Retired U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Judith K. Fitzgerald served in her home jurisdiction in the Western District of Pennsylvania for nearly 26 years. She sat by designation in the District of Delaware, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a Judicial Law Clerk, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief Bankruptcy Judge, Professor of Law, Practitioner at Tucker Arensberg, Arbitrator, Mediator, Author and Expert Witness, she has experienced a wide variety of legal disciplines and administrative responsibilities. Judi is a Professor in the Practice of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she teaches Bankruptcy and Advanced Bankruptcy. She serves on various courts’ mediation panels and is active in national and local professional organizations with a focus on ADR/mediation including the the American Inns of Court, American Bankruptcy Institute Mediation Committee, FedArb (Federal Arbitration, Inc., primarily addressing complex commercial cases), Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania Council of Mediators. Among other offices, she has served as President of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges and as Chair of the Bankruptcy Judges Advisory Committee to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Judi has received numerous awards and recognitions including the Commercial Law League’s Lawrence P. King Award for Excellence in Bankruptcy and the American Inns of Court Bankruptcy Alliance Distinguished Service Award. Judi mediates matters involving professional responsibility, bankruptcy, mass torts, contracts, business and commercial disputes, environmental and consumer matters. She participates on several committees and boards dedicated to fostering legal education, improving access to justice, and ADR/mediation training. My Approach: - Preparation: My philosophy is to have all participants and the mediator prepare for and act with complete integrity throughout the mediation. - Fit: My philosophy is to use the mediation style that best fits the circumstances, always reminding participants that as a mediator, I am a neutral who does not take sides and does not serve as their counselor or lawyer. - Resolution: My philosophy is to operate in a safe space, encourage open discussion and cooperative interaction, and help the parties attain a realistic resolution with agreement on next steps.