HARRISBURG (Sept. 6, 2022) — The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Administrative Law Section will present its James S. Bowman Award to President Judge Emerita Mary Hannah Leavitt, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, at an awards ceremony during the section’s Commonwealth Court Practicum on Sept. 13 in Harrisburg.
The James S. Bowman Award honors a lawyer who is making a significant impact on the practice of administrative law and who is demonstrating leadership in mentoring administrative law practitioners.
Having served the Commonwealth Court since 2002, Judge Leavitt was elected president judge in 2016. In this role, she oversaw administrative matters of the court, including budgeting, scheduling, special sessions and education. During her course of service, she issued hundreds of opinions dealing with administrative law that have served as guides for state and local administrative agencies, as well as the profession.
Prior to taking office, Judge Leavitt was a shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll where her practice focused on administrative law, appellate practice and insurance regulatory law. She also worked at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department from 1978 to 1987 in various capacities, including assistant attorney general and chief counsel. Throughout her legal career, Judge Leavitt served as counsel of record in more than 50 appeals in both state and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.
Judge Leavitt has made numerous presentations on administrative law and appellate practice, published several articles in the Dickinson Law Review and in the Journal of Insurance Regulation, and taught legal seminars sponsored by diverse organizations such as the American Statistical Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the American Bar Association Anti-Trust Section. She has taught insurance business at Pennsylvania State University School of Business Administration. Judge Leavitt served as Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Widener University Commonwealth Law School from 2013 to 2016.
Judge Leavitt is a member of the American, Pennsylvania and Dauphin County bar associations, and the James S. Bowman American Inn of Court.
She received a J.D. from Dickinson School of Law, an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from Connecticut College.