Bar association head seeks diversity in Pittsburgh law
A Pine lawyer and University of Pittsburgh School of Law executive has been named the 111th president of the Allegheny County Bar Association.
Lori McMaster, who worked as a trial attorney in Pittsburgh and Cleveland for nearly 20 years after graduating from Pitt’s law school in 1986, served as president- elect for the organization this past year and started her new position Monday.
During her tenure, Ms. McMaster, 59, will help plan community events to celebrate ACBA’s 150th anniversary.
“That is quite a milestone for a tremendous organization that has had such a positive impact on Pittsburgharea attorneys and the community overall for the past century and a half,” Ms. McMaster said in a news release. “We want to celebrate this historic anniversary by organizing a variety of pro bono events and community service activities that will help the attorneys of Pittsburgh connect with and help the people of our region.”
Ms. McMaster also plans to hold family events for members to volunteer at food banks and participate in other community service activities that interest them. She has won two awards — the Children’s Services Award of the Mental Health Association of Allegheny County and the Community Champion Award of the Advisory Board on Autism and Related Disorders — for her advocacy work on behalf of adults and children with autism.
As the executive director of the Professional Development Office in Pitt’s law school, Ms. McMaster said she has partnered with Duquesne University and sees diversity and inclusion initiatives as another opportunity for collaboration. She hopes to hold and promote events at which students from various backgrounds at both law schools would meet with ACBA representatives.
“We’re eager as a community of law professionals to be able to welcome this diversity in the profession,” she said. “Connectedness is very important if one is interested in promoting diversity and inclusion.”
Ms. McMaster replaces Bryan Neft. The nearly 6,000- person organization elected Ms. McMaster last year.
“Lori has great instincts on how to approach an issue,” Mr. Neft said in a news release. “She is deliberate, well- spoken and works with different constituencies to get things done. The Pittsburgh legal community is in good hands with Lori as president of the Allegheny County Bar Association.”
The ACBA also announced that in 2019- 20, Elizabeth Hughes will serve as president- elect, Nicola Henry- Taylor will serve as secretary and James Mall will serve as treasurer.