CGA Law News & Blog

Pete Solymos Retires

access_time Posted on: August 30th, 2021

Congratulations Pete!

Pete Solymos is an experienced litigator who has tried more than 70 jury trials. His trial work included civil, criminal, eminent domain, and municipal matters in the courts of the Middle District: York, Adams, Lancaster, Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin Counties, among others. Pete also represented clients before all Pennsylvania Appellate Courts, where he represented many municipal clients.

For years he also had an active Domestic Relations practice. He was appointed by the court to be a Custody Master and served for over 15 years. He noted that this experience was one of the most memorable and gratifying of his career.

Career Highlights

Pete had many fascinating and satisfying experiences as a litigator. He tried the first vehicular homicide case in York County. After some cajoling, he admitted that he won it. He was also actively involved in the Lillie Belle Allen trial, York County’s trial of the century. His strongest memories, however, involve the hundreds of dedicated citizens, who serve the many municipalities Pete represented over the years. They include supervisors, counsel people, and board members. He admired these public servants who serve tirelessly with little or no remunerations or thank you’s.

Background

Pete was born in 1943 in Tientsin, China, during the height of World War II. His mother had lived in China since 1922. His father was a Holocaust survivor who arrived in China in 1940. They immigrated to the United States in the late 1950s.


His family moved to York in 1956, where Pete has lived ever since. He attended York Suburban through his junior year of high school and, despite misgivings, had a wonderful experience at Dallastown High School, where he graduated in 1961. His eighth-grade teacher advised that Pete would become a Philadelphia lawyer –- he was close!

Higher Education

After graduating from Dallastown High School, Pete attended York Junior College of Pennsylvania, where he studied Liberal Arts. He transferred to Pennsylvania State University, where he graduated with a degree in Political Science in 1965. From 1965-1968, he attended the University of Tennessee College of Law and graduated with his Juris Doctorate in 1968.

Pete Meets Barb

During his second year of law school, Pete met Barb, who was in her third year as an undergraduate student at the University of Tennessee. A mutual friend introduced them. They had so many shared interests, including a passion for history, and Pete knew by the third or fourth date that he had met the one. He advised us that she was (and is) very cute, too!

A Growing Family

Pete and Barb have been married for 53 years and have two daughters: Megan and Lauren. Megan lives in New York with her husband, Jerry, and a five-year-old daughter, Nora. Lauren lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, Richard, and their two daughters: Ciara (12) and Lucy (10).

Pete, Barb, and the kids are beach people. Pete and Barb have a condominium in Cherry Group Beach, which they all love to attend as much as possible.

Community Affiliations

In his spare time, Pete is a member of the York Masonic Lodge #266 and has served on the boards and committees of many charitable organizations. He was a member of the American, Pennsylvania, and York County Bar Associations and admitted to practice before the Middle and Eastern District Courts of Pennsylvania and the United States Supreme Court.

Retirement

When asked what Pete was going to do during his retirement, he replied, “Ab-so-lute-ly nothing!” but he’s determined to do it very, very well.


We wish Pete a very happy retirement!