LARGE TURNOUT FOR DICKINSON LAW’S 21ST ANNUAL JUDGES’ NIGHT
March 2024 — For the past two years, Rachel James ’24 has attended Penn State Dickinson Law’s Judges’ Night, hosted by Phi Alpha Delta — Burr Chapter. Last year, stories about disclosure of gifts to Supreme Court justices dominated the news in the runup to the event, and so James asked judges in attendance about their thoughts on self-policing in the legal system. She found their answers fascinating.
This year, James’ questions piggybacked on issues raised by keynote speaker Judge Matthew Brann ’90, chief judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She asked judges about how to navigate cases of “bad law” and reconcile personal opinion with upholding the rule of law.
She appreciated the opportunity to speak frankly about topics rarely addressed within a courtroom or a classroom. It is the beauty of a night that brings students and judges together to network and learn in an informal setting.
“It is rare to get a chance to communicate with a judge one on one. Normally as attorneys, we appear in front of them,” said James. “I find it beneficial to be in conversation with them.”
The 21st annual event, which took place February 26, began with a keynote address by Judge Matthew Brann ’90, followed by a cocktail reception and a sit-down dinner. Students could ask judges questions about all manner of topics while creating new connections.
“For many students, this might be their first time ever meeting a judge, which is a valuable experience,” said Ethan Kincaid ’25, president of Phi Alpha Delta. “This has always been one of my favorite events to go to. There are all sorts of networking opportunities. In fact, a friend sitting at my table even got a 1L summer clerkship from being at the event last year.”
Everyone can benefit from the night, said Kincaid. Judges may suggest postgraduate options, or students who aspire to become judges can seek career advice. “The judges in attendance are scholars of law and people with a lot of experience because no one goes directly from being a law student to being a judge. They have often been in private practice or served in public interest positions,” said Kincaid.
Active alumni network boosts Judges’ Night
Kincaid and the other four Phi Alpha Delta executive board members began planning Judges’ Night in November. The law fraternity hosts an event called Etiquette Night in early November, which advises students on etiquette for cocktail receptions and formal dinners. Judges’ Night allows them to put those lessons into practice. Last fall was the first time in several years, due to COVID, that Etiquette Night took place, and Kincaid said everyone was excited for the tandem event’s return.
About 60 students attended Judges’ Night compared to 45 in 2023. Roughly 30 judges came, including ones from across the commonwealth as well as New Jersey and Maryland. Kincaid noted many of the judges, whose focus ranged from immigration to family law, were Dickinson Law graduates.
“Dickinson Law has a great alumni network, which made it easy to reach out to a large number of judges,” said Kincaid. “Our alums are so passionate and love to come back to help students. We have also accumulated a lot of contact information for non-alumni judges in local counties and even other states.”
Kuyomars “Q” Golparvar, an immigration judge at the Baltimore Immigration Court, enjoyed taking questions from students. “Their energy and enthusiasm level is really infectious,” said Golparvar, an adjunct faculty member at Dickinson Law. “I am impressed so many 1L students came. They are ahead of the game by attending an event like this and already thinking about what they want to do after they graduate. They want to see what kind of experiences they can get while they are in law school that will help prepare them for the practice of law.”
Master of Laws (LL.M.) student Naby Bangoura said he had the privilege of receiving invaluable insights from judges on the skills and interpersonal qualities they research for a clerk position and tips on pursuing professional opportunities in a judicial setting. Bangoura said he found the exchanges with the judges stimulating and informative, as they discussed the critical challenges they face when ruling on a decision while ensuring that a fair and equitable justice is preserved. According to Naby, this experience was truly eye-opening, demonstrating how gaining insights from experienced professionals is a crucial aspect of professional development.
“Stewards of the legal system”
Judge Brann delivered the keynote in the Dickinson Law Apfelbaum Family Courtroom and Auditorium to open the evening. His remarks focused on the duties of law students, lawyers, and judges to uphold the rule of law, even when they struggle to reconcile certain decisions with their view of the law.
“You and I are stewards of the legal system, there can be no question,” said Brann. “Upholding the rule of law is an honorable pursuit. The system would otherwise fail. As great as our system of governance is, it is also remarkably fragile. It only works because everyone agrees that it does at the highest level.”
Brann cautioned that students will lose cases they believe they should have won during their careers. “You will be on the wrong end of decisions from judges, perhaps even me, with which you disagree. Even if you never litigate a case in your career, you will be asked to advise clients as to laws that they may believe are unfair or incorrect.”
Brann then emphasized the importance of education to students’ future careers and also the future more generally. “The skills you learn here as a student are not just relevant to your future practice. They are necessary to ensure that our system endures,” said Brann.