One of youngest ever federal judges is Knoch grad
Brandon Flick, 34, is one of the youngest federal judges in the country. The Knoch High School class of 2009 graduate is half the age of the average federal judge, according to the Federal Judicial Center.
Flick was appointed as an administrative law judge at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in November.
Prior to that, he worked as a supervisory attorney in FERC’s Office of Administrative Law Judges. In that role he provided counsel on legal and policy matters.
Flick said he wasn’t sure if he was the exact youngest federal judge in America. He said there are others in their late 30s, and there previously have been judges on record who were appointed at the ages of 32 and 33.
Flick now yields significant power in his role as an administrative law judge. As an ALJ for FERC, he is considered a “level 3” judge. Flick performs judicial functions within agencies of the federal government’s executive branch. He resolves contested cases as directed by the commission, according to its website.
“I am involved in federal administrative law. We’re organized within a federal agency,” Flick said. “My decisions get voted on by a nonpartisan body, three members appointed from presidents, two members from opposing party.
“After that point, a federal circuit court of appeals handles appeals to decisions my court makes, then they would go to the Supreme Court after that.”
The types of cases Flick deals with range widely. Examples he’s given include handling cases that fall under the Interstate Commerce Act, handling disputes between utilities, cases dealing with some securities laws such as market manipulation rules, antitrust, regulating monopolies and cases involving corporate finance.
“I got into this area of law because I like administrative law, I wanted to discover how government works,” he said, noting energy law has his attention, too.
“One day, I’m learning how a generator works, and the next day I’m reading up on financing,” he said.
Flick’s experiences growing up in Butler County shaped him into the man he is today. He said he learned a lot in the classroom, but just as much playing football and basketball and being involved with the community.
“I’ve been very blessed to be from Butler, I very much identify with it. My whole family is mostly still there,” Flick said.
Flick recalls experiences he faced growing up in Butler County and the ways his neighbors helped him out. Flick’s father passed away when he was 12. At the funeral, he said it felt as if the whole town of Saxonburg, along with all the students from Knoch middle and high schools, were there.
“When I graduated back in May 2009, I think I was blessed there with a lot of good friends and good mentors,” Flick said.
Flick specifically mentioned being a member Knoch’s football team, winning a Greater Allegheny Conference title under head coach Mike King.
Flick’s first job was in Butler working for United Way of Butler County, which he did through Americorps. He said he did a handful of things there, such as writing speeches for local teacher award ceremonies.
He went to Case Western Reserve University for his undergraduate degree, and also played football there. He received his law school degree from George Washington University.
One of his more personally influential positions was an internship he had with the U.S. State Department in Germany.
Flick’s aunt Lisa Knappenberger, a teacher at Knoch High School, said one of the things that always stood out about Flick while growing up was that he seemed wise beyond his years.
“He was a typical kid, he loved and played sports and video games, and he had a really close core group of friends, but there was also a side of him that was reserved and reflective and just really smart,” Knappenberger said. “Even as a young man, Brandon always seemed to know his purpose and have a direction, and those qualities have really served him well.”
