About the Honorable Patricia A. McCullough

Professional Experience and Background

Judge Patricia A. McCullough is proud to be a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania. She and her husband have been married for 27 years and have a son at St. Vincent’s College in Latrobe, PA and a daughter in high school. Patricia is a third generation Pennsylvanian – her paternal grandparents emigrated from Ireland early in the 20th century, as did her maternal grandparents, who came from Slovakia. Patricia is the granddaughter of noted Slovak-American patriot Jan Kocur.

While maintaining a healthy balance between her family, the law and public service, Patricia has diligently served the people of the Commonwealth with dedication and an unwavering commitment to fairness, impartiality and faith in God. In 2005, she was appointed as a judge by the Governor and the unanimous consent of the Pennsylvania State Senate to fill a vacancy in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas where she served in the Family Division. She refused to accept the controversial judicial pay raise. Patricia presided over hundreds of cases, working hard to honor not only the law but every person who came into the courtroom because of her belief in the dignity of every human life. Patricia has been an attorney for 28 years with a diversified background including many matters that come within the purview of the Commonwealth Court.

Other Appointments

• From 2000-2005 Patricia was appointed to the Allegheny County Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review for three consecutive terms by the Allegheny County Council, and also served as a chair. Under the newly bifurcated system per the Home Rule Charter, the boards’ function was to handle the appeals, so it implemented a new appeals process, and disposed of over 200,000 appeals in a four-year period due to two consecutive countywide reassessments.

• She accepted a position in 2006 as Executive Director for the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh covering a six-countywide area. In addition to overseeing the daily business and legal matters of the agency and its staff of 150 employees, she worked to expand the services of its home for young unwed mothers and their newborn babies. During her tenure the agency implemented its free healthcare center to serve the thousands of uninsured working poor in the surrounding six-countywide area.

• Patricia served as Assistant General Counsel for the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of General Counsel, from 1983-1991 where she handled athletics matters, procurement and employment contracts, taxes, intellectual property matters, educational issues and litigation matters. She also served as an Adjunct Faculty Member, and one of the three members of the University’s NCAA Career Counseling Panel.

• Throughout her 28 years of experience as an attorney, she has engaged in a private practice serving individuals, professionals and nonprofit entities handling litigation, contract, real property, taxes, family, governmental and estate matters.

• Upon graduation from law school, Patricia first worked as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Samuel Rodgers of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas who presided over the entire civil trial list and later became a senior judge on the PA Commonwealth Court.

• During law school she worked as a law clerk in various venues including State Senator Mike Fisher’s Office, and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office Appellate Division.

She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Supreme Court.

Dedication to Public Service

Patricia has made an impressive commitment to serve in all aspects of her professional and civic affiliations, and to support and volunteer for charitable and faith-based organizations. Patricia serves on the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation; Advisory Board for Storehouse for Teachers and volunteers as a co-leader and instructor for the Women’s “HOPE” program for the Allegheny County Jail, sponsored by Christian Associates of Southwest PA.

Other activities have included:

PA Bar Association

Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA)

ACBA Family Law Committee

ACBA Juvenile Law Committee

ACBA Elementary School anti-bullying Program

ACBA Non-Profit Law Section

National Association of College and University Attorneys

Washington County Bar Association

Immigrants Domestic Violence Task Force

United Way Strategic Planning Committee

University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work Committee

Strategic Planning Curriculum Committee – USC School District

Strategic Planning subcommittee for USC Parks and Recreation

Board member of various homeowner associations

Educational Background

In 1978, Patricia received her B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Among the awards she received during her undergraduate career were: Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellow, the honor society of Omicron Delta Kappa, CWENS, a finalist for the Blue Gold Award, internship at WTAE-4, co-captain Pitt’s Cheerleading Team; International Cheerleading Foundation “All American Cheerleader” award during Pitt’s National Championship Season of 1976. Patricia studied two summer legal programs at the University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France in 1980, and went on to receive her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh Law School in 1981, and was a recipient of a Senatorial Scholarship, member of the Student Bar Association, and a founding member of the Christian Legal Society. She was also named an "Outstanding Young Woman of America."

Endorsements and Recommendations