Judy Sarna currently serves as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Beth A. Lazzara in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas- Criminal Division. She has worked with Judge Lazzara since 2014, handling both trial and appellate level work. She currently teaches Trial Advocacy with the judge during the fall semester and is entering her second year as a Mock Trial Coach at Pitt Law.
Prior to joining Judge Lazzara’s chambers, Judy clerked for the Hon. David S. Cercone and the Hon. Alan N. Bloch in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She is a 2010 Pitt Law Graduate who obtained the John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate, and she completed her undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech in 2007, receiving a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Political Science.
Throughout the last 15 years, Judy has developed a deep passion for helping educate the next generation of lawyers. In her capacity as a Judicial Intern Supervisor, she mentors students year-round, dedicating her time to helping students understand and master the substantive, procedural and practical skills associated with criminal trial practice. In the Summer of 2025, she created the Allegheny County Courthouse Summer Intern Program, which aims to unite judicial interns with interns from the District Attorney’s Office and Public Defender’s Office and provide enhanced educational and networking opportunities through various events and skills-based offerings, which includes a month-long Trial Skills Bootcamp and Mock Trial Competition.
