County Solicitor, Richard advised the Sheriff’s Office, the Tax Assessment Office, and the Tax Claim Bureau. He frequently writes and lectures on real estate matters, including sheriff’s sales, real estate tax sales, and lien priority issues, for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. He has also presented numerous lectures at the annual Real Estate Institute program.

Active in many community organizations, Richard is a past president of the Salisbury Township School Board. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Monroe County Bar Association, and the Lehigh County Bar Association, serving the latter as President in 1992.

Richard was selected for inclusion in the 2024 The Best Lawyers in America® list in Real Estate Law.

Richard collects antique automobiles and has represented several valuable collections, as well as many local automobile and motorcycle dealerships.

 Save as PDF
Education
Professional Affiliations
Bar Admissions
Awards

Media

News/ August 17, 2023

28 Norris McLaughlin, P.A. Lawyers Included in 2024 Best Lawyers® Lists

News/ August 18, 2022

15 Norris McLaughlin Lawyers Included in 2023 Best Lawyers® Lists

News/ August 19, 2021

Fifteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Included in 2022 Best Lawyers® Lists

News/ April 23, 2021

Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Speak on Fair Debt Collection Practices Act

News/ September 1, 2020

Sixteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers®

News/ November 27, 2019

Ray Lahoud and Rich Somach to Speak at Pennsylvania Bar Real Estate Institute

News/ August 15, 2019

Fifteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Named to 2020 Best Lawyers® List

News/ April 30, 2019

Richard Somach to Speak at Bar Association of Lehigh County Breakfast Seminar

News/ April 9, 2019

Richard Somach to Speak to Slatehouse Property Management

News/ February 11, 2019

Richard Somach to Speak at Lehigh Valley Real Estate Investing Meetup

News/ November 30, 2018

Norris McLaughlin Attorneys to Speak at Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo

News/ November 29, 2018

Richard Somach Presents “Lien Divestiture Starts with a Sale” at the 22nd Annual Real Estate Institute

News/ August 15, 2018

Nineteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Named to 2019 Best Lawyers® List

News/ February 13, 2018

Richard Somach to Present PBI CLE

News/ August 15, 2017

Fifteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers

News/ October 28, 2016

Norris McLaughlin, P.A. Among 2016 Lehigh Valley Award Land Development Project Winners

News/ August 16, 2016

Richard Somach Appointed Corporate Counsel of America On Wheels

News/ August 15, 2016

Fourteen Norris McLaughlin, P.A. Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers

News/ May 17, 2016

Richard Somach Presents “Sheriff’s Sales in Pennsylvania” for Pennsylvania Bar Institute

News/ January 26, 2016

Richard Somach Re-Appointed as Lower Macungie Township Solicitor for Another Two-Year Term

News/ August 20, 2015

Fifteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers

News/ July 23, 2015

Richard Somach Presents “Sheriff’s Sales, Tax Sales, and Tax Foreclosures- Oh My!” for Tax Collectors Association

News/ July 1, 2015

Six Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Named Lehigh Valley Style’s “Select Lawyers”

News/ August 20, 2014

Fourteen Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in Best Lawyers

News/ August 19, 2014

Barbara L. Hollenbach and Richard Brent Somach Named Among Best Lawyers

News/ March 25, 2014

Richard Somach Presents “What’s on Second?” for Pennsylvania Bar Institute

News/ February 11, 2014

Richard Somach Re-Appointed as Lower Macungie Township Solicitor

News/ October 21, 2013

Richard B. Somach to Speak at CREW Presentation

News/ August 19, 2013

Richard B. Somach Elected as Treasurer of Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association

News/ March 2, 2013

Judge Denies Appeal in Suit against Jaindl and Lower Macungie Township

News/ December 21, 2012

Reverse Ruling Affirms Township Acted Legally

News/ August 7, 2012

Richard B. Somach to Speak at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “A Day on Real Estate – East”

News/ April 16, 2012

Richard B. Somach to Present Program on Sheriff Sales in Pennsylvania to PBI

News/ November 22, 2011

Richard B. Somach to Present at the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Annual Real Estate Institute

