Mr Buchholz had been serving as managing partner of DLA Piper’s office in Philadelphia from 2014 up until his passing on Monday. Former DLA Piper managing partner James Brogan declined to disclose the cause of Mr Buccholz’s death, saying only that the Philadelphia legal legend had been suffering through a lengthy illness. ‘He had been ill for some time,’ Mr Brogan told The Legal Intelligencer, adding that Mr Brogan had been actively working as managing partner ‘up until the very last day.’

Accomplished career

Prior to heading up DLA Piper in Philadelphia, Mr Buchholz served as managing partner of iconic Philadelphia firm Blank Rome. Between 2001 and 2002, Mr Buchholz took a break from his career in BigLaw to serve as special assistant for homeland security to then US president George W Bush. Additionally, he worked as Pennsylvania general counsel for the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in 2004. More than his many professional achievements, however, his colleagues have paid tribute to their experiences of Mr Buchholz as a father, colleague and friend. ‘You rarely get to work with someone who is that accomplished and that easy to get along with,’ said DLA Piper partner and longtime colleague Stephen Schwab.