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Colleen F. Coonelly is a lawyer with over 30 years of experience in civil litigation, clinical law teaching, and the creation and administration of pro bono programs for lawyers.

She earned an A.B. from Duke University and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law.
Upon law school graduation, she practiced law as a litigation associate for seven years at Pepper Hamilton, in Philadelphia.

Ms. Coonelly then served as a clinical faculty member at Penn Law School where she taught upper-level students and supervised their case work in the Penn Legal Assistance Office.
She then directed attorney education and pro bono programs at law firms in Philadelphia, including serving as Director of Litigation Training and Pro Bono at Wolf Block for seven years.
From 2009 through 2021, Ms. Coonelly served as Director of Legal Services, and as Board Member, of Laurel House, a domestic violence shelter and supportive services agency. Through Laurel House and Temple Law School, she launched a Domestic Violence Clinic in 2010. 

Ms. Coonelly is currently an attorney consultant on the WomensLaw Email Hotline of the National Network to End Domestic Violence(www.womenslaw.org). She serves on the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters of PA (www.palwv.org) and also provides, pro bono, direct client representation through the Women’s Resource Center in Wayne, PA. She was appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board in August 2023. The Board awards grants that support the provision of free legal assistance to low-income Pennsylvanians in civil matters.