Patty Shwartz L'86

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Photograph of Judge Patty Shwartz taken from the 1986 University of Pennsylvania Law School yearbook.

Judge Patty Shwartz was born in Paterson, New Jersey on July 24, 1961. She grew up in Pompton Lakes, NJ and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in 1983, with highest honors. Judge Shwartz earned a Juris Doctor from University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1986, where she was a member of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and where she was named the Outstanding Woman Law Graduate of her class.

After graduating from law school, she worked as an associate at Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz. Judge Shwartz clerked for Judge Harold A. Ackerman of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey from 1987 to 1989. She then worked for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey from 1989 until 2003. During this time she held the following positions: Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division (1995 to 1999), Chief of the Criminal Division (1999 to 2001 and 2002 to 2003) and Executive Assistant United States Attorney (2001 to 2002). Since 2009, Shwartz has taught as an adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law and Rutgers Law School.

From 2003 to 2013, Judge Shwartz served as a United States magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. As a magistrate judge, Judge Shwartz handled more than 4000 civil and criminal cases. President Barack Obama nominated Judge Shwartz to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on January 4, 2013, to a seat vacated by Judge Maryanne Trump Barry. She was confirmed by the Senate on April 9, 2013, and received commission on April 10, 2013.

Biography for Judge Patty Shwartz was taken from Wikipedia.org and the archives of President Barack Obama.

Additional information on the life and career of Judge Patty Shwartz: