Lorrie K. Albert, Associate Executive Director of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, is the new President of the National Conference on Bar Foundations. She officially took office on Aug. 6 and will hold the position for one year; she will also continue in her role at the ACBF.

The NCBF serves more than 200 bar foundations throughout the United States. The organization’s mission is to advance the works of bar foundations by promoting law-related philanthropy and to serve as a resource for bar foundations across the country, helping them to carry out their charitable missions.

As Associate Executive Director at the ACBF, Albert directs the daily operations and fundraising efforts of the foundation, known as “the heart of Pittsburgh’s legal community.” The ACBF oversees numerous pro bono, charitable and educational programs designed to help those in need. In her role as NCBF president, Albert will be in charge of developing the organization’s strategic plan. She will also establish board priorities, identify speakers and develop programing designed to help bar foundation leaders across the country.

“I am excited to begin my year as president of the NCBF. Holding this position is a great honor, as well as an enormous responsibility,” she said. “Increasing membership and strengthening the relationships between bar foundations and bar associations are among the goals I have for my term. By taking on this role, I hope to do my part to increase the impact the ACBF and bar foundations have in communities across the country.”

Albert was elected President-elect by the NCBF membership in August 2015. She replaces Leonard Pataki, whose term as president ended earlier this month.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure serving on the National Conference of Bar Foundations Board with Lorrie,” said Pataki, vice president and general counsel with Sheehan Pipeline Construction in Tulsa, Okla. “Her dedication to the NCBF, its mission and its members is amazing, but not nearly as amazing as her energy level. I just hope I can keep up. The NCBF is in good hands with Lorrie as its president, and I’m looking forward to working with her in what I know will be a great year.”

Richard S. Wiedman, President of the ACBF, said that Albert’s election is a testament to her dedication and commitment to the success of the foundation.

“Lorrie is certainly very deserving of this honor. Her accomplishments at the ACBF have been astounding, and as she takes her knowledge of legal-related charitable pursuits to the national stage it will reinforce the reputation that the ACBF currently enjoys in no small part as a result of her ongoing efforts here in Pittsburgh,” said Wiedman, an attorney with Eckert Seamans. “Everyone involved with the ACBF – our staff, volunteer attorneys, trustees and the individuals we serve – can take pride in Lorrie’s election to this important position.”

David Blaner, Executive Director of the Allegheny County Bar Association and ACBF, echoed those thoughts.

“I have the pleasure of watching Lorrie perform her work every day, and she truly has the passion and unique skills necessary to excel in the bar foundation environment,” Blaner said. “She has taken our foundation to new heights, and I am confident she will do the same with the NCBF.”
 

About Lorrie Albert

Attorney Lorrie Albert has been with the ACBF since 2005, initially joining as Pro Bono Coordinator. She became Foundation Director in 2007, before being promoted to Associate Executive Director in 2014, her current role. During her time with the organization, she has created more than 20 new pro bono programs and fundraising initiatives. Today, the ACBF oversees 50 charitable and pro bono programs, as well as 16 named charitable funds. Among the most noteworthy of these programs is Attorneys Against Hunger, which has raised more than $1.5 million to fight hunger in Allegheny County. During the 2015-16 fiscal year, the ACBF distributed more than $300,000 in grants, scholarships and financial assistance to help those in need, including legal assistance for low-income individuals.

Prior to joining the ACBF, Albert worked as an attorney at KidsVoice, representing dependent children in Juvenile Court. Previously, she worked in plaintiffs’ class action litigation, focusing on consumer protection law. She also worked with the insurance defense bar, concentrating on medical malpractice, product liability and general liability claims. At the beginning of her career, she was law clerk for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Albert is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American bar associations, the Executive Women’s Council of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council and Partners for Philanthropic Planning. She also serves as a Hearing Committee Member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Albert graduated from the the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1991; she earned a bachelor of Science degree from Pitt in 1988. She and her husband, Craig Fischman, live in Mt. Lebanon with their daughters, Alyssa and Amanda