Biography
Mr. Pushinsky obtained his BA and MA degrees in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1976. He was awarded a JD degree by the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1979. Mr. Pushinsky maintains a private practice in Pittsburgh, where he concentrates in the areas of civil rights/civil liberties, criminal and appellate litigation. He practices before all levels of the state and federal courts. Mr. Pushinsky has handled numerous cases involving separation of church and state, free exercise of religion, employment, housing, education discrimination, firearm issues, police misconduct and free speech issues. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he has taught courses on constitutional and First Amendment law. Mr. Pushinsky was nominated for an appointment to the Pennsylvania Superior Court by the Acting Governor in 1993. He was awarded the 1991 Annual Civil Liberties Award of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and was the recipient of the United Jewish Federation’s 1997 Sonia and Aaron Levinson Community Relations Award for his demonstrated leadership in advancing intergroup relations and social justice. He served as the chairperson of the Greater Pittsburgh ACLU’s legal committee for many years and is a board member of the Aleph Institute, a religiously affiliated organization that provides a host of services to incarcerated Jews and their families. He is a member of the Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers and is a frequent lecturer on civil rights and civil liberties topics.