Born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, Lancaster received a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education from Slippery Rock State College in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1974.

[2] From 1974 to 1978, Lancaster served as Regional Counsel to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission as well as an Assistant District Attorney in Allegheny County.

[2] Lancaster was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 20, 1993, and received his commission the following day.

[3] While on the bench, Lancaster served on the committee responsible for drafting the Third Circuit's Model Civil Jury Instructions, and was also appointed by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist to serve on the Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Judicial Resources.

[2] He was also responsible for overseeing the renovation of the district's historic New Deal-era federal courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh.