A Bucks County lawyer is facing a potential 25-years prison sentence after being convicted of insider trading, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced Friday.

According to authorities, Sudfeld was a partner in a Pennsylvania law firm that represented Harleysville Group, Inc., in its merger with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

Herbert Sudfeld, 64, of Doylestown was also convicted of making a false statement.

Sudfeld knew the merger was imminent and knew he had a fiduciary duty to keep it confidential, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

But instead, in September 2011, prior to the public announcement of the merger agreement, Sudfeld purchased Harleysville stock. The next day, when Harleysville and Nationwide publicly announced the merger, Harleysville stock rose by approximately 85 percent, authorities said.