Governor Rendell: Consulting Firm Will Move Headquarters to Suburban Philadelphia; Create, Retain Nearly 400 Jobs

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today that LECG, a global expert services and consulting firm, will relocate its world headquarters to Pennsylvania, creating and retaining nearly 400 jobs in Chester County.

LECG, which recently merged with SMART Business Advisory and Consulting, will locate its new corporate headquarters in a 52,400-square-foot facility in Devon that formerly served as SMART's headquarters. The $2.1 million consolidation project will create 57 jobs within three years and retain 329 existing positions statewide.

"This is an exciting project for Pennsylvania. Our competitive business environment and strategic investments have attracted the corporate headquarters of a respected, publicly traded firm and a commitment by the company to provide hundreds of high-wage jobs for years to come," said Governor Rendell. "Projects like this one, which create jobs and leverage private-sector investment, are a concrete sign that our economic development efforts produce real results."

The Governor said his proposed budget invests in job creation and economic development strategies that have helped keep Pennsylvania's unemployment rate lower than the national average. The proposed budget boosts funding for job-creating programs such as opportunity grants, customized job training, infrastructure development, and infrastructure facilities and improvement grants.

"Despite this tough economy and a tight budget situation, we must do whatever is within our means to lay the foundation for strong economic growth and job creation as the economy recovers," Governor Rendell added.

LECG employs more than 1,400 professionals in 39 global locations. It provides independent expert testimony, financial advisory services, original authoritative studies, strategic advisory, and tax, assurance, and business consulting services to clients, including Fortune Global 500 corporations, major law firms, and local, state and federal governments and agencies in the U.S.

"After careful consideration, we made a strategic decision to relocate the headquarters of the new LECG to suburban Philadelphia," said LECG CEO Steve Samek. "Our analysis showed that 63 percent of the revenues of the combined firm are either in the region or in Europe. This new location also gives us access to many of the AM LAW 100 firms that provide references for many engagements and access to a remarkable talent pool of seasoned professionals and graduates from the many universities and colleges in the area."

This project was coordinated by the Governor's Action Team, or GAT, a group of economic development professionals that works directly with businesses that consider locating or expanding in the state.

Select Greater Philadelphia worked with the company and GAT to secure a $371,000 funding offer from the Department of Community and Economic Development for the project. The offer includes a $200,000 opportunity grant and $171,000 in job creation tax credits.

"Select provided the company's representatives with information and data to help them make an informed decision about the benefits of locating their headquarters in Greater Philadelphia and quickly connected them to the Governor's Action Team, which made a compelling case for the Pennsylvania location with an attractive incentive package," said Tom Morr, president and CEO of Select Greater Philadelphia. "This project required quick action and everyone reacted promptly to successfully meet LECG's timeframe."

Since Governor Rendell took office in 2003, the Governor's Action Team has successfully completed 1,220 projects, resulting in commitments to create 129,854 new jobs and retain 305,207 existing positions. The commonwealth has offered more than $2.3 billion in assistance for these projects, which will leverage more than $16.8 billion in additional investment.

For more information on LECG, visit www.lecg.com.

For more information on Select Greater Philadelphia, visit www.selectgreaterphiladelphia.com.

For more information on the Governor's Action Team and other Department of Community and Economic Development programs, visit www.NewPA.com or call 1-866-466-3972.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor