Tim Gates

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At Metzger Wickersham, Love divides his practice between workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. His clients include people hurt on the job or in car crashes, falls, and other accidents. For him, the work begins with understanding what an injury means for the person living with it: time away from work, bills to pay, and questions about the future. 

“I really like dealing with the clients and helping the clients navigate the legal landscape of both workers’ comp and personal injuries,” Love said.

That daily connection has made his decision to attend Widener University Commonwealth Law School especially meaningful. A former finance and accounting professional, Love brought years of business experience to law school and found a career he now counts among the best choices of his life.

His interest in law began well before he made the leap. Raised in Schuylkill County, Love studied economics at Susquehanna University and took the law school admission test while in college. He decided to work first, building a career in finance and accounting and earning an MBA from Penn State University.

Law school remained a possibility. Then his career reached a point where advancing into higher leadership roles could mean relocating. Love had traveled for domestic and international assignments, but he and his wife wanted to stay in the region they called home.

With her support, he took the admission test again and applied to Widener Law Commonwealth. Already living in Harrisburg, he could pursue his degree close to home. At 34, he enrolled full time.

“I put all my chips in,” he said.

Love approached law school with the routine he’d developed in the workplace. When his wife left for work, he headed to campus. He spent his days attending classes, studying, and preparing, then went home in the evening to spend time with her.

For students considering law after another career, he offers that experience as encouragement. The coursework required effort, but treating school like a job helped him make room for both his studies and his life at home.

He also made regular use of his professors’ office hours. As the first attorney in his family, Love was learning an entirely new field, and he remembers faculty members who readily gave him their time.

“I’ve never been around more professors that wanted you to succeed,” he said.

Love remembers the support of Professors Michael Dimino, Randy Lee and Michael Hussey, along with former Professor Christopher Robinette. He especially appreciated the enthusiasm Lee and Dimino brought to teaching. Their passion for the law gave him something to aspire to in his own practice.

His enjoyment of Lee’s torts class, which explores civil wrongs and injuries, helped him recognize an interest in personal injury work. Practical experience with a local personal injury firm gave him the opportunity to pursue it before he joined Metzger Wickersham.

The support he valued in law school continued among his colleagues. At the firm, he works closely with fellow Widener Law Commonwealth alumni Troy Brown III ‘17, Zachary Campbell ‘04 and Andrea Staub ‘09. He credits their guidance and collegiality with helping him develop as an attorney.

His earlier career also continues to serve him, particularly through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, also known as VITA. Love first participated as a law student, drawn by the opportunity to use his finance and accounting experience to prepare tax returns.

He enjoyed working with Professor Michael Hussey and the people the program served so much that he kept returning after graduation. Today, he works alongside law students and other volunteers to help community members file their taxes for free.

The program gives him another way to stay connected to the school while doing work he enjoys. He remembers how welcoming the volunteers were when he was a student and appreciates the chance to work with other attorneys who are giving back.

Outside his practice and volunteer work, Love spends time with his wife and daughter and remains involved in his church. The life he hoped to build in central Pennsylvania has taken shape, with family, community and a profession that lets him help people every day.

“The three best decisions I’ve ever made was marrying my wife, having my daughter and going to law school,” he said. “I truly mean that.”

Interview conducted in Fall 2026.