D. Michael Fisher

Judge D. Michael Fisher serves as Distinguished Jurist in Residence at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law while holding senior status on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2017. Appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously by the Senate in 2003, his pre-judicial career included service as Pennsylvania Attorney General (1997-2001) and 22 years in the state legislature.

Academic qualifications:

• BA, Georgetown University
• JD, Georgetown University

His expertise centers on federal appellate law with specialized focus on habeas corpus proceedings, criminal law applications, and constitutional jurisdictional conflicts. Decades of courtroom experience as prosecutor, Attorney General, and federal judge inform his scholarly perspective on appellate advocacy techniques and federal-state legal interplay, particularly regarding post-conviction relief mechanisms.

Professional recognition includes:

• William Gaston Award for service and leadership (Georgetown University Law Center, 2023)

Judge Fisher mentors law students through specialized courses in Federal Appellate Advocacy and Federal Habeas Corpus while providing institutional leadership as chair of the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction and the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Federal Practice Committee.