WATER LAW PANELISTS IMPART CAREER INSIGHTS TO PENN STATE DICKINSON LAW STUDENTS
October 2024 — 
Kathy Pape ’78 never intended to get into water law. She wanted to practice criminal law, but taking a job at the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) during law school altered her career trajectory. Pape worked on utility law cases, including electric, gas, water, and telecom. Though still a student, she could litigate when working under a supervising lawyer, and those agency cases revealed the impact of utilities on quality of life.
She realized water law offered the same opportunity to make a difference that had attracted her to criminal law. “The agency really affected people’s lives. I never thought about utilities and the impact that utility rates and service had on customers and the community before my time at the OCA. We did not have any utility issues in my hometown. Things worked well,” said Pape.
She quickly learned that was not the case everywhere. Pape represented customers dealing with water quality or quantity issues and ability to pay. Her experience laid the groundwork for a long and successful career in water law, including heading American Water’s Mid-Atlantic Division and serving as president of its largest subsidiary, Pennsylvania American Water.
She hopes to help Penn State Dickinson Law students recognize the growing importance of water law, too. That sparked the idea for a recent panel held at the Law School featuring Pape and three other attorneys. It was supported by the Kathy L. Pape Water Law Program Support Fund, which aims to elevate Penn State Dickinson Law’s profile as a leader in water law.
“Slice of Success: Attorney Career Insights About Energy Law, Water Law and Environmental Law” drew more than two dozen students on October 2 in Room 114. Pape moderated the event, which also included Kimberly M. Barrow, vice chair of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; Michael A. Braymer, chief counsel at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; and Shawn W. Weis ’96, chief counsel at the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority.
Defining water law and its great importance in the future
Pape began by introducing the participants and explaining what “water law” means in the context of their jobs. The term encompasses utility, environmental, and energy law, and she noted that it could deal with everything from wastewater to storm water.
The lively discussion touched on how to prepare for a career in water law, how climate change is impacting the field, and the best ways to network for a water law career. Like Pape, several others on the panel had not initially intended to enter water law. But also like her, they embraced it after discovering the great rewards of impacting Pennsylvanians’ daily lives.
“When I first got into this type of law, I planned to stay for five years, learn what I could, and then find my niche area. But it turns out this was my niche area,” said Barrow. “It is interesting for so many reasons, and there are also so many opportunities. Our staff has litigators, administrative law judges, and attorneys who work on policy.”
The panelists also discussed which law classes they found most relevant to their daily work — environmental law, of course, but also courses such as administrative law, corporate law, and corporate governance. They all noted the uptick in demand for attorneys focused on water law at a time when water quality has become an increasingly serious issue.
Panel members offered advice based on their own experiences. Weis urged law students to say “yes” to unexpected opportunities that seemed out of their comfort zones. “You will learn something about yourself,” said Weis.
Braymer encouraged students to attend in-person events like the Pennsylvania Environmental Law Forum. “Do not be afraid to talk. It is not easy but start talking to people. Lawyers are nicer than you think. They will spend time investing in you and giving you advice," said Braymer.
Camille Darius ’25 found the panel engaging. “What struck me is all of the panelists talked about how what they do impacts the community at large,” said Darius. “That is interesting to me and something I hope for in my career. It was also refreshing to hear they just landed in this space. It is inspiring to hear attorneys say they tried something they did not know they were interested in and ended up loving it. They all clearly love what they do.”
The panel was more than just a window into what practicing water law means. It also generated solid job and internship leads. Panelists were asked to bring applications and referred to specific opportunities available for law students throughout the discussion. “I am hoping we will have students who walk away saying, ‘Wow, I think I would like to do that,’” Pape said.