Chief Public Defender

Andy Howard, Esq.

Andy Howard is the Interim Chief Public Defender.

He is dedicated to the mission of providing the highest quality representation to clients. 

Previously, Attorney Andy Howard was Chief Deputy Public Defender from 2024 through 2025.  He was the Senior Deputy of Adult Trial Advocacy from 2022 through 2024. He was the Deputy Director of the Major Felony Unit from 2020 through 2022.

Andy graduated magna cum laude from Washington & Jefferson College with a B.A. in History and Political Science. In 2014, he graduated from William & Mary Law School, where he was an active member of the Public Service Fund and the Environmental Law and Policy Review.

Andy began his career interning and clerking for the Honorable Cynthia Reed Eddy, Federal Magistrate Judge. He worked for the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, the Office of the Public Defender in Hampton City, Virginia, and the Office of the Public Defender in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Andy has been an attorney with the Allegheny County Public Defender’s office since 2015, and has handled some of the county’s most serious cases.