Chapter Blog

April 14, 2026

One of the most enduring mysteries for law students and young lawyers alike is judges. In law school, judges are just names in a textbook; on television, they are often portrayed as sharp-tongued and impatient. In reality, these lawyers—robed in black and addressed as “Your Honor”—sit at the pinnacle of the legal profession, vested with extraordinary authority. Their rulings can determine matters of personal liberty in criminal cases and financial survival in civil ones. It’s no wonder they are both revered and feared.

Fortunately for those studying or practicing in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Judges of the Middle District—all longtime practitioners themselves—have not lost sight of how daunting the bench can appear from counsel table. They are willing and, indeed, eager to remain accessible, approachable, and engaged with the bar, and to work with our Chapter to make that accessibility meaningful, most notably through participating in the Chapter’s annual Meet the Judges panel and mixer. Through this event, which has been held since 2022, attendees have the opportunity to look behind the curtain and gain insight into what it takes to become—and to be—a judge.

This year, eight distinguished members of the bench showed up to Courtroom 7A at the Sylvia H. Rambo United States Courthouse to share their journeys to the bench and their experiences on it. The panel consisted of District Judges Jennifer P. Wilson, Karoline Mehalchick, Keli M. Neary, Yvette Kane, and Malachy Mannion, as well as Chief Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom and Magistrate Judges Philip J. Caraballo and Sean A. Camoni. The panel was moderated by Student Chapter Presidents Kristen Slubowski of Penn State Dickinson Law and Kaylee Caprari of Widener Commonwealth Law.

The Judges have varied backgrounds: five clerked for state or federal judges, four were Assistant United States Attorneys in the District, two worked for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and one was a Criminal Justice Act panel attorney working with a small family firm. All, however, desired to become a judge in part to serve the public and tackle complex legal problems. As Judge Mannion, who served as both a District Judge and Magistrate Judge, put it, “It’s so intellectually stimulating. Every day you’re learning something new. If you think you know it all, you don’t.” Judge Kane also noted that the federal bench is one of the few places left where a lawyer can truly remain a generalist.

The process to become a federal judge is demanding, requiring grit, determination, and encouragement. Magistrate judges undergo an application process, interviews with a merit selection panel, and ultimately interviews with the District’s judges. Judge Mehalchick, who—like Judge Mannion—first served as a Magistrate Judge, reflected on her interview experience: “I was with thirteen judges. Judge Kane was to my right and Judge Mannion was to my left, and there was a long table with everyone else around it. And they asked me all sorts of questions about the job.”

For district judges, the process is even more extensive, involving an application, interviews with a committee of attorneys selected by Pennsylvania’s United States Senators, meetings with Senate staff and the Senators themselves, interviews with White House staff, a presidential nomination, testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and confirmation by the Senate. Even following a successful vote, and lest we forget the plight of William Marbury, the tentative judge must receive a signed commission from the President of the United States to take their seat.

Once on the bench, judges preside over countless cases and gain a front-row seat to both the best and worst of the legal profession. Addressing common mistakes, Judge Kane emphasized that success in the courtroom is not about theatrics: “So many people think being a good trial lawyer means being a powerful speaker and a great actor, but it really is just grinding it out, doing the work, and being prepared. We see so many lawyers who just can’t answer the most basic questions about their case.” Judge Mannion reinforced this point: “If you come into a courtroom as a trial lawyer, you should know the case better than anyone—even the people who lived it.” On legal writing, Judge Caraballo cautioned attendees about overreliance on artificial intelligence: “At the end of the day, it’s not generative AI’s name that’s going on the brief—it’s yours.”

The role of a judge also carries significant weight and responsibility. Judges often encounter cases involving sympathetic parties with legitimate injuries but no legal remedy. In such situations, they must issue decisions denying relief— publicly and with finality. On the criminal side, Judges Kane and Mannion both noted that sentencing is among the most difficult aspects of the job.

Even outside the courtroom, judges remain public figures with ongoing obligations. Reflecting on the legacy of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Judge Wilson emphasized the importance of civic engagement: “We have very busy jobs—you’ve heard how challenging they are—but I think we have an obligation, and our Chief Justice has said we have an obligation, to give back—not just to the legal community, but to the American public through as much civics education as we can.”

The panel concluded with a candid question-and-answer session, covering topics ranging from how law students can respond to criticisms of the judiciary to ways to become involved in the legal community in Harrisburg. A mixer at the Millworks followed, where judges and attendees connected in a relaxed setting over libations and farm-to-table cuisine.