Trust the Journey: Judge Jerry Pappert

A lifetime of doing the right thing for the right reasons paves the way for a storied career on both sides of the bench.

If you ask Judge Jerry Pappert ’88 J.D. if he thought he’d sit on a federal bench one day, he’d say, “Not in a million years.” He worked on one side of the bench as a lawyer in various capacities for over 25 years. Sitting on the other side never crossed his mind.

But when he got the call to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, he knew he was ready. It was as if he had been preparing his entire career for the role.

Years of service in private practice, public service, and corporate leadership had broadened his perspective of the law. He also had earned a well-respected reputation in and outside the court.

Real-Life Lessons Shape a Career

Pappert was driven to explore bigger, broader challenges than practicing law in his hometown of Albany, New York. That’s why he pursued a law degree at Notre Dame Law School after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University.

“I knew all along that I would go to law school,” he said. “And I knew I wanted a law school with a national reach and reputation.”

But his conviction that the law was the right field for him took a confidence-rattling setback in his first round of law school exams. Pappert had followed a blueprint to prepare for the exams that had worked well for him at Villanova. Go to class. Take good notes. Memorize the notes. Breeze through the exam.

“I came out after three hours of my first test—criminal law—feeling like I had gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson,” Pappert explained. “I didn’t bomb it by any means. But I certainly didn’t get the result I was accustomed to. I realized then I would need to do things differently.”

His professor Fernand “Tex” Dutile ’65 J.D. posed a different argument for Pappert.

“He said, ‘You wrote the answers in college. You write the questions in law school,’” Pappert recalled.

He realized there are no shortcuts when it comes to the law. The revelation shaped how he attacked law school head-on and molded his career.

Law school also introduced Pappert to a philosophy that is at the heart of Notre Dame’s culture: Do the right thing for the right reasons.

“Much of what we do as judges impacts the law and impacts people,” said Pappert.

Case in point: Pappert rejected a legal challenge by the Federal Trade Commission to prevent a proposed merger of two large Philadelphia hospital health systems in 2020. Reaching that decision didn’t come easily for the judge.

Pappert dug into the case for months. He knew how important the decision would be for the greater Philadelphia healthcare delivery system. It would have a broad, sustaining impact on countless people in the region.

The decision also would have a lasting effect on future hospital mergers. Eventually, the FTC voluntarily dismissed its appeal, marking a rare defeat for the commission.

Uncharted Path Leads to Unexpected Opportunities

Deep appreciation for his many mentors has proved instrumental in Pappert’s journey to the federal bench. He credits professors, politicians, and people from every walk of life for guiding him each step of the way.

The network Pappert cultivated early in his career afforded him the opportunity to manage an election campaign for Pennsylvania attorney general in 1996. He took a leap of faith to leave private practice—and it forever altered his career. Pappert served as first deputy attorney general under the newly elected attorney general Mike Fisher. When Fisher left the AG’s office for the U.S. Court of Appeals, Pappert accepted the challenge to serve out the term as AG.

Doors opened in another unexpected way when Pappert agreed to serve as general counsel for a large pharmaceutical company. Cephalon Inc.’s founder, Frank Baldino, was a highly respected visionary who was willing to mentor Pappert in the intricacies of corporate leadership. Baldino gave Pappert a front row seat in the fast-paced arena of publicly traded commerce. It was another learning ground that changed the trajectory of Pappert’s career.

Right Time for the Right Move

At every turn in his career, Pappert earned a solid reputation for his uncompromising integrity, knowledge of the law, and respect for the profession. He also fostered connections on both sides of the political aisle as well as in business.

“My accomplishments, relationships, and experiences enabled me to be the logical choice for the district court,” he said. “It wasn’t something I planned to do, but I was very prepared for it because of all I had done in my career.”

On the bench, Pappert applies the same principles he has carried with him since law school. Prepare carefully. Write clearly. Be succinct.

“I try to explain my thinking in a direct way that could benefit another judge or lawyer who reads my opinion,” Pappert said.

Pappert passes along these real-life lessons to his young clerks. He reminds them that how you write a brief matters. So does how you argue a case. And how you conduct yourself in a courtroom has lasting consequences.

“As lawyers, we must uphold the integrity of the profession,” he said.

Let an Internal Compass Guide You

Pappert is steadfast in his judicial courage to get to the right result for the right reasons, even when public opinion runs in another direction.

“It’s easy to characterize a judge’s work based on generalizations,” said Pappert. “But we deal with all the nuances of the law and do what the law requires us to do.”

That unwavering strength and belief has carried Pappert forward through every unexpected twist and turn in his career. It also frames the advice he readily offers young lawyers as they set out on their own career paths:

“Let your path naturally unfold and evolve. Work hard. Do good work. Treat people with respect. And one day, an opportunity may take you in a direction you couldn’t foresee—not in a million years.” -Judge Jerry Pappert

- Written by Melinda McNamera