J. WILLARD O'BRIEN AMERICAN INN OF COURT

The Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law J. Willard O'Brien American Inn of Court is a nationally recognized, award-winning, chartered member of the American Inns of Court (AIC) - the oldest, largest, and fastest growing legal mentoring organization in the country.

Established in 2000, the Villanova Law Inn shares AIC's mission to promote professionalism, civility, ethics, and excellent legal skills among members of the bench and bar. The Inn also applies AIC's membership and program model, adopting the English Inns of Court tradition of legal apprenticeship by encouraging less-experienced attorneys to learn from more seasoned attorneys and judges in a collegial atmosphere that promotes:

  • mentoring and networking between members;
  • continuing legal education and skills development; and
  • the exchange of legal concepts, ideas and techniques.

The Inn is named in honor of J. Willard O'Brien, dean of Villanova Law from 1972 to 1983.
On May 10, 2022, the Inn celebrated its 20th anniversary at Villanova Law. Learn more about the celebration

 

Become A Member

Membership in the Villanova Law Inn is open to judges and lawyers, both alumni and non-alumni, and second and third year law students.

The Inn is composed of four membership categories based upon years of experience. All members, with exception of law students, are required to submit dues. 

Membership Dues

Masters

  • Criteria: Judges, law professors and experienced lawyers with at least 15 years of experience
  • Term: 5 years
  • Dues: $510*

Barristers

  • Criteria: Lawyers with at least 7 years experience
  • Term: 3 years
  • Dues: $400*

Associates

  • Criteria: Lawyers who have less than 7 years of experience
  • Term: 2 years
  • Dues: $275*

Pupils

  • Criteria: Second or Third-Year Villanova Law Student
  • Term: 1 year
  • No dues required

*Late payment penalty of $40 if paid after November 1

  1. All applicants, with the exception of law students, must complete a Membership Application and submit it to the Inn along with
  2. a nominating letter from a member of the Villanova Law Inn of Court.

Membership applications are typically processed each spring and/or summer in preparation for the upcoming Inn year commencing in September.

Villanova Law students typically receive an email in the spring semester of their second-year inviting them to indicate their interest in joining the Inn for the upcoming year commencing in September. Fifteen among those who indicate interest are selected at random and invited to serve on the Inn as Pupils during their second and third year of law school.

Should you have any questions regarding membership or the application process, please contact the Membership Chair: Alexandra Antoniou

Meeting Schedule

September 12
Opening Meeting - Charles Widger School of Law

5:00 p.m.: New Member Orientation
5:30 p.m.: General Membership Meeting

Guest Speaker: Justice David N. Wecht & the Lawyers Without Rights exhibit (on display at Villanova Law from August 21–October 18)

 

October 26
Joint Meeting – Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA

 

November 14 at 5:30 p.m. 
Team 1 Presentation - Affirmative Action
Captain: Lindsey Wilkinson
Charles Widger School of Law

 

December 12 at 6:00 p.m.
Holiday Gathering
Yards Brewing

 

January 16 at 5:30 p.m. 
Team 2 Presentation - Voting Rights
Captain: Simeon Poles
Charles Widger School of Law

 

February 13 at 5:30 p.m. 
Team 3 Presentation - First Amendment/Freedom of Speech/Expression
Captain: Rosalie Spelman
DLA Piper LLP

 

March 12 at 5:30 p.m. 
Team 4 Presentation - First Amendment/Religious Freedom
Captain: Scott Reidenbach
Charles Widger School of Law

 

April 9 at 5:30 p.m. 
Team 5 Presentation - Second Amendment/Fifth Amendment
Captain: The Honorable Linda Carpenter
Kennedys Law LLP

 

May 14 at 5:30 p.m. 
Closing Meeting
Charles Widger School of Law

Officers & Members

President
Hon. G. Michael Green

Counselor
Frank McDevitt

Treasurer
Edward Robson

Membership Chair
Alexandra Antoniou

Program Chair
Hon. Linda A. Carpenter

Community Engagement Coordinator
Samantha Fitzpatrick

Barrister Representative
Ashanti Crawford

Associate Representative
Simeon Poles

Immediate Past President
April M. Byrd

Villanova Law Faculty Liaisons
Prof. Brenner Fissell 

Administrator
Colleen Rogers

Justice James Fitzgerald

Hon. Abraham Gafni

Alan Hoffman

Hon. Kathryn S. Lewis

Hon. Sandra Schultz Newman

Hon. Marjorie Rendell

Hon. Juan Sanchez

Hon. Berle Schiller

Kathleen Wilkinson

Alexandra Antoniou

Samuel J. Arena, Jr.

