THE HON. NICOLA HENRY-TAYLOR
The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the Allegheny County Bar Association’s 27th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast and Program will be held, Jan. 19, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, 271 Paulson Ave.
The event is hosted by the organization’s Homer S. Brown Division.
The Drum Major for Justice Honoree for 2026 will be the Hon. Nicola Henry-Taylor of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Judge Henry-Taylor was elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 2021, taking a spot on the bench in January 2022. After four years serving in the Family Division, Judge Henry-Taylor will move to the Court’s Civil Division in January 2026.
Judge Henry-Taylor is a respected member of the Pittsburgh legal community whose career reflects a deep and enduring commitment to advancing justice, equity, and meaningful access to the legal system. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she has served as a prosecutor, private practitioner, educator and judge, bringing a broad range of experience to her judicial role.
Prior to joining the bench, she held leadership positions that helped shape the region’s equity landscape, including serving as the Diversity Director at Duquesne University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law and as a Commissioner on both the Allegheny County Human Relations Commission and the Pennsylvania Commission for Fairness and Justice.
Her work has consistently centered the ideals of fairness, dignity and inclusion for all communities. Judge Henry-Taylor has been an influential ACBA leader, co-founding the ACBA Diversity Collaborative—now the Committee for Diversity and Inclusion—and launching the Pathways to Leadership Program to support the advancement of underrepresented attorneys.
She has chaired major ACBA groups, including the Judiciary Committee and the Women in the Law Division, and has been an active voice on issues such as police reform, bail practices and systemic inequities within the justice system. On the bench, she was appointed by Chief Justice Debra Todd to the Pennsylvania Continuing Judicial Education Board and continues to contribute to state and national judicial associations focused on strengthening judicial practice and public trust.
Judge Henry-Taylor’s work has earned several honors, including the Onyx Woman of the Year Award, the ACBA Carol Los Mansmann Helping Hand Award, and the 19th Amendment Award— recognitions that reflect her significant impact on the profession and the community. As President of the Duquesne Kline Law Alumni Association Board, she demonstrated visionary leadership and helped advance the law school’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
The ACBA said that Judge Henry-Taylor remains a steadfast advocate, mentor, and community partner, dedicated to ensuring that the legal system serves all people with fairness and integrity.