And Still We Rise!
This year, our theme is “And Still We Rise!” We asked our honorees to reflect on how they have risen above challenges—both professionally and personally. Their responses honor the obstacles they faced, the strength they discovered, and the determination that carried them forward.
“As a small child, I was struck by a vehicle on my way home from school. Following this near tragedy, the mothers in my community marched and protested for days, forcing the city to erect stop signs where there had been none. One might say my journey has come full circle, as I now proudly serve as Magisterial District Judge in the district that includes the very same housing complex where I grew up. These humble beginnings have always given me the drive and determination to rise above any challenge set before me. Despite being the first in my family to graduate from college, giving up was simply not an option. Even as I navigated law school as the single mother of two preschool-aged daughters, I was determined to succeed for the three of us. Once I began my legal career, I was encouraged by mentors and role models who looked like me. They paved the way, and I thank God for them regularly. My pursuit of a judicial position came with many challenges. Nevertheless, after three campaigns came up short, I was blessed to be elected to my current position on my fourth run. Again, giving up was not an option; thus, I held on to my faith, my family, and the knowledge that someone watching and waiting behind me might be motivated by seeing me succeed. And still, I rise, knowing that my journey is not over. I’m simply waiting for God to show me my “next.“
Leah Williams Duncan, Esq.
Magisterial District Judge – Pittsburgh’s North Side
Pittsburgh Municipal Court
Leah Williams Duncan, Esq., is a lifelong Pittsburgher who graduated from Perry Traditional Academy, Penn State University, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While at Penn State and after graduating, Leah served in the U.S. Army Reserve.
In her early career, Attorney Duncan represented defendants in criminal matters. She also served as a Parent Advocate and later as a Child Advocate, providing legal representation to underserved families in Juvenile Court. For more than 20 years, she served as a Hearing Officer in the Family Division, where she conducted hearings and rendered decisions in some of the most legally complex and emotionally challenging cases in the court system.
Leah Williams Duncan is proud to have been elected Magisterial District Judge in November 2021. In this capacity, she serves her district on Pittsburgh’s North Side as well as the Pittsburgh Municipal Court, presiding over a wide range of matters—from summary citations to civil and landlord-tenant disputes to criminal homicide preliminary hearings.
In addition to her professional service, Judge Duncan served the community for ten years as an appointee to the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Center of Life and the Northside Christian Health Center. She has received numerous recognitions for her service, including the Salute to Legal Excellence Award and the New Pittsburgh Courier Women of Excellence. In her spare time, she teaches a course on the Book of Genesis at the Harty Bible School, a Geneva College affiliate. She also recently became a licensed Zumba instructor.
Judge Leah Williams Duncan is the mother of four fantastic adult children and Nana to one wonderful grandson and one very special granddaughter.
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