Jill Beck

Jill Beck completed the Pennsylvania Bar Association's questionnaire

Law.com Q&A

Spotlight PA article

Recent Work History

• From 2019-2023 Beck worked as is a civil litigator for Blank Rome where "she ... help[ed] the underserved in Pennsylvania’s legal system, representing members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and victims of domestic violence, wage theft, and gun violence resulting from illegal firearm sales; assisting those experiencing housing insecurity; supporting low-income criminal defendants seeking to secure the same constitutional protections as those with means; providing guidance for low-income civil litigants who represent themselves in court; and volunteering to aid in voter protection efforts." (delcodems.com) 
• From 2010-2015 Beck clerked for the Honorable Christine Donahue (D) in the Pennsylvania Superior Court and from 2015-2019 she clerked for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. (pabar.org)
• After law school Beck worked for KidsVoice a "nonprofit organization . . .  where she represented abused and neglected children in court proceedings and beyond." (2006-2010). (delcodems.com) 

Education 

• received her J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law where she graduated top of her class. (bradfordera.com)

Pennsylvania Bar Association Rated Jill Beck “Highly Recommended”

Judicial Philosophy

• “Jill Beck has dedicated her career to ensuring that all Pennsylvanians have access to justice. She now hopes to serve on the Pennsylvania Superior Court to continue her tireless fight for fairness in our judicial system. Jill has the experience, integrity, and dedication needed to exceptionally serve the public on one of the Commonwealth’s top courts.” (pikecountydemocrats.org)
• “Partisan politics have no place in Pennsylvania’s courts.” (jillbeck.com)
• “And she said that her experience — both in how the law is written and how it is applied — gives her ‘a working knowledge of how those tools are used, and how I can use them to better and improve the law of the commonwealth.’ ….Superior Court mostly applies legal precedents, rather than establishing them – a role typically played far more often at the Supreme Court level. But it sometimes does handle ‘cases of first impression,’ which address novel legal arguments. And Beck says that more broadly, ‘I take very seriously the role of the judiciary in reviewing statutes for constitutionality, ensuring that individual rights are protected [and] the law is applied equally and equitably across the population.’” (west.fm)
• “To do the job right a Superior Court Judge must be knowledgeable in the areas of the law that come before the Court so that she can proficiently apply the law to the particular facts of each case. The role requires a careful balancing of error correction through the appropriate lens and deference to the court below, without serving as a rubberstamp for any interest or usurping a role that is designated elsewhere.” (Personal Data Questionnaire)

From Law.com: 

• When asked, “What will be your approach to moving matters efficiently through the case management system?” Beck responded, “In my experience, the most efficient way to work through cases is to go through them in the order they were received. Additionally, instead of immediately writing when I disagree with any aspect of a circulated decision, I will discuss matters with my colleagues first. This saves a great deal of time in the decision-making process and builds positive working relationships.”
• When asked, “The Legal: What would you say to voters regarding your plans to ensure the equal administration of justice for all people?” Beck responded, “I know the importance of treating litigants fairly and equally, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual preference, disability or wealth. Ensuring a fair and unbiased decision on appeal is an extremely high priority for me. I have spent the great majority of my career as a litigator helping underserved and vulnerable members of our population....Every case that comes before me will get a full, fair and thorough review.”

Controversial Issues

• Supports “Pride Month” 
• Supports “Planned Parenthood”
• Supports the LGBTQ+ community through legal representation 

Litigated Cases 

• Webber v. Armlist, LLC and Bauer v. Armslist, LLC, Nos. 21-3918 and 21-3207 (7th Cir. 2022 (consolidated)
  • Issue: "whether a website that hosts advertisements for the sale and purchase of firearms can be held liable under Wisconsin law for the deaths of two shooting victims. The circumstances giving rise to the complaints at issue are grave and the allegations are serious."
  • Beck said, "These cases are of great significance because, for the very first time, the trial courts recognized the inapplicability of the Communications Decency Act, 47 U.S.C. § 230 (the “CDA”), to the claims raised....Webber and Bauer constitute the first cases that provide true potential to get Gibbon and Armslist to impose safety measures on Armslist.com and to protect individuals from the catastrophic results of illegal gun sales that routinely occur on that website."

Supports Pride Month 

Jill Beck was endorsed by "Planned Parenthood"