Magistrate Judge Patricia L. Dodge was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University (with high distinction) and Duquesne University School of Law (cum laude), where she was a member of the Law Review.

She was a civil trial lawyer throughout her thirty-eight years in private practice.  She started her legal careeer at Eckert, Seamans, Cherin and Mellott and subsequently worked for several other Pittsburgh-based law firms. In 1992, she joined the firm of Meyer, Unkovic & Scott as a partner.  She was later elected by her partners to serve as managing partner and served in this capacity from 2012 until 2018 while continuing to maintain an active litigation practice. Her practice focused on complex commercial litigation, employment disputes and oil and gas litigation. Magistrate Judge Dodge was also frequently engaged as a mediator and early neutral evaluator and served as an arbitrator in private disputes and matters before the American Arbitration Association. She was admitted to practice in the courts of Pennsylvania, the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

Magistrate Judge Dodge is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, as well as the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, where she served on its Board of Governors and as its President. She is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

She was selected by Lawdragon as one of the 500 leading lawyers of America and was repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers in America, including as Pittsburgh “Lawyer of the Year” in 2019 for Bet-the Company Litigation. She received a Distinguished Service Award from Duquesne University School of Law as well as a “Woman of the Year” and Lifetime Achievement Award from The Legal Intelligencer. In 2017, she received the Joseph F. Weis, Jr. Distinguished Service Award from the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County. She was also honored with the Professionalism Award by the Civil Litigation Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Magistrate Judge Dodge is proud to have served for a number of years on the Board of Trustees of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and as its President between 2017 and 2019. She is currently a board member of the National Aviary and has served on other non-profit boards throughout her career.