Judge of Character

Last May, after 32 years on the bench, U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler ’68 stepped down. But don’t use the word “retired.”

“I’m working,” he said. “It’s just different work. I’m doing mediations for a company called JAMS,” which also provides arbitration and alternative dispute resolution services.

Over the course of his career, Kugler served as a federal magistrate and a judge in the federal courthouse in Camden, New Jersey. He presided over high-profile cases such as 2008’s “Fort Dix Five” trial, convicting five brothers who conspired to kill members of the U.S. military.

When he started practicing law, Kugler didn’t have a clear plan of how he wanted his career to progress, but he’s enormously satisfied with how it all fell into place.

“I had no idea whatsoever when I started practicing law that I would end up where I am,” he said. “It was nothing I ever contemplated. I wanted to try to be a trial lawyer. And I worked hard at it and I was pretty good at it.

“Then all this judge stuff sort of happened,” he continued. “I enjoyed it immensely; it seemed to fit my personality perfectly. It didn’t bother me that I was called upon to make all of these split-second and difficult decisions. The challenges were terrific.”

Kugler’s consistent fairness earned him the respect of his colleagues, from seasoned lawyers to those who just passed the bar. Patrick Sandman ’07 clerked for Kugler between August of 2018 and August of 2019 and calls him “the real deal.”

“On the bench, he reflects the very highest standards of the law: a fierce commitment to getting it right and an unwavering belief in fairness,” Sandman said. “Off the bench, his integrity is complemented by civility. There is no better person or mentor.”

Kugler said that in the late ’60s, Peddie’s teachers worked to establish a strong foundation of “honesty, integrity and compassion for others” upon him and his classmates, and it stuck with him.

“We had the honor code, and it was very important to be truthful in all matters. It was something Peddie was big on,” he said. “You’re talking about a bunch of teenage boys; it’s not an easy sell. But they tried to instill that in everyone.”

He also surprised himself at Peddie, gaining skills that have proven useful in both his career and his life.

“I think perhaps the most valuable class I may have taken was public speaking,” said Kugler. “I was terribly, painfully shy. And it instilled something that lingers throughout my life: forcing me to get up and speak in front of an audience, even if it was my friends. It was really hard but really valuable.

“The other thing I learned at Peddie was confidence in myself,” he continued. “Not so much from the academic side; I wasn’t a real academic guy. I was a jock. But that really gave me a lot of confidence. Peddie was a great experience in my life.”

Kugler is currently a member of The Peddie School Board of Trustees, staying actively involved with the school that played such a pivotal role in shaping his life.