Charles Ehrlich | Attorney

Charley is a member of the toxic torts litigation practice group, and brings 24 years of experience in trying major cases.

Prior to joining the firm Charley was with Philadelphia District Attorney's Office for 24 years, most recently serving for 9 years as the Chief of the Municipal Court Unit in the District Attorney's Office.  In this position Charley supervised 33 prosecutors, 6 victim-witness advocates and 4 support personnel.  The Municipal Court (MC) Unit handles over 60,000 cases a year including all felony preliminary hearings for cases involving shootings, robberies, burglaries, thefts, drug dealing, aggravated assaults and economic crimes. The Municipal Court Unit also handles all misdemeanor trials for cases involving drunk driving, drug possession, theft, simple assault, stalking, identity theft and prostitution. The Unit staffs 14 courtrooms a day including a pre-trial room and a crash court at the Philadelphia County Prison. 

Charley was also responsible for the training program for new prosecutors who came to the Municipal Court Unit every year. He also worked with the Philadelphia Police Department and other law enforcement agencies like the U.S. Attorney's Office to coordinate prosecution of certain repeat and or dangerous defendants. Charley also dealt with the Municipal Court judges and administrators on behalf of the District Attorney's Office and continued to try some cases himself each year. Charley worked closely with many members of the Philadelphia Police Department, conducting training programs involving various investigative techniques.

Prior to becoming Chief of the MC Unit, Charley was Assistant Chief of the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit (FVSAU)  from 1993-2000. The Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit is responsible for the prosecution of all adult rape cases and the felony trials for all child abuse and domestic violence cases. He was in charge of case assignments, plea offers and approval of charges. In addition, he was responsible for the training of new prosecutors who came to the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit. Charley worked with the individual prosecutors on trial strategy and other case issues and as well, he also tried some rape, child abuse, and domestic violence cases each year. Charley worked closely with the Philadelphia Police Department's Special Victims Unit (SVU) in investigating child abuse, and adult rape cases and he helped train new officers and detectives in this unit.

From 1985 - 1993, Charley was a trial attorney in the DA's Office. He was in the Juvenile Unit, Child Abuse Unit, and Homicide Unit. There he handled over 250 jury trials, over 1,000 waiver trials involving all types of cases and also supervised 2 homicide Grand Jury investigations resulting in arrests and subsequent successful prosecution.

From 1972 until 1974 Charley attended the University of Wisconsin. He then transferred to Tufts University where, in 1976, he earned a BA in Political Science, graduating magna cum laude. Charley then began working in Washington, D.C. as a legislative and administrative aide in two congressional offices. (Representative David Cornwell, Democrat of Indiana (1977-1978) and Representative Don Albosta, Democrat of Michigan (1979-1985). He was responsible for working with local officials to obtain grants for economic development and public works projects. In addition, Charley covered legislative issues involving matters before the Public Works and Transportation Committee as well as the Agriculture Committee for the congressmen.  While in Washington, Charley went to law school in the evening program at American University where he earned his JD and graduated in 1981.

Currently, Charley serves on the Philadelphia Bar Association's Language Access Task Force which was started to make sure the police and the courts properly accommodate victims, witnesses, and defendants who do not speak English. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Children's Alliance, an organization that both assists victims of child abuse and works with the Philadelphia Police and the Department of Human Services in investigating allegations of child abuse.