John E.D. Larkin
EXTON — United Way of Chester County (UWCC) announced two community members have been elected to its Board of Directors.
John E.D. Larkin is a partner at the law firm Gawthrop Greenwood, PC, headquartered in West Chester. Named a “Rising Star” by SuperLawyers Magazine and a “Top Lawyer” by Main Line Today, Jack leads Gawthrop Greenwood’s Litigation Department where he focuses on municipal and corporate litigation and regularly shepherds cases through successful mediation.
“My day-to-day experience navigating both the public and private sectors gives me a unique understanding of how to unite people from varying backgrounds for the betterment of the community,” says Larkin.
A graduate of Leadership Chester County and a former board chair of the American Red Cross Leadership Board, Larkin cites his ability to maintain the delicate balance necessary to sustain public and private partnerships as a key asset to his upcoming service to United Way of Chester County.
Prior to joining Gawthrop Greenwood, Larkin was an appellate litigator in the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, where he appeared regularly before the Pennsylvania Superior Court and periodically handled appeals to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He continues his appellate practice today, civilly, before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and Pennsylvania’s Superior and Commonwealth Courts.
Larkin’s published works have appeared in law journals at the Georgetown University School of Law, Vanderbilt Law School, the University of Florida Law School, and the American Journal of Trial Advocacy, as well as in the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Bar Quarterly and At Issue publications.
Larkin is an alumnus of Oberlin College, where he graduated with honors. His wife, Bobbie Nenno Larkin, is a Wealth Advisor at the Glenmede Trust Company. Both are conservatory violinists.
Charles “CJ” Witherspoon
Also joining the Board of Directors is Charles “CJ” Witherspoon. Born in Sadsbury and a graduate of Coatesville Area Senior High School, Witherspoon now works in the media industry and still lives in Chester County. Since 2010, Witherspoon has worked at the television network and flagship shopping channel QVC, headquartered in West Chester, PA. Beginning as a Production Assistant and rising to his current title of Content Writer/Producer, Witherspoon conceptualizes, produces, and directs video productions and manages and produces food photography productions for QVC.com.
But Witherspoon cites his titles of husband, father and son as most important to him. “My family is the reason I am where I am today. My wife Halli and I strongly believe in giving back to our community in order to provide a better life for those less fortunate than we are. We are also instilling these values in our 6-year-old daughter, Lilah.”
One of the ways Witherspoon and his family give back to the community is through a company he manages, 3 Spoons, LLC.
“The name represents CJ, Halli, and Lilah Witherspoon. Halli is a hospice social worker. Through her job, we interview willing people on camera about their lives and create ‘legacy’ videos for their families. Our goal is for families to be able to remember loved ones’ life stories for generations to come.”
Witherspoon is a graduate of The Art Institute of Philadelphia and West Chester University.
Confirmed at UWCC’s Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting at Penn Oaks Golf Club on September 5, 2018, both Witherspoon and Larkin have committed to three-year terms.
