Meet OCW

Timothy P. O’Brien is a civil rights attorney with a wide range of litigation experience at the trial and appellate level for claims vindicating citizens constitutional and civil rights, fighting against all forms of employment discrimination, protecting the employment/reemployment rights of veterans, challenging police misconduct, including cases involving excessive and deadly force, false arrest and malicious prosecution, and pursuing personal injury claims.

Mr. O’Brien has been recognized as a leading civil rights and employment discrimination trial lawyer, including a recently secured multimillion dollar employment discrimination verdict, believed to be the largest ever awarded in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
In recognition of his trial skills, Mr. O’Brien was elected to the Academy of Trial Lawyers where he has been a member since 1992.

Mr. O’Brien is a certified mediator in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Mr. O’Brien is married to Phyllis, upon whose invaluable support and good counsel he has depended throughout his legal career. Mr. O’Brien enjoys outdoor activities including hiking and boating, he also enjoys American History, with particular emphasis on Abraham Lincoln, his writings and speeches.

• Academics
  • J.D. Duquesne University School of Law
  • U.S. Army Judge Advocate General School-Basic–Advanced Certification
• Admissions
  • US Supreme Court
  • Third Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania Supreme Court
• Professional Memberships
  • American Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County
  • Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association
  • National Employment Lawyers Association
  • Legal Committee, ACLU of Pennsylvania
  • Reserve Officers Association
  • Pennsylvania Association for Justice
  • American Association for Justice

Margaret S. Coleman (Maggie) represents clients at trial and appellate levels on issues such as employment discrimination, wrongful termination and police misconduct/excessive force. In her employment practice she specializes in government employment, retaliation, disability discrimination and pregnancy discrimination cases. In her civil rights practice she has taken on issues such as non-consensual drug testing of pregnant women by hospitals, improper use of paramilitary SWAT teams, excessive force against protesters and unconstitutional prison conditions.

Maggie has tried numerous cases to verdict throughout Pennsylvania and has argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. She is an elected member of the prestigious Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County and serves on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project and Neighborhood Legal Services Association. She has been in private practice since 2012. Previously she worked as a Staff Attorney for the Community Justice Project, a non-profit law firm representing low-income Pennsylvanians.

Maggie is a native Pittsburgher and a graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School. She’s an avid hiker, camper and national park visitor.

• Academics
  • J.D.; University of Pittsburgh School of Law (cum laude)
  • B.A., Sociology/ Theater and Drama; Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
• Admissions
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Professional Memberships
  • Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County
  • Allegheny County Bar Association
  • Nation Employment Lawyers Association
  • Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association
  • National Police Accountability Project

Alec B. Wright advises clients at the trial and appellate levels on civil and employee rights. Alec’s representation includes matters such as police misconduct and systemic constitutional violations. Alec’s representation also includes matters in employment discrimination on behalf of employees who are discriminated against because of race, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, disability, criminal background, FMLA and otherwise. Alec further represents clients on prisoner’s civil rights issues, such as prisoner abuse, mental health and inadequate medical care.

Alec is a member of the prestigious Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County.

Alec is the former Chair of the Civil Rights Litigation Committee for the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Alec serves as pro bono counsel in prisoner’s civil rights litigation in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Alec also serves as pro bono counsel to the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh, a Homewood-based non-profit whose mission pertains to prisoner reentry and reintegration through education culminating in trade certifications and employment.

Prior to the joining the Law Offices of Timothy P. O’Brien, Alec worked in a Pittsburgh-based commercial law firm with offices across the United States. While employed in that firm, Alec represented clients in commercial and complex litigation. Alec also represented clients in civil rights matters at that firm.

While studying at the Duquesne University School of Law, Alec received awards for complex litigation and class actions. He was also a member of the law school’s wrongful conviction clinic.

Alec believes that everyone is afforded a fundamental basis of equal opportunity. He is dedicated to the fight for equal opportunity, regardless of race, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, disability, criminal background, or any other identifier that people may use to cause something other than equal opportunity for everyone.

• Academics
  • J.D., Duquesne University School of Law
  • B.S., Finance, University of Pittsburgh
  • Canisius College
• Admissions
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts, Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania
• Professional Memberships
  • Federal Bar Association
  • American Bar Association (Member, Civil Rights Section)
  • Allegheny County Bar Association (Chair, Civil Rights Litigation
    Committee)
  • ACLU Legal Committee, Nation Employment Lawyers Association,
  • Western Pennsylvania Employment Lawyers Association,
  • National Police Accountability Project, American Association for Justice

Heather keeps the office running smoothly and efficiently. She performs a wide variety of tasks ranging from answering the phones to preparing and filing pleadings to assisting in court during trials. Heather is typically the first point of contact for future and current clients. Heather has over twenty years of experience working in the legal field in West Virginia, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. She is a West Virginia transplant who has two adult sons, and is an animal-lover.

Heather is a Notary Public.