Ellwood City Area Hall of Fame: Chief Justice Debra McCloskey Todd Paved Way for Women in Law

Note: This is the third story in a series highlighting the Ellwood City Area Hall of Fame Induction class of 2022 leading up to the induction of the 2023 Hall of Fame class that will be announced at the October 6th Homecoming Game.

Chief Justice Debra McCloskey Todd knew from a young age that law was her intended path in life.

At age 12 she began working for Ellwood City attorney James Keller. James and his wife Beverly had a law office on Park Ave. just three blocks from Todd’s childhood home. She served as a file clerk.

“I knew nothing about anything law-related at that time, but I loved it. The minute I walked into the law office I became enamored with the field of law. Even though I was doing mundane tasks, I thought it was the most fascinating thing in the world.”

Todd said even though she was very young, the Kellers had faith in her.

“They continuously encouraged me to pursue law, and from 12 years old on I never wavered in my love of the law.”

Her dedication ultimately led her to become the first female chief justice in Pennsylvania history. She assumed the post on October 1st, 2022. At the time of her installation, she recognized the importance of her achievement.

“Our Supreme Court is over 300 years old, and I am the first woman to serve as chief justice,” Todd said at that time. “So, it’s quite an honor. I feel like it’s an accomplishment for me, but more than that it’s symbolic for women in the law and little girls everywhere.”

Her journey to chief justice required a lot of determination, reading, studying, and discipline. After leaving Ellwood City, Chief Justice Todd was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Chatham College in 1979. She served on the Law Review for two years at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor in 1982. She worked in private practice from 1982 to 1999 in Pittsburgh. She earned a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2004 while serving on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2007. Chief Justice Todd was elected to the PA State Supreme Court in 2007.

Despite reaching some of the top milestones in her field, Todd says her most cherished accomplishment was becoming a mom and raising a family.

“Being a mother is more important to me than my career. Who you raise and how they conduct their lives is your ultimate legacy.”

Todd and her husband Steve, a retired attorney, have three children. One daughter followed in the footsteps of mom and dad and is an attorney. They also have a son who has a PhD and is an English professor. Their youngest daughter is a TV news reporter. The couple also has four grandchildren. Todd said her husband has been her biggest supporter and she admires him for his successful career and his dedication to their family.

Although Todd lives in Pittsburgh now, she has many fond memories of growing up in Ellwood City.

Chief Justice Debra McCloskey Todd

“There are just so many. I almost get goosebumps thinking about it. I was fortunate and blessed to have wonderful parents, Harry and Blanche McCloskey, and a very happy childhood and teenage years. I remember standing on the 50-yard line and twirling my baton and hanging around with all my friends. Ellwood City is a small town and I think everyone looks out for one another. It’s the people that make it great.”

She also reflects on her mentors the Kellers, her parents, and teachers who made her education memorable including Pat Whistler, her civics teacher in high school.
“I remember how she believed in me and encouraged me. You can never underestimate the value of kind words and encouragement.”

She also was influenced by Marion Panico, Spanish teacher and Margorie Whitmer, drama teacher. Todd has loved theater her entire life and it continues to be one of her hobbies when time permits.

Then there are the classmates that Todd simply cannot forget. Two are fellow Hall of Famers Jeff Hangst and Ed Burns.

“Jeff was absolutely the most brilliant student in our class. And Bishop Ed Burns, he is in my view the ultimate Ellwood City success story.”

Todd is a success story built on a drive that was found within her at a young age and continuing through her career to today where she spends her days engrossed in changing lives through law. Her routine requires quite a bit of travel. The court sits in three different cities – Harrisburg, in the state capitol building, Philadelphia at City Hall, and in Pittsburgh in the City County Building. Her judicial chambers are in Pittsburgh. So, Todd finds herself on the turnpike quite a bit. When court is in session, she is in the courtroom hearing cases and appeals. When not in session, she works on drafting her own opinions and reading opinions by other justices and briefs and researching which cases to accept. Reading and writing are a primary part of her job.

She hopes to be remembered as a good person overall, a good mom, a good judge, someone who cares.

“I hope I am seen as someone who was motivated and worked hard to achieve my goals. Someone who has never forgotten where I came from. When it comes to being a judge, I want to be remembered for the opinions that I’ve published but honestly, mostly for the way I have cared about ordinary Pennsylvanians, veterans, elderly, and for children, and my determination in trying to educate the public on how to protect kids.”

She clings to her faith, her family, and her future and tries to see the positive in all situations as she continues to serve Pennsylvania.

“Every day I look for the beauty in life and try to see the joy in every situation if possible and also try to see the best in people. I don’t ever look at people as absolutely good or absolutely bad.”

She takes inspiration from Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes who said we must “Have faith and pursue the unknown end.”

“We just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other even though we don’t know the end.”

Todd will certainly be remembered by those in her hometown as someone who lived her dream and inspired girls and women to be anything they want to be as she shattered the glass ceiling opening doors for women to advance in the field of law and beyond.