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Katharine Costlow is an experienced litigator with a history of winning difficult cases. Most recently, she was a public defender in Dauphin County, where she tried and won multiple felony and misdemeanor cases. She represented both adults and juveniles – whose cases required special attention. Katharine joins Russell, Krafft & Gruber, LLP with an established reputation for diligence, attention to detail, and tenacity during trial.
Outstanding results were not her only focus. Katharine represented hundreds of clients and regularly provided status updates and reviewed strategic options. She knows that the results of any legal representation, including trial victories, are meaningless if they don’t serve the client’s end goals.
Katharine graduated cum laude from Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, with a biology degree. She went on to attend Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, where she graduated with a business advising certificate with honors and finished first in class in her advanced legal analysis and alternative dispute resolution classes. She was on the Moot Court Honor Society board and competed in the Jessup International Moot Court Competition.
Katharine has devoted a significant part of her life to service. In addition to spending nearly five years as a public defender, she is a member of the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. She received the Presidential Gold Award for her service to AmeriCorps, where she served the Erie Community—specifically, at the Veteran Affairs Hospital. She also worked at the Civil Law Clinic during law school.