John Bechtol

While I did my student teaching (Sec. Ed. English) in my senior year and while I had been offered a contract to teach in the New Castle School District, I accepted a position with the predecessor of Rockwell International as a human resources manager at one of their manufacturing plants in New Castle (I had worked for that company during summer breaks). I worked there from 1969 to 1972. In 1972 I was offered a labor relations position at the Granite City Steel Division of National Steel and I moved to St. Louis to accept that position. I worked there for two years and in 1974 accepted the position of Director of Industrial Relations with The Levinson Steel Company in Pittsburgh. I worked there from 1974 to 1979 and during the last four years of my employment with Levinson, I attended Duquesne University Law School. In 1979, I joined Reed Smith Shaw and McClay in Pittsburgh and became a partner in 1988. I left Reed Smith in January of 1992 to form my own firm which I managed until February of 2008 when I joined the Metz Lewis firm in Pittsburgh. I am still actively practicing law and during my entire legal career have practiced management-side employment and labor law.

In terms of my job, it has been rewarding to have done my best to keep my clients in business and to have helped them steer clear of legal problems vis-à-vis their employees.

For the last several years I have been recognized and identified as one of the Best Lawyers in America as well as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. On my avocational side, I have won or have taken podia in a number of vintage sports cars races (I have raced open wheel formula cars and presently race a 1972 Porsche – my wife races as well, presently racing an Alfa Romeo). I have also been recognized for my work with the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix where I am currently the Chair of the Competition Committee and the Competition Director of the PVGP’s Schenley Park race. I also serve on the national Vintage Motorsports Council. In whatever spare time is left, I instruct in several high performance driving programs and enjoy travel, sailing, and spending time with my family (my daughter, her husband, and my granddaughter live in Mt. Lebanon, PA). 

I believe that my ability to communicate which was honed by my experiences at SRU has contributed greatly to my success in the law and in my recreational activities.

To future grads, be a value-added person. Make things or do things to help in some fashion. Don’t go to law school, there are too many of us and in many cases we just make life a bit more difficult than needs be.