Jeffrey D. Veitch serves as the Associate Dean of Administration and holds the position of Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at the St. Thomas University Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. A former NCAA ice hockey player, Professor Veitch hails from British Columbia, Canada, and possesses dual Canadian/USA citizenship. With over 25 years of experience in criminal & civil litigation and business management, he has been admitted to the bar in both Pennsylvania and Washington State. Professor Veitch has worked as a prosecuting attorney and in private practice, handling cases in numerous State and Federal jurisdictions.
Throughout his career, Professor Veitch has managed several successful law firms as a managing partner and/or President, as well as engaging in other entrepreneurial pursuits. He is a graduate of the Capital University Law & Graduate Center in Columbus, Ohio. His career began in the Seattle City Attorney's office as a Prosecuting Attorney, where he eventually specialized in the domestic violence unit and was later appointed as a 'special trial unit prosecutor' responsible for high-profile cases. Professor Veitch has litigated thousands of cases, from DUI to first-degree murder, and has taken more than 100 cases to trial. Notably, he served as first chair defense counsel in the Penn State University Beta Theta Pi fraternity hazing case.
Early in his career, Professor Veitch was recognized as a "Rising Star" by Law & Politics magazine, published by the Thomson/Reuters company, a distinction reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys in each state under 40 years old and practicing for 10 years or less. He then consistently received the "Super Lawyer" recognition from the same publication, from 2016 until he closed his practice in 2022, which is reserved for the top 5% of lawyers in each state. Additionally, Professor Veitch has been named to the National Trial Lawyers "Top 100" every year since 2015.
Professor Veitch's areas of expertise include Trial Advocacy, Evidence, Criminal Procedure, and Business Management. He previously chaired the Erie County Bar Association-Criminal Division and has regularly contributed as a featured speaker at Continuing Legal Education programs. Professor Veitch was also an Adjunct Professor at Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, where he created and taught "The American Legal System," an undergraduate introduction to the law covering Contracts, Torts, Criminal Law & Procedure, and Evidence. Additionally, Professor Veitch serves as the Director of Athletic Compliance at St. Thomas University.
RECOGNITION
"Super Lawyer" Thomson/Reuters, Law & Politics magazine
National Trial Lawyers "Top 100" Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Avvo.com Rated Superb 10/10.
"Super Lawyer" Rising Star.
Founding Member of Citizens for Judicial Excellence.
MEMBERSHIPS / AFFILIATIONS
Past Chair of Erie County Bar Association-Criminal Defense Lawyers Section
National Trial Lawyers-Top 100
American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys
Pennsylvania and Washington State Bar Associations
