Harvey A. Feldman, 1969 alumnus, beloved professor and academic administrator at Dickinson Law, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the age of 74.
“With Harvey’s passing, we have lost a leader, mentor, advocate and friend who made innumerable contributions to the Dickinson Law community,” said Dean and Donald J. Farage Professor of Law Danielle M. Conway. “Those who knew Harvey benefited from his love of the law and keen sense of humor and are better people because of him. He will be greatly missed.”
Feldman’s rigorous academic career began at the age of 6 at the Girard College in Philadelphia. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. Feldman later accepted an offer of admission and full scholarship to the law school and earned his juris doctor as a member of the class of 1969. He also earned an master of laws from George Washington University.
Feldman joined the Dickinson Law faculty in 1970. During his tenure, he taught property, real estate transactions, remedies, professional responsibility, appellate practice, environmental law, land use controls, and state and local government law. He also founded and taught for several years the gender and the law seminar course.
In addition to teaching, Feldman enjoyed one of the longest administrative tenures in Dickinson Law School history: from 1977 to 2004 under the tenures of five deans, he served as associate dean for academic affairs. He influenced generations of lawyers with his passion for the law and became one of the most highly regarded academic deans in the nation.
“Harvey treated everyone equally and with respect,” said Registrar Pamela Knowlton. “In return, he earned the respect and admiration he deserved from students, colleagues and friends. Harvey took delight in getting to know all students on a first name basis, something that I try to do to illustrate that every person is important. He truly was a pillar of the Dickinson Law community.”
In 2005, Feldman received the Distinguished Service Award from the Law School’s General Alumni Association. He completed eight years of service with the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. For 15 years, he coached the Law School’s Appellate Moot Court Team. For more than 30 years, he joined his students for slow-pitch softball tournaments. In the spring of 2001, he and his teammates from the Law School’s classes of 2001, 2002 and 2003 won the annual University of Virginia Law School Invitational slow-pitch softball tournament.
Feldman concluded his full-time teaching in June 2007 and taught on a part-time basis until June 2014. To permanently honor his 37 years of unparalleled contributions to the Law School, an endowed faculty award was established and awarded to Professor of Law Dermot Groome upon joining the faculty in fall 2014. Before his full-time appointment, Groome was a visiting professor at the Law School in 2006. His office was adjacent to Feldman’s office in the Curtilage.
“We both liked jazz music and would alternate selecting the music for the day,” shared Groome. “His love for the Law School ran deep, and I was not surprised when he told me that his office had formerly been his dorm room when he was a student here. He talked about the lifelong friends he made.”
They also spoke about the softball team that Feldman coached. “When Harvey retired, he entrusted me with the trophy and team photo he was so proud of, which now sits on my office windowsill,” said Groome.
Richard Bobbe, 1999 alumnus, a partner at Greenblatt, Pierce, Funt and Flores LLC and president of the Dickinson Law Alumni Society of the Penn State Alumni Association, remembers seeking advice from Feldman not only while attending Dickinson Law, but also after graduation. “If you wanted an honest assessment of something, an opinion or advice, you went to Harvey Feldman. He was never one for sugar coating and that was for the best. Harvey loved the Law School, wanted what was best for it and the students, and that always showed. His love for and service to the Law School will always stick with me. I will miss him terribly.”
Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, at Beth Tikvah Cemetery with Rabbi Eric C. Cytryn officiating. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, at Dickinson Law, Lewis Katz Hall.
Harvey is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Carol M. Kosik, 1994 alumnus, four stepchildren, one sister, one niece, and one nephew.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed to the Harvey A. Feldman Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award, established following Harvey’s retirement; the Class of 1969 Scholarship fund, which Harvey was instrumental in establishing; or to any area of support to Dickinson Law, and mailed to Dickinson Law, 150 South College St., Carlisle, PA 17013 or to Jewish Family Services of Greater Harrisburg, 3333 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110.