Three Pennington Brothers, All Rutgers-Newark Law School Alums, to Be Honored at “Jazz for Justice” Scholarship Fundraiser

Newark, NJ – The Association of Black Law Students (ABLS) at Rutgers School of Law–Newark will recognize the contributions to the legal profession of Eric, Scott, and Daryl Pennington, all graduates of the law school, at “Jazz for Justice” on Friday evening, November 13. The guest speaker, who will introduce the three honorees, will be New Jersey Supreme Court Justice (Ret.) James H. Coleman, Jr.

“Jazz for Justice” will take place at the Hilton Hotel Newark Penn Station. The annual event benefits the Wanda Green Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by Donita Judge ’03 and ABLS to provide tuition assistance to a law student who in some way was affected by the events of September 11, 2001 or Hurricane Katrina. Wanda Green was a flight attendant on United Flight 93.

Eric Pennington graduated from the law school in 1992, Scott in 1999, and Daryl in 2004. Taught by their late mother, Ashley Pennington, to look for opportunities to help others, the three brothers established the Pennington Foundation in her name to assist law students with their education expenses.

Eric Pennington clerked for Chief Justice Robert Wilentz of the New Jersey Supreme Court and Judge Damon J. Keith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, then practiced at Paul, Weiss, Rifkin, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Gibbons P.C. For the past several years, he has had a practice in Newark specializing in employment litigation. He is vice president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Chief Judge in the Orange Municipal Court. 

During law school, Scott Pennington served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Joseph A. Greenaway, Judge of the Federal District Court of New Jersey. After graduation, he coordinated training of Bell Telephone Company’s technicians, was recruited to develop and implement a telecommunications curriculum at Newark’s Technology High School, and is currently the affirmative action/EEO officer for the Newark Public Schools – all while maintaining a municipal and criminal practice with offices in southern and northern New Jersey.

While still in his twenties, Daryl Pennington established a floor covering business that grossed more than $1 million a year. He put his wife through college then himself, graduating with honors from Temple University. After law school, he gained valuable attorney skills through a close association with the late Raymond Brown and developed a practice with a concentration in criminal defense. 

The Pennington family is a three-generation Rutgers–Newark family. Their mother, who did not live to see any of her sons graduate from Rutgers School of Law–Newark, received her M.A. from Rutgers–Newark and Scott Pennington’s daughter is currently a Newark undergraduate.