June 2024 — When James P. DeAngelo ’91 thinks of his time at Penn State Dickinson Law, he thinks of the word “family.” “It felt very much like a family,” said DeAngelo. “Everyone knew everyone, and they were all super friendly.”

It extended from students to faculty to staff members. DeAngelo recalls a man who worked in maintenance who would stay later in the night. “We would be doing a moot court, and he would volunteer to be the witness or the bailiff or what have you. And everyone at the Law School was like that,” said DeAngelo. “It was a supportive environment. I had a great experience at Dickinson Law.”

DeAngelo has volunteered at alumni events and donated over the years, but he and his wife, Linda, decided they wanted to honor that experience and his Dickinson Law “family” in a more impactful way. They recently endowed the James P. DeAngelo ’91 and Linda A. DeAngelo Scholarship at Penn State Dickinson Law to support students who plan to pursue careers in public interest law and/or the private sector.

“The Law School in Carlisle holds a special place in our hearts, so we wanted to support it,” said DeAngelo. “Dickinson Law started things off very nicely for us. Linda did not go there, but we have both had very satisfying careers, and Dickinson Law contributed greatly to my career.”

Drawn to Carlisle and Dickinson Law

A native of northeastern Pennsylvania, DeAngelo visited family in Carlisle while growing up. That put Dickinson Law on his radar when he began applying to law schools.

It turned out to be the perfect fit. “Dickinson Law was known for producing many successful lawyers throughout the Commonwealth,” said DeAngelo. “I was admitted to a lot of law schools, but I felt very, very comfortable at Dickinson Law from the start.”

He appreciated the breadth and depth of the education. “I could have ended up at a district attorney’s office, a defender’s office, in legal aid, or at a private firm. I knew when I was coming out of Dickinson Law that I had enough knowledge to practice anywhere,” said DeAngelo.

DeAngelo, who went into private practice shortly after graduation and has been very active with civil legal aid organizations, chose to create a scholarship that supports both public interest and private sector careers because he sees value in both paths. “Perhaps you have a student who wants to take a civil legal aid position or be a prosecutor with the district attorney’s office. Important work is done in those positions, and we would like people to have access to those opportunities,” said DeAngelo.

Enjoying life in central Pennsylvania

The DeAngelos live in Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania. Jim is general counsel at McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, where he has worked since 1992. In addition to handling litigation projects in state and federal court, administrative proceedings, arbitration, and mediation, he has held leadership positions with the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, MidPenn Legal Services, Community Justice Project, Neighborhood Dispute Settlement, and Dauphin County Bar Association. Linda is the director for Information Technology and Support Services at the PA Department of the Auditor General.

The DeAngelos’ daughter and her family live in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, giving the grandparents ample opportunities to see their young grandson. They also enjoy spending time in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania.

The couple hope their new scholarship can offer students coming out of college an avenue to similarly rewarding careers. “I had a great experience at Dickinson Law and learned a lot,” said DeAngelo. “It set me up for good opportunities, and we would like others to have those same opportunities.”