As the year comes to a close, McQuaide Blasko’s Katie Oliver is preparing to transition from attorney to Centre County judge.
Oliver, who was elected into the vacancy on the Centre County Court of Common Pleas on Nov. 3, is the second woman to be voted into this judicial office. The first to be elected was current Judge Pamela A. Ruest, in 2007.
Oliver is replacing Judge Bradley Lunsford, who announced his retirement in September. She studied at both Bucknell University and Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law, where she graduated first in her class.
“I’ve always had a passion for the justice system, and the study of it,” Oliver said.
Oliver has been an attorney at McQuaide Blasko for 20 years, joining the firm right after her graduation from law school. At McQuaide Blasko, Oliver worked primarily in civil litigation. She handled a wide variety of cases, including business disputes and medical malpractice cases.
“In today’s world it’s becoming more and more unusual; people are specializing more. But I actually really like that diverse work,” Oliver said when discussing the types of cases she undertook.
In addition to her work as an attorney, Oliver has also worked pro bono on mediation cases for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
“It’s about helping to empower people to resolve their own disputes. It takes a lot of creativity and a lot of patience,” Oliver said. “I think it’s a really powerful tool and a great process.”
Since November’s election, when she defeated Republican nominee Ron McGlaughlin with more than 52 percent of the vote, Oliver has been developing the skills necessary to serve as a Centre County judge.
“I’ve been participating in the board of judges meetings, meeting with the other judges and sitting in on some of the court proceedings that I am not as familiar with at this point. I feel like I have a foot in each world,” Oliver said.
As a Centre County Court of Common Pleas judge, Oliver will hold office for 10 years beginning in January.
