Peter Glenn stands as Dean Emeritus of Dickinson Law at Penn State University, embodying a remarkable career spanning legal practice, academia, and public service. His journey showcases a deep commitment to the legal profession and the education of future lawyers.
Glenn’s foundational education includes graduating with High Honors in History from Middlebury College and earning a J.D. degree cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he served as articles editor for the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Law Review. His early career was marked by a clerkship with Judge Abraham L. Freedman of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, providing him with invaluable insights into the judicial process. He then transitioned into private practice, joining the prominent multi-state law firm now known as Jones Day. During his tenure at Jones Day, Peter Glenn honed his skills in business litigation over three years and took on leadership roles within the firm as Cleveland office recruiting committee chair and training partner for the Litigation Group. His expertise was also shared as an adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, demonstrating his early dedication to legal education alongside his practice.
In a significant shift towards academia, Peter Glenn embarked on a distinguished career as a law professor. He held faculty appointments at the University of North Carolina, Washington and Lee University, and the University of South Carolina, shaping the minds of aspiring lawyers across different institutions. His return to Jones Day in 1983 marked a period of continued practice in business litigation, further solidifying his practical legal expertise, all while maintaining connections to the academic world.
1994 marked a pivotal moment when Peter Glenn was appointed as the ninth dean of the Dickinson School of Law. Under his leadership, the Law School experienced transformative growth, culminating in its affiliation with Penn State University in 1997 and subsequent merger in 2000. During his eight-year deanship, Dean Glenn remained actively involved in teaching, offering courses in essential areas of legal education such as Professional Responsibility, Constitutional Law, and Civil Procedure. His commitment to both administration and teaching underscored his dedication to the holistic development of law students.
Following his deanship, Peter Glenn extended his public service by becoming executive deputy general counsel for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of General Counsel. In this capacity, he oversaw significant litigation involving the executive departments of the Commonwealth, demonstrating his ability to apply his legal acumen in the public sector. After a period back on the Law School faculty in 2005-2006, he was invited to serve as general counsel for the Reading, Pennsylvania-based law firm Stevens & Lee, a position he held until 2015. His influence extended to the national level through his appointment to the American Bar Association Law School Accreditation Committee from 2010 to 2016, where he also participated in numerous site inspection and fact-finding teams, contributing to the standards of legal education nationwide.
In 2015, Peter Glenn returned to Dickinson Law as an adjunct professor and consultant to Stevens & Lee, focusing on associate hiring and training. Until his retirement in December 2020, he taught courses including Professional Responsibility, Transactional Writing and Drafting, and Law Practice Management, and played a vital role in the School’s Appellate Moot Court Program. Notably, he served as the Civil Procedure instructor for the Class of 2022, a graduating class he fondly regards as exceptional, marking a fitting capstone to his impactful teaching career. Peter Glenn’s legacy is one of dedicated service to the legal profession and a profound impact on legal education.
