Biography
Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen attended Penn State University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She then attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor. After earning her J.D., she began her legal career as an attorney for Neighborhood Legal Services. She also worked for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, and the Allegheny County Law Department, all while operating a civil practice.
In 1990, Judge Allen was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, and served in the Criminal Division of the Court. She was then elected to a ten-year term in 1991. In 2007, she became the first African-American woman to be elected to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.
Volunteering was a significant aspect of her career, as well as developing programs for children and families. She retired on September 4, 2015. Judge Allen is a founding member of Women Without Walls (WWW), a ministry whose mission is to promote unity among women from varied cultural and denominational backgrounds.