About
Justice Sandra Schultz Newman, Ret.
Justice Sandra Schultz Newman not only served as the first elected female Justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court but also as a Judge for the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. She also served as the first female Assistant District Attorney in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and spent more than 20 years in a private trial and appellate practices. It is this collective experience that allows her to bring true neutrality and objectivity to proceedings.
While serving on the bench, Justice Sandra Schultz Newman heard a broad range of cases from intellectual property to construction, medical malpractice, products liability, environmental and insurance coverage disputes. She also certified numerous Third Circuit and United States Supreme Court cases. Among the many notable opinions, she penned are Machipongo Land and Coal Co. v. Department of Environmental Protection and Commonwealth v. Sattazahn. Many of these decisions not only had landmark impact in Pennsylvania but were upheld in the United States Supreme Court.
Justice Sandra Schultz Newman’s Pennsylvania Supreme Court experience makes her uniquely qualified to coach attorneys as they prepare for appellate arguments. She can also fulfill the role of appellate judge or Justice in practice arguments.
Educational
Background
- Drexel University – B.S.
- Temple University – M.A.
- Villanova University Law School – J.D.
- Harvard Law Mediation Training
Professional
Background
- Newman ADR, Arbitration, Mediation and Appellate Practice, 2012 – Present
- Arbitrator/Mediator: ADR Options, Inc., 2008 – 2011
- Cozen O’Connor, Appellate Practice, 2006 – 2008
- Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1996 – 2006
- Judge of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1994 – 1995
- Private Law Practice: Senior Partner, Astor, Weiss & Newman, 1974 – 1993
- Assistant District Attorney, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1972 – 1974
Professional
Organizations
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers:
- President of the Pennsylvania Chapter, 1990 – 1991
- President-Elect of the Pennsylvania Chapter, 1988 – 1990
- Vice President of the Pennsylvania Chapter, 1986 – 1988
- Secretary of the Pennsylvania Chapter, 1984 – 1986
- Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Chapter, 1982 – 1984
- Board of Managers, 1978 until taking seat on court
- American Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow
- American Judicature Society, Member
- American Law Institute, Member
- International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow
- Montgomery County Bar Association, Member
- National Association of Women Judges, Member
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Member (Committees: Appellate Advocacy and Alternative Dispute Resolution)
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Philadelphia Bar Association, Member
Court
Admissions
- The Supreme Court of the United States
- The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- New York State Bar
Professional and Community
Activities and Appointments
- Member of the National McCain-Palin 2008 Honest and Open Election Committee
- Chair, Fair Vote Committee of the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania, for the 2008 Presidential Election
- Delegate, Republican National Convention, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2008
- Honorary Chair, Committee to Elect Judge Lally-Green to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, 2007
- Honorary Chair, Friends of Risa Ferman, Committee to Elect Risa Vetri Ferman, District Attorney of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 2007
- Council Member of the Pennsylvania Society, 2007 – Present
- Member of the Inaugural Visiting Committee of the Drexel University College of Law for 2006
- Executive Board of Trustees of Drexel University College of Medicine, 2002 – Present
- One of three Founders and Board of Overseers of Drexel University Law School, formation until present
- Chair of Audit Committee of Drexel University College of Medicine, 2004 – 2006
- Chair of Capital Campaign of Drexel University College of Medicine, 2009
- Member, Dean Search Committee for Drexel University College of Law, 2005
- Member, Dean Search Committee for Drexel University College of Medicine, 2005
- Chair of the Voice Foundation’s Voices of Summer Gala, May 2008 and June 2009
- Board of Director of the Voice Foundation, 2009
- Honorary Chair for the First Annual NAMI PA and POMP celebration and dinner, June, 2007
- Pageant Judge for the 2007 Miss Philadelphia Pageant, March, 2007
- Honorary Chair The Voice Foundation’s Gala Benefit Voices of Summer, 2005
- Honorary Co-Chair Drexel University College of Medicine’s Black Tie White Coat Ball, 2004 & 2005
- Chair, Judicial Council of Pennsylvania, Committee on Judicial Safety and Preparedness, 2002 – Present
- Ambassador to Team Pennsylvania, 2002 – Present
- Liaison to the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, 2002 – 2006
- Master, J. Willard O’Brien Inn of Court, 1999 – Present
- Chair, Judicial Council of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and Chair of the Unification of Statewide Rules Committee, 1998 – 2006
- Faculty and Course Planner of the Third Circuit Joint Federal-State Workshop on Habeas Corpus, 1999
- Liaison to the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 1998 – 2001
- Liaison to the Third Circuit Task Force on Management of Death Penalty Litigation within the Federal Courts, 1998 – 1999
- Liaison to the Pennsylvania Lawyers Fund for Client Security Board, 1996 – 2001
- Liaison to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Domestic Relations Procedural Rules Committee, 1997 – 2001
- Liaison to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Appellate Procedural Rules Committee, 1996 – 1998
