Petrese Tucker, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker is chief judge of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the first woman to serve in that position in the district. She is also the first African American woman on the Eastern District bench. She joined the bench in 2000, nominated by President Bill Clinton, after serving for 13 years as a state judge in the First Judicial District.

In an important decision for LGBTQ rights, Tucker ruled in favor of Philadelphia in a case involving a Catholic foster care agency that refused to place children with same-sex couple. She found that Catholic Social Services had violated the nondiscrimination clause of its contract by discriminating against members of the LGBTQ community. After hearing the agency's appeal in November, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed Tucker's ruling.

The legal profession is constantly evolving and that evolution only seems to have accelerated in recent years. What's the biggest change you've seen in the profession during your career?

The legal profession is constantly evolving and that evolution only seems to have accelerated in recent years.

What is one thing about the profession that has remained unchanged over the years?

I am pleased to state that the biggest change I have seen during my career is the expansion of diversity/inclusion among lawyers.

Name one thing you've learned over the course of your career that you wish you knew as a young lawyer.

Although the players have been more diverse, the same demographic continues to dominate firms and those in positions of authority.