Candidate: Jessica R. Brown

Court: Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas

Party: Democrat

Philadelphia Bar Association rating: Recommended

Ballot position: 13

The following has been edited lightly for length and style.

The Legal Intelligencer: Tell us about your background, where you went to law school, what firms you have practiced at, and areas of law you focus on.

Brown: Bates College, September 1994 through May 1998, B.A.; Temple University Beasley School of Law, September 1998 through May 2001, J.D.; Defender Association of Philadelphia, September 2001 to September 2007; Office of the Solicitor of Labor, Region III, U.S. Dept. of Labor, September 2007 to June 2018; Willig, Williams & Davidson, June 2018 to date.

My work has always consisted of litigation or similar-type work (such as arbitration). I currently work exclusively in the civil arena, representing labor unions and individual clients. Before that, I worked for 10½ years with the U.S. Department of Labor in its Solicitor's Office, representing the government in civil enforcement litigation. I started my career at the Defender Association of Philadelphia as a trial attorney, practicing exclusively criminal law. While at the Defender Association, I appeared in both municipal and common pleas court, handling thousands of cases. Additionally, I spent my last two years as a member of the Juvenile Special Defense Unit, representing children charged as adults and handling other high-profile juvenile matters. My career has always been one of advocacy through court or court-like proceedings. My current practice is almost exclusively labor and employment law with some ERISA and FLSA litigation.

The Legal: What is one major thing about your career experience that most qualifies you for this position, and why?

Brown: I have a long and varied professional background in multiple areas of law and representing differing parties. I have represented individuals, the government and unions. I have practiced civil and criminal law. I have appeared in federal and state trial courts, as well as in front of administrative bodies. I have chosen three times to completely change the area of law that I practice. All of this makes me uniquely qualified to address the many different people and issues that can arise in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. I would improve our justice system simply by being respectful and by being a jurist who listens and is willing to learn. Each matter in court is the most important case to those parties. It is important that a judge listens, is willing to learn and is respectful in all cases. I can, and will, do this. By so doing, I will improve our system of justice.

The Legal: What is the main reason Pennsylvania voters should pick you?

Brown: I have lived in and around Philadelphia for my entire life. I was born in Bridesburg and spent much of my childhood swimming at my neighborhood recreation center pool. I love this city. I love its sports teams, having spent every Sunday growing up watching the Eagles with my dad and learning how to keep the score at Phillies games with my mom. I love its quirks—from watching the "Chicken Man" eat his 40th rotisserie chicken to knowing summer has begun because there is a picture of Ed Rendell jumping into a city pool. I even love the things about it that frustrate me endlessly, such as the lack of open public restrooms in SEPTA stations.

My family is in many ways the embodiment of the American dream. My grandparents did not graduate from high school and worked hard their whole lives at jobs they did not love to raise their families. My mother did not just graduate from high school but also went to college. She became a proud public school teacher. My father took advantage of the technical school at his high school and was able to get a job as a lab technician at Rohm and Haas. He worked there until retirement. Together they raised four children, of which I am the oldest. My parents stressed how fortunate our family was and how with that came a duty to make our community better than we found it.

I went to law school with that in mind. I became a public defender because I wanted to help our justice system reflect its ideals. I moved to the Department of Labor because I wanted to continue in public service, just in a different way, this time to enforce the law to improve the lives of workers. Finally, I joined Willig Williams because I was frustrated by the limitations of the law and federal enforcement. I decided aiding unions would be a more impactful way to help workers.

I want to be a judge for the same reasons I went to law school and took all my legal jobs. That is, I want to make our community better. Quite simply, improving our justice system makes Philadelphia better for everyone. Being a judge would be the ultimate way I could live up to the values my parents taught me and give something back to the place I love so much.

The Legal: What will be your approach to moving matters efficiently through the case management system? 

Brown: The First Judicial District is a large entity. The case management system changes as needed—economic crisis, COVID-19, etc. In any assignment, I will be prompt, consistent, hardworking, respectful to staff and attorneys, thoughtful about my use of technology and communication, and knowledgeable about the resources at my disposal. This judicial strategy will encourage transparency and fair negotiations among the parties, ease of scheduling, and the disposition of a higher number of cases than in rooms with unpredictable or unreasonable judges.

The Legal: What would you say to voters regarding your plans to ensure the equal administration of justice for all people?

Brown: I have a varied background in multiple areas of law and representing differing parties. I have represented individuals, the government and unions. I have practiced civil and criminal law. I have appeared in federal and state trial courts, as well as in front of administrative bodies. I am uniquely qualified to address the many different people and issues that can arise in the Court of Common Pleas.

My judicial philosophy is to treat everyone in my courtroom with respect. I will examine each case from a neutral posture, consider the facts and law, and apply those facts to the law. As a trial judge, I would follow all relevant appellate precedents in reaching my conclusion. A trial judge must be sensitive to the individual circumstances of every defendant, complaining witness or plaintiff, but it is also important to be consistent and evenhanded. I believe that this is best accomplished by electing judges, like myself, who have lived in the city for a significant period of time, have practiced law in a variety of settings with different types of clients, and have tried cases in different jurisdictions. My experience as a lawyer can guide my actions as a trial judge.

The Legal: Where can voters go for more information about you?

Brown: https://www.jessbrown4judge.com/