Honorable Thomas I. Vanaskie
Education:
J.D., The Dickinson School of Law
B.A., Lycoming College
Thomas I. Vanaskie, a native of Shamokin, PA, was sworn in as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court
for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on March 1, 1994. He became the District's Chief Judge on September 1, 1999 and
completed his seven-year term as Chief Judge on August 31, 2006. He is the Chair of the Information Technology Committee
of the Judicial Conference of the United States, the policy-making body for the United States Courts, having been appointed
to that position by the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Judge Vanaskie has served as a member of the Third Circuit
Judicial Council, and presently chairs its Automation Committee and serves on its Library Committee. He is a former member
of the Judicial Conference of the United States and the Board of Directors of the Federal Judges Association.
Judge Vanaskie graduated from Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA, in 1975, with a bachelor of arts degree,
magna cum laude. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society. Judge Vanaskie, a first team Academic All-American
and an honorable mention All-American football player, was named the College's outstanding male student athlete in his
Senior Year and also was awarded Lycoming College's "Chieftain Award," the highest honor bestowed by the College
to a graduating student.
Judge Vanaskie attended The Dickinson School of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor Degree, cum laude, in 1978. He was a member of
the Dickinson Law Review editorial staff, a member of the school's Appellate Moot Court Board, and a member of the
International Law Moot Court Team. He received the M. Vashti Burr award, a scholarship given by the Law School's faculty to
the student deemed "most deserving" based upon economic needs and the excellence of his industry and scholarship.
He was named to the Woolsack Society for outstanding academic achievement.
Upon graduating from law school, Judge Vanaskie served as a law clerk to then Chief Judge William J. Nealon of the Middle
District of Pennsylvania. In 1980, he joined the Scranton office of the Philadelphia-based law firm of Dilworth, Paxson,
Kalish & Kauffman. In March of 1992, Judge Vanaskie became a principal member of the law firm of Elliott, Vanaskie &
Riley, which maintained offices in Blue Bell, Scranton, and Harrisburg, PA, as well as Washington, D.C.
Judge Vanaskie has served on the Board of Directors of the Lackawanna Bar Association and the Northeastern Pennsylvania
Trial Lawyers Association. He was chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Lackawanna Bar Association.
He also served as a member of the Lawyers' Advisory Committee for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and as a member of
the Civil Justice Reform Act Group for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. From 1990 until 1992 he was president of the
Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School Alumni Association. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Scranton
Preparatory School, serving as its chair from 2001 to 2003.
Contact Information:
Email: Chambers_of_Judge_Thomas_I._Vanaskie@pamd.uscourts.gov
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