Katelyn Dornburg Edwards never had a doubt about the career path she wanted to follow. Beginning in high school, she clearly saw her future as an advocate, thanks to some time spent helping her mother and aunts care for her grandmother. Kate saw firsthand the emotional and physical toll some families in this situation experience and the importance of having an advocate. She knew she wanted to focus on law and nursing home abuse cases. Her goal is to take the burden of substandard care and legal claims off the family’s plate so they can focus on their loved one.
Kate attended Allegheny College and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and after serving as a law clerk during her second and third years of law school, she accepted a position as an attorney with Robert Peirce & Associates in 2014. In addition to nursing home abuse cases, Kate handles civil rights, medical malpractice, sexual assault, and personal injury claims. She handles institutional sex assault cases, involving sexual abuses that occur in facilities like nursing homes, hospitals, and schools. Kate is also licensed to practice in West Virginia.
Kate is a member of the Multimillion Dollar and Million Dollar Advocates Forums. In 2021 Kate was named Top 40 Under 40 Civil Trial Attorney. She is a member of the American Association for Justice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, and the Allegheny County Bar Association. Kate is a volunteer attorney with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, working on exonerations of wrongfully accused Pennsylvania inmates serving life sentences or facing execution. She also handles volunteer protection from abuse (PFA) issues for domestic violence victims in Allegheny County through Neighborhood Legal Services.
Kate grew up in Pittsburgh’s North Hills, where she now lives with her husband, Adam, and her children, Hunter and Charlotte. She and Adam enjoy running, now with a jogging stroller in tow. Kate also enjoys practicing ballet and spending time outside with her kids. She and her extended family are involved with The Lighthouse Foundation for individuals recovering from substance abuse and addiction issues.
“Women are the victims in many of my cases, and our society has hit a turning point where it’s less taboo to talk about their issues. Women are speaking out with more confidence in their ability to advocate for themselves.”
Education
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Law Review: Pittsburgh Tax Review, Research Editor, 2012 - 2014
- Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania
Honors and Awards
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Top 40 Under 40 Civil Trial Attorneys
- Vice President, University of Pittsburgh School of Law Women's Association
- Recipient, "Don M. Larrabee History Prize," Allegheny College, 2011
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Association for Justice, 2014 - Present
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice, 2014 - Present
- Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, 2014 - Present
- Allegheny County Bar Association, 2014 - Present
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania, 2014
- West Virginia, 2015
- U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania, 2015
- U.S. District Court Southern District of West Virginia
