About

Attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs, with combined decades of experience in higher education law, work to ensure that the University achieves its mission and objectives in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and policies. The Office of Legal Affairs' ultimate duty is to represent the interests of the institution.

University attorneys and the administrative staff in the Office of Legal Affairs work as a team to address the numerous other types of legal work that come into the Office. Please see bios for a description of practice areas. You may not know which attorney is best suited to assist with your particular legal issue. Feel free to contact an attorney with whom you have previously dealt, and you will be referred as necessary, or email%20legalFREEDUQUESNE for assistance.

The Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel is the chief legal officer for the University and serves as legal advisor to the President, Board of Directors, cabinet and other administrators.  In addition, attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs provide legal advice and representation to the University, its administrators, employees, and other agents of the University who seek such advice on behalf of the University arising out of their official University responsibilities. The Office of Legal Affairs also employs and coordinates the work of outside counsel and is responsible for the legal aspects of University contracts and other legal matters.

The University is a large and complex organization, with many individual decision-makers who exercise responsibilities on its behalf.  We strive to work with the University community in a proactive manner, practicing "preventive law" where possible to minimize the University's exposure to legal risks. We also provide day-to-day legal support of the University's operations and, where necessary, protect the University's interests.

Role of University Attorneys in Investigations

This statement addresses the relationship between an individual employee, officer or member of the Board of Directors (collectively “employee” or employees”) and a University attorney (defined herein as either an attorney employed by the University in the Office of Legal Affairs or an external attorney retained by the University, sometimes called “outside counsel”), when the University attorney is investigating a particular matter.  For information about the role of University attorneys more broadly, please refer to TAP No. 64.

By law, a University attorney owes allegiance to the University - that is, to the institution itself. The University speaks and acts through its Board of Directors, officers, deans, and other authorized representatives, and University attorneys take instruction from such authorized representatives of the University, unless the attorney's independent professional judgment leads to a conclusion that an authorized representative is acting, or has acted, contrary to law or the University's interest.

In order to ascertain facts, consider alternative courses of action, and otherwise assist the University, University attorneys must often communicate with University employees.  When a University attorney interviews or communicates with an employee about a University matter, that employee should understand that the attorney may disclose to other University personnel, or to others if authorized by the University, the content of the communication to the extent that the attorney deems it appropriate to protect or promote the University's interests.  Further, although the communication between the University attorney and the employee may in some circumstances be protected by the University's attorney-client privilege from compulsory disclosure to third parties, the decision whether to assert or waive the privilege belongs to the University, not to the employee.

In most circumstances, the interests of the University and employees will be congruent. It is then appropriate for a University attorney to represent, for example, an individual faculty or staff member at the same time the attorney represents the University. Employees and University community members should be aware, however, if it develops that the University's interests come into conflict in a material way with those of the employee, the attorney would have to withdraw from representation of the employee.  In such situations, the attorney may often properly remain as counsel for the University even if the University takes a position adverse to the employee.

Pamela L. Wilkins, Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel

Wilkins has practiced in the field of higher education law for over 20 years and serves as Duquesne University’s chief legal counsel. She is responsible for the University's Division of Legal Affairs, which includes the Offices of Legal Affairs, Human Resources, and Risk Management.  The Office of Legal Affairs, led by Wilkins as General Counsel, includes a team of three experienced higher education attorneys who are responsible for the legal affairs of the University.

Prior to joining Duquesne, Wilkins practiced in higher education both as inside and outside counsel to many different types of educational institutions.  For a number of years, she was an executive administrator and in-house counsel at the University of Pittsburgh, where she also taught the Law of Higher Education.  

Wilkins serves as Vice Chair of the Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation Board of Directors, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Leadership Pittsburgh, Inc.  She formerly served on the executive and governance committees of Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures.  She is also a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys.  Wilkins holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the Pennsylvania State University and earned her juris doctor from the University of Pittsburgh.

Alan M. Pittler, Deputy General Counsel and Associate Vice President for Legal Affairs

Alan Pittler has served as Duquesne’s Deputy General Counsel and Associate Vice President for Legal Affairs since January, 2025.   Prior to that, Alan was a partner at the law firm of Cozen O’Connor, where he was co-chair of its nationally renowned Education Practice Group and worked as a trusted legal advisor and litigator for colleges and universities throughout the country.  Before joining Cozen O’Connor in 2017, Alan served as Associate General Counsel at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was primarily responsible for labor and employment counseling for faculty and staff, and related compliance advice. 

Alan’s wide portfolio of responsibility at Duquesne focuses on the areas of labor and employment, student affairs, academic affairs, non-discrimination, Title IX, accommodations, University policy, privacy, research, management of litigation from an in-house perspective, and matters unique to higher education such as tenure, FERPA, and degree conferral and revocation.  

Alan also manages and advises the Risk Management department and the Title IX Office.

Alan received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.  As an adjunct professor, he teaches anti-discrimination law for a graduate certificate program at a local law school.  He is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Clifford R. Kelly, Associate General Counsel

Cliff Kelly has served as Associate General Counsel in Duquesne’s Office of Legal Affairs since December, 2024. Prior to that, he worked as Legal Counsel for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) in the Procurement Shared Services Office, eventually also serving as the general counsel to Millersville University in Lancaster, PA.  More recently, Cliff worked as an associate at the law firm of Cambell Durrant, P.C.

In his capacity as Associate General Counsel, Cliff focuses on commercial transactions, including contract drafting, negotiation, review and disputes, intellectual property (copyright and trademark), and data privacy matters.  He also offers legal advice in other areas such as litigation management and real estate.  He regularly advises various schools and departments, including Athletics, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, CTS, Facilities Management, Health Sciences, Marketing, Nursing, and Research.  

Cliff has a bachelor's degree from Geneva College, a master's degree from Trinity Anglican Seminary, and a J.D. from the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law.  He is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and the Allegheny County Bar Association.