The Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald (Ret.d) Elected Shareholder

Tucker Arensberg, P.C. is pleased to announce that Judith K. Fitzgerald has been elected a shareholder of the firm.

Retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Fitzgerald has more than 26 years of experience as a Bankruptcy Judge, having presided over matters in the Western District of Pennsylvania (where she was Chief Judge for five years) as well as in the District of Delaware (20 years), Eastern District of Pennsylvania (8 years), the and the U.S. Virgin Islands (9 years).   During her tenure as a bankruptcy judge, Fitzgerald presided over many significant corporate cases including: Flintkote, Kaiser Aluminum, Corp., Owens Corning, W.R. Grace, Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, Armstrong World Industries, United States Mineral Products, U.S.G., Specialty Products Holding Corp., Maronda Homes, Fleming Steel Company, Federal-Mogul Global, Innovative Communications Corp., Just For Feet, Inc., WorldClass Processing, Inc., Combustion Engineering, Inc., Peregrine Systems, American Pad & Paper Co., PHP Healthcare Corporation, Color Tile, Inc., Italian Oven, Shannopin Mining, Busy Beaver Bldg. Centers, and Papercraft Corporation.

In addition to her knowledge of contracts and familiarity with novel issues in bankruptcy, Fitzgerald has unique experience in mass tort bankruptcies, having adjudicated more of these cases than any other bankruptcy judge in the country. She has an extensive trial background and frequently served as a settlement judge and mediator. Since joining Tucker Arensberg, Fitzgerald has served as the mediator and arbitrator in bankruptcy and commercial transaction related proceedings, and she has also served as an expert witness in cases involving bankruptcy issues, insurance and reinsurance issues, and bankruptcy related malpractice matters. Fitzgerald works with clients on complex bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial issues.

Thomas Peterson, Managing Shareholder says “we are delighted that Judi has joined us as a shareholder. She has been with us for over a year on an Of Counsel basis, but now joins us on a full time basis as a member of the firm. Our clients will benefit from her significant and specialized experience. She will provide value in many roles, including mediator, arbitrator and expert witness. Although her focus will be bankruptcy and insolvency matters, her experience includes many areas of commercial law and litigation.”

Fitzgerald also teaches bankruptcy law and advanced bankruptcy law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She is a regular national speaker, moderator and panel member and author on bankruptcy, evidence and litigation topics. Fitzgerald is a member of the American College of Bankruptcy, the American Law Institute, the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Commercial Law League.

Before being appointed as a bankruptcy judge in 1987, Fitzgerald was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in complex frauds and criminal tax cases. Fitzgerald earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and her undergraduate degrees of a B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh.