Candidate for
Judge; Court of Common Pleas; District 5; Republican, Democratic Party

Patrick Connelly is a lifelong resident of Allegheny County, with deep roots in the Pittsburgh region, and a strong commitment to his career and community.

Patrick's paternal grandparents immigrated to America from County Galway, Ireland and settled in Homestead, where his grandfather worked as a laborer in the U.S. Steel Homestead Works. Patrick's maternal grandparents were from Duquesne, PA where they owned and operated Shaughnessy's Funeral Home. Patrick's parents, Patrick and Eileen Connelly, eventually settled in Duquesne, PA, where his own dad followed his grandfather's example and worked for U.S. Steel in the Duquesne Works. Patrick's mother worked as a nurse at the Veterans Administration Hospital. As the youngest of five children in a family that embraced and encouraged a hard work ethic, Patrick got an early start to work like many others from Duquesne by working at Kennywoood.

Patrick attended Serra Catholic High School in White Oak, PA, where he played varsity football. He went on to receive his bachelors degree in Economics from Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill Massachusetts; and his law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law. Upon completion of his education, he returned to Pittsburgh and began his legal career. He has been a resident of the Shadyside neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh for the past fifteen years.

Professionally, Patrick has worked at the law firm DSC_0014currently known as Summers, McDonnell, Hudock, Guthrie & Skeel for over eighteen years, and as a partner in the firm for more than ten years. The firm, located in the Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh, specializes in Civil Litigation. Patrick has handled thousands of cases throughout western and central Pennsylvania in his career, including serving as lead counsel on approximately fifty jury trials. In addition, he has handled countless bench trials, arbitration hearings, and has been appointed by the court as an arbitrator to hear and resolve civil disputes on numerous occasions. His extensive trial experience has prepared Patrick to serve as a trial judge in the Court of Common Pleas.

Outside of his private practice, Patrick has had the opportunity to use his legal experience to benefit the Pittsburgh community. He was appointed to serve on the City of Pittsburgh's Ethics Hearing Board, and was selected by the other members to serve as chairman of the board. He also serves as the solicitor of the Pittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade, and has worked in that capacity with the City to put policies and programs into place to create a safe and family-friendly parade environment. Patrick is also the solicitor for the Board of Directors of the Irish Society for Education and Charity, a 501 (c) 3 organization responsible for the promotion of Irish culture in the Pittsburgh region. Patrick performs extensive pro bono work for the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh, a local non-profit organization established to promote peace and reconciliation in troubled parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In addition to his pro bono legal work, Patrick has dedicated his personal time to his community in other ways. He currently serves as a 6th grade mentor in the City of Pittsburgh Public Schools Be a 6th Grade Mentor program, a program established to enable City of Pittsburgh students to become "promise ready" and to take full advantage of the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program when they are college aged. Patrick is a graduate of the Pittsburgh Citizens Police Academy as well as the City of Pittsburgh Civic Leadership Academy. Patrick became a leader in the ServePittsburgh initiative when he worked with other Leadership Academy graduates to adopt a "Redd Up" zone in the Strip District, where one can find Patrick monthly, broom in hand, literally cleaning up the streets of Pittsburgh. Patrick was commended by the City of Pittsburgh for his volunteer work and his commitment to community in 2012 with the presentation of a Citizens Service Award. If elected judge, Patrick will continue with his numerous volunteer efforts. He will remain a 6th grade mentor, and will continue to clean the streets of Pittsburgh.

Patrick is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 23, the Knights of Equity, Court 9, a charter member of the Brehon Law Society, and is a season ticket holder for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates teams.