County Executive Innamorato Names Public Defender and Acting Solicitor
County Executive Innamorato Names New Allegheny County Public Defender and Allegheny County Acting Solicitor
January 22, 2024 - Pittsburgh - Today County Executive Sara Innamorato nominated Rosalyn Guy-McCorkle, Esquire, to serve as Allegheny County Solicitor, and named Lena Bryan-Henderson, Esquire, to be Allegheny County Public Defender.
County Executive Innamorato said “I want to thank these two tremendous public servants for accepting my offer to serve in two of our highest-ranking legal positions at the county. Rosalyn Guy-McCorkle and Lena Bryan-Henderson have each served the county for more than 30 years. Their combined decades of legal acumen and their demonstrated commitment to the people of Allegheny County is tremendous and they will both be phenomenal additions to my administration.”
Prior to being appointed Acting County Solicitor, Mrs. Guy-McCorkle was employed as an Assistant County Solicitor at the Allegheny County Department of Law, wherein she co-supervised the Title IV-D unit in establishing, modifying, enforcing, and advocating for child support. She also maintained a private practice focusing mainly on estate and probate issues. As a WBE/MBE certified attorney she has held the following contracts: City of Pittsburgh Housing Authority Hearing Officer, Pittsburgh Board of Education School Code Violation Hearing Officer and Minority Council for PA State Universities in architecture and design litigation.
For the past 15 years she has been an Adjunct Professor at Duquesne University Thomas R Kline School of Law, teaching Family Law. Mrs. Guy-McCorkle is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association wherein she participates on the Family Law Section Committee and is a member of the Homer S. Brown Division, the Domestic Relations Association of Pennsylvania (DRAP) and the Eastern Regional Interstate Child Support Association (ERISCA). She received her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University in 1986 and her Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1990. She is a lifelong resident of Allegheny County, a wife, and mother of two adult children.
Lena Bryan-Henderson’s more than three-decade legal career is defined by an unwavering commitment to advocating for the indigent and to social justice. Since 1991, she has served as an Assistant Public Defender at the Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender. Her tireless representation of indigent clients in countless jury and non-jury trials is complemented by her expertise in researching, preparing, and arguing pre-trial and post-trial motions, negotiating plea agreements, and providing supervision to a team of trial attorneys. In addition to her legal practice, she established Lena Bryan-Henderson Law in 1991, a private practice specializing in criminal law, where she represents both children and adults.
Mrs. Bryan-Henderson actively engages in community activism, serving as a board member for Reimagine Reentry and a member of the Allegheny Lawyers Initiative for Justice. As a Founder and Vice President of the Pittsburgh Black Lawyers Alliance (PBLA), she addresses political and social issues, fosters mentorship, and creates employment opportunities for Black law students. She is a lifelong resident of Allegheny County, a wife, and mother of two adult sons. She received her Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude from Howard University in 1987 and earned her Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law in 1990.
Mrs. Guy-McCorkle will serve as Acting County Solicitor until her nomination is approved by County Council. Mrs. Bryan-Henderson’s appointment to serve as Public Defender is effective immediately. A bio and headshot of Mrs. Guy-McCorkle is available on the County website here, and a bio and headshot of Mrs. Bryan-Henderson is available on the County website here.
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