Judge Conner becomes the fourth former judge at the firm, and the third former federal district chief judge

Saxton & Stump is pleased to announce the Hon. Christopher C. Conner (Ret.) has joined the firm as a shareholder and the co-chair of its Investigation and Criminal Defense Group and its Appellate and Post-Trial Advocacy Group. A former chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Judge Conner will focus his Saxton & Stump practice on advising clients facing complex government investigations and courtroom trials (including appeals). He will also help clients as a mediator and arbitrator for Saxton & Stump’s affiliate company, Optimal Dispute Resolutions.

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Former Federal Judge the Hon. Christopher C. Conner (Ret.) (Photo courtesy of Saxton & Stump)

Judge Conner joins the Hon. Lawrence F. Stengel (Ret.) and the Hon. Margaret B. Seymour (Ret.) as the three former federal district chief judges now at Saxton & Stump. Judge Stengel was chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Judge Seymour served as the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. The Hon. Robert A. Graci (Ret.), a former Pennsylvania Superior Court judge, is also a member of the firm.

“We are honored to welcome Judge Conner to our team,” Saxton & Stump CEO James W. Saxton said. “Judge Conner is well-known and well-respected throughout the state and nationally, with a strong reputation for fairness and thoughtful insight. His extensive knowledge and proven ability to navigate courtroom proceedings will bring an additional level of strategic advisory to our clients and judicial leadership to our organization.”

President George W. Bush appointed Judge Conner to his federal judge position in 2002, and he remained an active judge until his retirement. From 2013 to 2020, Judge Conner served as the chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, managing the district’s judges in Harrisburg, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport. He saw some of the district’s most significant cases of the time come through his court, including the high-profile “Kids for Cash” case, where two federal judges in northeast Pennsylvania were sent to prison for receiving money for sending juveniles from their courts to a particular juvenile detention center. His arrival reflects Saxton & Stump’s ongoing dedication to strategically recruiting top talent and fostering a culture of excellence.

“The ever-growing reputation of Saxton & Stump’s attorneys, leadership, innovation and infrastructure came into full focus for me when I began to look for opportunities after my retirement from the bench,” Judge Conner said. “This is a dynamic law firm, and its people are nothing short of exceptional in everything they do. Joining this firm is a great opportunity not just for me but for my clients, who now have access to Saxton & Stump’s vast resource platform addressing a broad spectrum of legal issues.”

In addition to his work as a judge and attorney, Judge Conner also has been an adjunct professor at Penn State Dickinson School of Law, where he taught federal criminal practice. He also taught trial advocacy at the Widener University School of Law (now Widener Law Commonwealth).

While working in private practice in Harrisburg before he became a judge, Judge Conner held multiple leadership positions with the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He has since been named a “life fellow” with the organization.

He graduated from the Dickinson School of Law and earned his undergraduate degree at Cornell University where he was later named a “distinguished alumni” for his class.

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"We are honored to welcome Judge Conner to our team."