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Hon. Judith K. Fitzgerald

United States Bankruptcy Judge (Ret.)

Current Position

Shareholder; Professor in the Practice of Law at U Pittsburgh
Tucker Arensberg, P.C.
1 PPG Place
Suite 1500
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
USA

Tel: 4125592987

Class: XVI (2005)Circuit: Third

Education

University of Pittsburgh, B.S., Psychology, B.A., English Writing (1970)
University of Pittsburgh, Political Science Graduate Courses on Fellowship (1970-71)
University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D. (1973)

Professional Career

Shareholder, Tucker Arensberg (2013-)
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Western District of Pennsylvania (1987-2013)
Sitting By Special Designation, District of Delaware (1991-96; 98-13)
Sitting By Special Designation, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1993-2001)
Sitting By Special Designation, District Court of Virgin Islands (2004-09)
Professor in the Practice of Law, Bankruptcy, University of Pittsburgh School of Law (2004-)
Adjunct Professor of Law, Secured Transactions, University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Fall Term 1997)
Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice (1976-87)
Law Clerk to Hon. Gwilym A. Price, Jr., Superior Court of Pennsylvania (1974-75)
Law Clerk to Hon. John N. Sawyer, President Judge, Beaver County Court of Common Pleas, Beaver, Pennsylvania (1973-74)
Legal Researcher, Commercial Matters, Vincent A. Tamburo, Esq., Associates Financial Services Co. (1972-73)
Legal Intern, Neighborhood Legal Services (1972-73)

Affiliations

Administrative Office of U.S. Courts (1992-98): Chair, Advisory Committee of Bankruptcy Judges (1994-96)
Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, Chambers and Courtroom Umbrella Group (1993-97)
Chambers Case Management User Group, Chair (1995-98) (1994-98)
BK CHASER Automation Project, Executive Sponsor, Bankruptcy CHASER Ad Hoc Working Group (1994-)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Education Committee (1994-98)
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Bankruptcy Case Management & Statistics Umbrella Group (1995-96)
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Bankruptcy Statistics and Data Collection Project (1997)
Third Circuit Judicial Conference Program Planner, Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Presentations (various)
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Program Planner (various)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit: Non-voting Bankruptcy Judge Representative, Judicial Council (2001-05); Judicial Council Bankruptcy and Magistrate, Judges Committee (2002-06)
American Law Institute, Elected Member (2009)
Allegheny County Bar Association: Chair, Audit Committee; several committees (1973-)
National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges: Past President; Treasurer; Board Member; serve on several committees (1987-13)
American Bankruptcy Institute: Past Board Member; Co-Judicial Chair Mid-Atlantic Regional Program (2004); serve on several committees including ethics and mediation (1988-)
Federal Investigators Association (1988-93)
American Bar Association, several committees (1990-94; 07)
Commercial Law League of America, several committees (1991-)
National Conference of Bankruptcy Clerks (1992-2013)
Women's Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania, Founding Member (1992-)
American Inns of Court, Pittsburgh Chapter, Founding Member/Honorary Master (1992-)
International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, Charter Member of Tri-State Network (1995-)
American College of Bankruptcy (2004-)
Federal Bar Association, Lifetime Honorary Member (2000-)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Judicial Fellow (2001-07)
Turnaround Management Association, Honorary Member, Pittsburgh Chapter (2001-)
International Bar Association (2002-04)
Judith K. Fitzgerald Western Pennsylvania Bankruptcy American Inn of Court, Founder (2010)
American Bankruptcy Law Journal, Assistant Editor (2011-12)
Pennsylvania Bar Association (2013-)
Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania (2015-)
FedArb (Federal Arbitration, Inc.), Mediator, Arbitrator (2015-)
Bar Association of the Third Federal Circuit (2016-)

Publications

"When Worlds Collide: Bankruptcy and Its Impact on Domestic Relations and Family Law," 2nd Ed. American Bankruptcy Institute 2003 Co-author
Bankruptcy and Divorce: Support and Property Division 2nd Ed. (1994) with annual supplements published by Aspen Law & Business through 2003 Co-author
"Evaluating Involuntary Bankruptcies," Commercial Law League of America 1996
Chapter 5, "Abstention," Chapter 11 Theory and Practice-A Guide to Reorganization Queenan, Hendel and Hillinger, eds. 1994
"The Appraiser in Bankruptcy Court: Getting Appointed, Getting Paid and Testifying as Experts," Vol. 5 AMEA APPRAISER No. 2 Summer 1992
"Wrestling with Bankruptcy and Divorce Laws in Property Division and Support Issues," 6 American Journal of Family Law No. 2, 109 1992 Co-author
Fitzgerald, Gonzalez & Walrath (ed.), Rutters National Bankruptcy Practice Guide 2010-

Awards

Who's Who in American Law (2004),
Top Ten Bankruptcy Judges, Turnaround Management Association (3 years)
Who's Who of American Women (1991-),
Oxford's Who's Who (1992-),
U.S. Department of Justice, Special Achievement Awards
Federal Criminal Investigators, Special Service Award (1988)
U.S. Department of Commerce, Outstanding Performance Award, Operation Exodus (1986)
Pittsburgh Magazine, Special Recognition Awards (1980)
Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors Award, (2010)
Conrad B. Duberstein, "Mensch" Award, NCBJ (2006)
Commercial Law League of America, Lawrence P. King Award (2011)
The "Judith K. Fitzgerald Western PA Bankruptcy American Inn of Court" named in her honor (2013)
Commercial Law League of America Lawrence P. King Award for Excellence in the Field of Bankruptcy, (2011)
American Inns of Court Bankruptcy Alliance Distinguished Service Award, (2020)
Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Bankruptcy and Restructuring Lawyers, (2020)