State College- Julia Rater, local attorney, is entering the 2023 race for the Centre County Judge vacancy created by President Judge Pam Ruest’s retirement at the end of 2022.
“Having practiced law in Centre County for 27 years, I am able to understand both sides of a dispute and to lead my clients toward an appropriate resolution,” Rater said, “I look forward to serving our citizens by listening carefully and respectfully to their testimony and rendering unbiased decisions consistent with the law.”
Attorney Steve Hurvitz said, “Julia Rater is smart, level headed and trustworthy. She treats her clients with respect and dignity. I have been honored to have been a partner of Julia’s at McQuaide Blasko since 2010 and believe would make an excellent judge.” Prior to joining McQuaide Blasko, she was a partner at Miller, Kistler, Campbell.
Rater’s practice for the last 20 years has focused on family law, which makes up the bulk of the case load in our county courts. She also has experience with general civil litigation, landlord-tenant issues, and real estate proceedings. In addition to practicing in surrounding counties, Rater has represented clients before all three of Pennsylvania’s appeals courts: Commonwealth, Superior, and Supreme.
For 12 years, Rater has served on the Board of Governors of the Centre County Bar Association. She is also Chair of the Association’s Bench-Bar Committee. Rater is co-author of Custody Law and Practice in Pennsylvania, published by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and frequently writes course materials and serves as Instructor for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.
Rater was a member of the advisory committee that established the Children’s Advocacy Center of Centre County, whose mission is to protect children and to prevent, identify, and treat child abuse. Her interest in family law led her to establish specialties in collaborative law and in mediation. Both approaches lessen the trauma of family court issues and produce more constructive outcomes.
Rater and her husband, Brian, live in Patton Township, where he is Chair of the Planning Commission. A realtor, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Centre County Association of Realtors. Their three daughters attended State College Area School District schools, where their youngest, Amelia, is a senior. Isabella is a Schreyer Scholar at Penn State, majoring in health policy administration. Hannah is in graduate school at the University of Delaware, seeking her Masters Degree in Nutrition. Julia and Brian were active parents in their daughters’ school activities. For Julia, that included concession strand coordinator for the Park Forest Swim Team, booster club president for the State High Girls Lacrosse Team, and volunteer for the AVID Dance Team.
While growing up, Rater helped care for her sister with intellectual disabilities, which led Rater to join the Board of Directors of Strawberry Fields. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Tides, an organization offering grief support to children, teens, and adults who are grieving the death of a loved one.