- Member, Judicial Work Group for the Department of Health and Human Services and Advisory Committee to the National Center for State Courts, 1998
- Honorary Co-Chair of Pennsylvania Futures Commission Conference on “Citizenship in the Twenty-First Century: A Context for Learning and Living,” 1998
- Member of the Board of Consultors of Villanova Law School, 1982 – present
- Chairman of the Board of Consultors, 1994 – 1998
- Vice Chairman of the Board of Consultors, 1992 – 1994
- Secretary-Treasurer of the Board of Consultors, 1990 – 1992
- Member of the Advisory Board of Drexel University College of Business and Administration, 1992 – present
- Board of Managers of Council of Pennsylvania Bar Association Family Law Section, 1987 – 1991
- Co-Chairman of Equitable Distribution Committee of the Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1986 – 1988
- Executive Board Chairman and Secretary, Philadelphia Chapter of The American Friends of Hebrew University, 1989 – 1994
- Chairman of The Variety Club of Philadelphia Telethon Ball, 1989
- Chairman, Award of Merit Event, The Philadelphia Art Alliance for Chubby Checker, 1988
- Chairman of the Advisory Board of National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association of the Delaware Valley, 1987 – 1988
- Chairman of Friends of Bezalel Philadelphia Chapter, 1987
- Board of Directors of The Philadelphia Art Alliance, 1986 – 1990
- Chairman of the Award of Merit Event, from The Philadelphia Art Alliance for Patti LaBelle, 1986
- Vice President of Friends of Bezalel – Philadelphia Chapter, 1986
- Chairman of the Parents Committee of The Biddle Law School Library of University of Pennsylvania Law School for the 1986 Gala on June 7, 1986
- Co-Chairman of the Program Committee of The Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1985
- Chairman of the Parents Association of Bowdoin College, 1983 – 1985
- Faculty Member of Villanova University Law School – Course on Lawyering Skills, 1986 – 1993
- Co-Chairman of the Program Committee of The Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1985
- Adjunct Professor of Law at The Delaware Law School of Widener University, 1984 and 1985
- Board of Directors of The Royal Bank of Pennsylvania, 1982 until taking seat on Court
- Course Planner and Faculty Member of Villanova Law School’s Continuing Education Program – Seminar on The New Divorce
- Code and Its Tax Implications for Practitioners, 1982
- Chairman of the Montgomery Bar Association Committee on Solicitation and Advertising, 1976 – 1977
- Board of Trustees of the National Board of The American Friends of Hebrew University, 1982 – 1993
- Mendel Associate of Villanova University, 1979 – 1993
- Chair of the Jewish National Fund Dinner of 1979 honoring Marvin Comisky, Esquire, and Former Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, as “Man of the Year.”
Honorary
Degrees
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws, Drexel University, 2001
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Public Service, Clarion University, 2000
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws, Gannon University, 1996
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws, Widener University Law School, 1996
Awards and
Honors
- 2012, Woman of Heart Honoree, American Heart Association
- 2009, Best 50 Women in Business, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development (Gov. Ed Rendell)
- 2009, GOP Winter Honoree, Montgomery County Plymouth GOP Winter Reception
- 2009, TAIG Foundation Civic Leadership Award Recipient
- 2009, Woman of Distinction, Montgomery County Women’s History Month
- 2008, Outstanding Women’s Leader, Anne Anstine Excellence in Public Service Series
- 2008, The President’s Award, Pennsylvania Association for Justice
- 2007, Honoree, Voice Foundation Gala Benefit, Voices of Summer
- 2007, Presented with a Resolution by the Philadelphia Bar Association for Extraordinary Accomplishments
- 2007, Honored as “We the Women 2007,” by the Women for Greater Philadelphia, Inc., in celebration of Women’s History Month
- 2007, Distinguished Honoree of the Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth
- 2007, Eric Turner Memorial Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association
- 2005, Person of the Year Award, Pennsylvania State Constables Association
- 2005, Anne X. Alpern Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association Women in the Profession Committee
- 2005, Women of Distinction Award, Greater Philadelphia Council of Jewish Women International
- 2003, Honored by the Philadelphia Bar Association – Family Law Section Annual Dinner
- 2002, Person of the Year Award, 21 Jewel Square Club
- 1999, Gold Medal Award, Poor Richard Club
- 1999, Marquis Who’s Who In American Law and Who’s Who in the World
- 1998, Person of the Year Award, Shomrim of Philadelphia
- 1997, Legion of Honor Gold Medallion, Chapel of the Four Chaplains
- 1996, Honored by Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, “For Dedicated Leadership and Outstanding Contributions to the Community and the Law Enforcement”
- 1996, Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania
- 1996, Honoree, Women’s History Month, Pennsylvania Commission For Women
- 1996, Susan B. Anthony Award, The Women’s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania
- 1996, Honored by the Justinian Society and Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society, Philadelphia
- 1996, Woman of The Year Award” Green Hill Social Club
- 1996, Honored by Women of Greater Philadelphia during Women’s History Month
- 1983-1987, BEST LAWYERS OF AMERICA
- 1993, Medallion Award, Villanova University School of Law School
- 1992, Drexel 100 Award, Drexel University Alumni Association
- 1986, Woman of the Year, American Friends of Hebrew University Women’s Division
- 1980, Torch of Learning Award, American Friends of the Hebrew University, Lawyers Division
- 1979, Philadelphia Award for Super Achiever, Jeff Fund, Pediatric Juvenile Colitis Foundation, Jefferson Medical College and Hospital