Michael Barrett

Stephen Brown

April M. Byrd

Hon. Linda Carpenter

Meredith Carter

Michael Cawley

Hon. Anne Marie Coyle

Michael Daly

Michael DiFebbo

Thomas Fitzpatrick

Michelle Forsell

Rhonda Fulginiti

Roman Galas

Hon. Michael Green

Joseph Gushue

Hon. Elizabeth Hey

Sarah J. Keaton

John Kopesky

Dale Larrimore

Mark Levy

Patrick MacAvoy

Sean Mahoney

Maureen McBride

Francis McDevitt

Nicole Moshang

K.T. Newton

Lisa Lamb Port

Scott Reidenbach

Pete Ricchiuti

Riley Ross

Paul Scheuritzel

Stuart Smith

Russell Soloway

Rosalie Spelman

Hon. David Strawbridge

Brennan Torregrossa

Lane Vines

Sol Weiss

Thomas Wilkinson

Marc Zucker

Jake Becker

Brian Boyle

Ashanti Crawford

Ross DiBono

Courtney Dolaway

Meghan Farley

Brenner Fissell

John Fuller

Dylan Henry

Derek Hines

Nick Karwacki

Justin Kerner

Tim Murphy

Erik Orvik

Eric Palombo

Paola Pearson

Chrissy Piccolo

Edward Robson

Richard Santosusso

Megan Shannon

David Singh

Darby Sullivan

Andrew  Throckmorton

Michael Toczyski

Stephen Vitabile

Stephanie Vogel

Olivia Arasim

Bernadette Berger Silver

Elizabeth Catalano

Mark Cerroni

Alice Douglas

Gregory Ferroni

Samantha Fitzpatrick

Meaghan Geatens

Ishmail Harris

Eliese Herzl-Betz

Ashley Howard

Vanessa Huber

Tamarrin Johnson

Gabrielle Kelerchian

Jason Kurtkya

Keith Lee

Victoria Mazzola

Christopher Merken

Sydney Naylor

Maggie Nolan

Marisa Pescatore

Simeon Poles

Ryan Raymond

Rebecca Reist

Addia Rodriguez

Kimberly Sachs

Gabriella Scott

Lindsey Wilkinson

J. Clayton Undercofler III, Esq. '66 Distinguished Service Award

The Villanova University School of Law J. Willard O'Brien American Inn of Court J. Clayton Undercofler III Award is presented by the Villanova School of Law Inn to individuals who have demonstrated through his or her career and service to the Inn an exemplary level of leadership and integrity, as well as a dedication to the highest standards of the legal profession and the rule of law.

2022 – Hon. David R. Strawbridge '71

2020 – Kathryn Streeter Lewis '76

2016 – Anne Bowen Poulin

2013 – Kathleen D. Wilkinson '81 & Thomas G. Wilkinson, Jr. '81

2012 – J. Gordon Cooney, Jr. '84

2010 – Hon. James Fitzgerald III '66

2009 – Hon. Marjorie Rendell '73

J. Clayton Undercofler III, a member of the Villanova School of Law Class of 1966, assisted in co-founding the Villanova School of Law J. Willard O'Brien American Inn of Court in 2000 and served as a member of the Inn's Executive Committee, initially as the Inn's first Program Chair and later as its second Counselor. Just before Clayton was to assume the presidency of the Inn in 2004, he was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a neurodegenerative brain disease that has no known cause, treatment or cure. Sadly, Clayton passed away in 2007. 

Clayton had an extraordinary legal career in Philadelphia, and was a well-known trial lawyer and public servant. He was a partner and past chairman of Saul Ewing LLP, where he practiced in the firm's Litigation Department and was a member of the White Collar and Government Enforcement and Antitrust Practice Groups. Prior to joining Saul Ewing, Clayton was a partner of Dilworth, Paxson, Kellish and Kaufman, and earlier served as an Assistant United States Attorney. 

A member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Clayton tried to verdict criminal cases in a defense capacity, as a prosecutor, and as a special prosecutor. In particular, he was Counsel to the House Republican Managers in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Justice Rolf Lauren. 

Clayton also served as Chairman of the Board of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority from 1988 to 1993. In that capacity, he presided over an extensive reorganization and revitalization of the region's transportation system. He also served as a visiting assistant professor of law at the Villanova School of Law.

In 2005, Clayton was honored by the Villanova School of Law Alumni Association with the Gerald Abraham Alumni Association Award for Service to the Villanova School of Law. He was also honored with Bar Medal from the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2004; was designated a "Pennsylvania Super Lawyer" by Philadelphia Magazine and Law and Politics Magazine (2004); appeared in The Best Lawyers in America, 2002-2003 Edition, and all earlier editions, Woodward White; named "Citizen of the Year for 1991" by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the March of Dimes; presented with the Regional Leadership Award in 1990, by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, KYW Newsradio, and Leadership Inc.; received the Federal Bar Association Younger Federal Lawyer Award, 1973; and received the Special Award for Assistant United States Attorneys, 1971.  

   

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Recent Recognition from the American Inns of Court

2023Kathleen D. Wilkinson '81 and Thomas G. Wilkinson Jr. '81 were awarded the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award in the Third Circuit

2022-23: Achievers of Excellence - Platinum

2021-22: Achievers of Excellence - Platinum

2020-21: Achievers of Excellence - Platinum

2019-20: Achievers of Excellence - Platinum

2018-19: Achievers of Excellence - Platinum

2017-18: Achievers of Excellence - Platinum

2016-17: Achievers of Excellence - Gold