Next Senior VP for Legal Affairs and General Counsel Named

President Ken Gormley named Pamela W. Connelly as the University’s next senior vice president for legal affairs and general counsel. She will succeed Madelyn Reilly, who retires in May 2021 after 12 years in the University’s legal affairs division.

Connelly is a shareholder at the law firm Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky in Pittsburgh, where she has practiced since January 2020. In her role she specializes in higher education and employment litigation. Prior to her position at Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, Connelly served as an executive administrator and in-house counsel at the University of Pittsburgh for 18 years.

“I want to express my thanks to the search committee, chaired by V.P. Matt Frist and comprising faculty and staff from across campus, who spent enormous time and care reviewing an unusually large number of highly qualified applicants from around the country. The committee presented an incredibly talented group of candidates for the final selection,” Gormley said. “As the process moved along, it became clear that Pam Connelly’s vast experience in higher education law and her stellar reputation nationally and in the Pittsburgh community would make her a perfect choice to lead Duquesne’s legal affairs team.”

From 2015 until 2020, Connelly served as the University of Pittsburgh’s first vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion. In that role, Connelly designed and implemented the university’s Title IX compliance program, developed protocols on handling free speech conflicts, shaped plans for related to Affirmative Action and Civil Rights practices, and navigated shared governance processes successfully in the pursuit of updating and adding necessary policies related to inclusivity at the university.

Prior to her appointment as vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, Connelly was associate general counsel at the University of Pittsburgh. Her work covered a wide range of legal matters, including civil rights disputes, athletics cases, contract breaches and disputes, real estate, and research fraud claims. Connelly’s practice deeply connected her with the legal community in the Pittsburgh region.

“I have long admired Duquesne and its profound impact on its students, the community, and the world beyond,” Connelly says. “Duquesne’s remarkable leadership team, led by President Gormley, has articulated a compelling vision for the future. I am honored to be named to this role and look forward to contributing to Duquesne’s continued momentum.”

Connelly, who currently teaches Higher Education and the Law at the University of Pittsburgh, is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association and was a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys from 2002 to 2020. She also is a member of the board of the Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation as well as the board of Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures. Connelly holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Pennsylvania State University and earned her juris doctor from the University of Pittsburgh.

“It will be impossible to replace Madelyn Reilly, who has been a wise counselor and a true leader on my cabinet,” Gormley said. “However, I’m grateful that she participated in the search process, from start to finish, and is generously helping to transition our new general counsel into the role before she completes her own work at the University and begins a new chapter in her life in retirement. Madelyn has been a model of wisdom and collegiality, and we will miss her very much. She will always be part of the Duquesne family.”