Manning, L’72, bestowed honorary membership in Phi Alpha Delta Sarah K. Weikart, 3L On Feb. 17, 2016, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International (PAD) bestowed an honorary membership on President Judge Jeffrey A. Manning, of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, by its Egan Chapter at Duquesne University School of Law. PAD is a professional law fraternity advancing integrity, compassion and courage through service to the student, the school, the profession and the community. As one of the largest student organizations at the Law School, and the largest law fraternity in the country, PAD offers a distinguished alumni network to the benefit of its members. This year, PAD initiated 63 students for a total of 137 members in the Chapter. Honorary membership is extended to any individual who has attained unusual distinction in the legal profession or in the field of law. Honorary initiates must be ratified through the formal Petition for Honorary Membership submitted by a chapter and approved by the International Executive Board. Judge Manning has attained such distinction throughout his legal career. He was appointed judge in 1988, and over the past 26 years has presided over thousands of criminal cases. Judge Manning currently sits as the President Judge of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, which is the second largest court system in the commonwealth. Prior to his judicial tenure, Judge Manning served as Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney, homicide prosecutor and supervisor of the Violent Crimes Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, and First Assistant United States Attorney. Between 1976 and 1988, Judge Manning handled the most significant federal criminal cases, involving international narcotics trafficking, complex
Judge Manning, center, with students, from left, Curtis Corson, Blair Droskey, Cynthia Lose, Sarah Weikart, Emma Donahey and Eric Rudel.
fraud, organized crime, and racketeering and public corruption. Additionally, he has previously served as a commissioner of the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, and is presently chairman of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Procedural Rules Committee. On March 16, Judge Manning actively participated in his first Phi Alpha Delta event, a criminal mock trial. This mock trial showed students the typical proceedings of a criminal trial, including pretrial motions, objections and court rulings, as well as charging the jury. Other special guests who actively participated in this educational experience included Allegheny County Chief Public Defender Elliot Howsie, L’98, and Amanda Sorrell, L’11, assistant district attorney for Allegheny County.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Wecht speaks with JLSA Joshua Allenberg, 1L Beginning with the appointment to the court of Horace Stern in 1936, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has a rich history of Jewish justices, including our own alumnus, Justice Max Baer, L’75. Justice David N. Wecht, who was elected this past November, is the latest addition to this legacy. On Feb. 18, Justice Wecht accepted an invitation from the Jewish Law Students Association to speak at the School of Law. Topics he discussed included how Jewish values have shaped his personal values, the election of judges in the commonwealth, and reforms that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court can adopt to increase transparency and integrity. Students and faculty in attendance then engaged in a Q&A session with Justice Wecht. It is often said that you can’t be what you can’t see. While the judiciary is rife with Jewish jurists, it is still inspiring to me as a Jew to have the opportunity to hear a member of my faith who has reached the highest level of the judiciary in the state speak to how our common values have shaped his career, as I hope they will shape mine.
Justice Wecht, center, with students, from left, Sara Watkins, Joshua Allenberg, Eric Rudel, Susannah Glick, Casey Rankin, Valerie Mahoney and Keanna Seabrooks.
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