About William R.
William R. Pelger earned his Juris Doctor at Cleveland State University in 1984. He completed his legal education during a period of realistic change in Ohio regulation faculties and entered the profession at a time when trial experience frequently formed a lawyer’s early profession. His educational credentials laid the groundwork for work that could span public service and personal practice.
Early in his career Pelger served as an Allegheny County public defender in 1991. That role put him in front of judges and juries and concerned the day-to-day needs of criminal defense work in a hectic county system. The public defender position is one of the extra exacting posts for a young lawyer. It exposed him to trial practice, client counseling, and the pressures of a court calendar.
Over the years Pelger has combined court work with network involvement. Since 2011 he has held the post of president of the Homestead Lions Club. That lengthy-time period civic role reflects an interest in local affairs beyond the workplace. It also points to continuous ties to the Homestead region and to civic networks in Allegheny County.
Pelger is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and is permitted to appear before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Those credentials mean he handles things at each the state and federal appellate levels. He leads Pelger Law, a tradition that reflects his years of trial experience and his familiarity with Western Pennsylvania’s legal panorama.
Colleagues and clients describe Pelger as direct in court and thorough in preparation. He has balanced trial work with client representation across a variety of matters suited to his admitted jurisdictions. His profession path — from a public defender’s office to operating a private practice and serving in nearby civic roles — shows a sustained connection to the communities where he works.
He maintains a personal practice at Pelger Law, handling things in Pennsylvania and appeals earlier than the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