News/ November 9, 2011

Richard B. Somach Serves as Guest Lecturer for Real Estate Students at Lehigh

News/ December 6, 2010

Richard B. Somach Presents at Pennsylvania Real Estate Institute

News/ November 19, 2010

Richard Brent Somach New Solicitor for Lower Macungie Township

News/ November 12, 2010

Richard Brent Somach Guest Lectures for Real Estate Class at Lehigh University

News/ October 20, 2010

Richard B. Somach to Present Sheriff Sales Program to Commercial Real Estate Women of the Lehigh Valley

News/ August 4, 2010

Richard B. Somach to Instruct Pennsylvania Bar Institute Real Estate Course

News/ August 2, 2010

Richard B. Somach Presents Program to Council of Sheriff’s Solicitors

News/ August 17, 2009

Tallman, Hudders & Sorrentino Continues to Expand After Merger with Norris McLaughlin, P.A.

November 8, 2016

Quoted, “Norris McLaughlin, P.A among project winners,”

Reading Eagle Business Weekly,

Presentations/

Presentations/

Presentations/

November 8, 2013

Quoted, “Hamilton Crossings clears another hurdle in Lower Macungie,”

WFMZ.com

Presentations/

October 23, 2013

Quoted, “Hamilton Crossings moving forward,”

WFMZ.com,

Presentations/

Presentations/

Presentations/

February 12, 2013

Quoted, “Allentown classic car owner proposes driving track at former drive-in theater,”

The Morning Call

Presentations/

November 2010

Foreclosure Delays Require Creative Solutions,”

WithumSmith + Brown, P.C. Newsletter

Presentations/

1987

“Liens and Tax Sales,”

Pennsylvania Tax Service,

Presentations/

Presentations

April 13, 2021

"Understanding FDCPA and Changes to the Existing Code,"

Bar Association of Lehigh County, Webinar,

Presentations/

August 17, 2020

"Liquor License Laws, Medical Marijuana & Service Animals: Impact on Real Estate,"

Greater Lehigh Valley Real Estate Academy, Webinar, Bethlehem, PA,

Presentations/

June 15, 2020

"Liquor License Laws, Medical Marijuana & Service Animals: Impact on Real Estate,"

Greater Lehigh Valley Real Estate Academy, Webinar,

Presentations/

December 5, 2019

"Advanced Sheriff Sales Jeopardy,"

Pennsylvania Bar Institute's Real Estate Institute, Philadelphia, PA,

Presentations/

May 2, 2019

"What Every Attorney, and Judge They Go Before, Should Know about Sheriff Sales, Tax Sales, Tax Foreclosures and How They Affect Lien Divestiture and Lien Priority,"

Bar Association of Lehigh County, Allentown, PA,

Presentations/

April 9, 2019

"What You Need to Know About Sheriff's Sales,"

Allentown, PA,

Presentations/

February 12, 2019

"Tax Sales, Tax Foreclosures, Sheriff Sales, and Lessons Learned from Years in the Trenches,"

Allentown, PA,

Presentations/

December 6, 2018

"Lien Divestiture Starts with a Sale,"

Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia,

Presentations/

December 5, 2018

"The (Hidden) Lucrative Intersections of Immigration Law and the Real Estate Industry,"

Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo, Atlantic City, NJ,

Presentations/

October 25, 2018

"The Untold Story of ABE Title Insurance,"

Norris McLaughlin P.A., Allentown, PA,

Presentations/

March 24, 2014

"What's on Second? Sophisticated Issues in Lien Divestiture & Priority,"

Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Mechanicsburg, PA,

Presentations/

Presentations/

February 3, 2012

Smith and Somach Present Distressed Properties Seminar to Lehigh Valley REALTORS®

,

Presentations/

July 15, 2010

Richard B. Somach Guest Speaker for Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors

,

Presentations/

Pennsylvania Bar Institute

Moderator, “Sheriff's Sales in Pennsylvania,”

A Day on Real Estate,

Presentations/

Pennsylvania Bar Institute

Author, “Sheriff's Sales and Real Estate Tax Sales,”

A Day on Real Estate,

Presentations/

Lecturer, "Issues in Commercial Mortgage Foreclosure,"

Annual Real Estate Institute Program,

Presentations/

Lecturer, "Issues in Residential Mortgage Foreclosure,"

Annual Real Estate Institute Program,

Presentations/

Contact

Type N/A if you are inquiring about individual or family matters
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.