Two special alumni were honored during the Duquesne Kline School of Law’s 31st annual Woman of the Year event on March 29. The evening recognized the Woman of the Year and the Recent Graduate of the Year. These awards have been given to many distinguished women in the legal field over the last thirty years, including judges, prominent attorneys, professors, deans, and authors.
The Woman of the Year award is given to a female alumna who promotes gender equality, gives back to the community, demonstrates professionalism and leadership, and raises awareness about issues affecting women. She maintains a meaningful connection with female Duquesne Kline Law students and pioneers a new path for women in the legal profession.
Justice Christine Donohue, L’80, was recognized as the 2023 Woman of the Year. She frequently volunteers at Duquesne Kline Law, recently administering the Oath of admission for 2022 graduates who passed the bar exam. Donohue serves on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and her chambers are in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her term of office commenced in January 2016. Prior to her service as a Supreme Court Justice, Justice Donohue served on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania for eight years. As a lawyer, Justice Donohue was a civil trial lawyer and litigator for 27 years. She was a shareholder in the law firm, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, P.C. and was the practice manager of the commercial litigation department in its predecessor firm, Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling, P.C. While earning her Juris Doctor degree, she served on the Duquesne Law Review.
While in practice, she held the AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, she was listed in Best Lawyers in America, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, and the Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh. She is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, and the American Board of Trial Advocates. She is a past president of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. Justice Donohue is a former judge on the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline, a former chair and member of the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners and the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board, and a former member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Justice Donohue is a member of the American, Pennsylvania, and Allegheny County Bar Associations. She served on the Board of Governors of the Allegheny County Bar Association and was also the Chair of its Young Lawyers Division. She is a member of the American Bar Foundation and a charter member of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation. She served as a member of the House of Delegates of the Pennsylvania Bar Association for two decades. She was twice recognized in Pennsylvania Law Weekly as one of Pennsylvania’s “Women Leaders in the Legal Profession.”
Justice Donohue received the Distinguished Alumni Award from East Stroudsburg University in 2016. Justice Donohue taught ethics for attorneys at the Duquesne University School of Law. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Hill House Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, Turtle Creek Valley Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Inc., and the National Aviary of Pittsburgh. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Duquesne University School of Law and is a frequent lecturer at seminars on the topics of appellate practice and judicial ethics. Justice Donohue’s chambers are in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Of being the recipient of this year’s award, Justice Donohue said, “Receiving the Woman of the Year award from the Women’s Law Association is very meaningful to me. It’s given me the opportunity to reflect on the importance of Duquesne Kline Law in my development in the law, first as an attorney and later as a jurist. As a first-generation law student with no lawyers in my life to serve as role models, the law school gave me the training and confidence to take my place in the legal community. For that place to now be recognized is truly an honor.”
The Recent Graduate of the Year award is given to a female alumna who exemplifies the characteristics of the Woman of the Year and who has graduated in the last five years.
Brazitte Poole, L'19, was honored as the 2023 Recent Graduate of the Year. She is a labor and employment attorney at UPMC with experience helping employers maintain issue-free work environments. Specializing in advising employers with unionized workforces, Poole uses that experience to help employers develop strategies that align organizational goals with the most pressing concerns of union-represented employees.
By focusing on enhancing employee-management communication and developing well-rounded and compassionate human resources partners and management teams, Poole has been able to put the legal education she earned at Duquesne Kline School of Law to good use.
Of her honor, Poole said, “I am truly honored to be recognized by the law school that remains near and dear to me. I am continually amazed by the incredible individuals I have had the privilege of learning from during my time at Duquesne. It is an even greater honor to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those of the past honorees, most of whom are colleagues; all of whom have made important contributions to the legal community.”
The event featured Dean April Barton who gave remarks. She and Duquesne Kline School of Law congratulate these exceptional women and their contributions to the field of law.
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