The Honorable Kezia O. L. Taylor was appointed as a Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania in December 2023.

Judge Taylor was born in Toledo, Ohio, is the second youngest of seven children, and was raised in a home influenced by a strong commitment to public service. Growing up, she also lived in Columbus, Georgia, but spent most of her adolescence living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She received two bachelors of arts degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C. where she majored in political science and English. In undergrad, she was on the National Dean’s List, Howard University’s Dean’s List, a member of the Golden Key National Honour Society, and received an Academic Trustee Scholarship. During her undergraduate years, she studied at the University of West Indies for a summer.  After graduating, she taught eighth grade English in Montgomery County, Maryland. Judge Taylor received her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review, a Moot Court Appellate Competition semi- finalist, and was awarded the Student Honoree Award at the 31st Annual Graduate Honors Convocation.

Following law school graduation, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Mary Jane Bowes of the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Thereafter, she joined Pepper Hamilton LLP as a junior associate and practiced commercial real estate land development and tax assessment litigation representing national retail companies. Following her law firm practice, she focused on civil litigation and employment law, and served as corporate counsel for an entertainment company. Judge Taylor then returned to public service as an Assistant City Solicitor serving the City of Pittsburgh and then joined the Department of Justice’s United States Attorney’s Office as an Assistant United States Attorney representing the United States and federal government agencies. She has also served the Department of Justice as faculty and trial advisor for the trial advocacy program at the National Advocacy Center.

During her time in private practice, Judge Taylor was honored to co-organize the first Pennsylvania Minority Pre-Law Conference at the David Lawrence Convention Center. Judge Taylor received the PUMP and Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40 award, and New Pittsburgh Courier Fab 40 award. Judge Taylor also received the IOB Support Award from the Bartko Foundation for her dedication to the Foundation’s goals of raising money to support the self-sufficiency of single minority mothers. Judge Taylor is also honored to have been an ATHENA Young Professional Award Nominee. The award recognized emerging female leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their profession.

On a statewide level, for six years, she served the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as a board member and then chair of the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners. Judge Taylor served on the Western District Court of Pennsylvania’s Task Force and Local Procedural Rules Committee. The rules committee was established by the United States Congress when it declared that all courts prescribe rules for the conduct of their business, and pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2073, the Judicial Conference authorizes district court judges to appoint a rules committee consisting of members of the bench and professional bar, and trial and appellate judges.

Judge Taylor is a member of the Wendell G. Freeland Society – Pittsburgh’s only litigation honor society comprised of judges, civil and criminal lawyers, and law students dedicated to the advancement of litigation excellence. She has been an active member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, served as Vice-Chair of the Federal Court Section, served on the Nominating Committee, Community Outreach Ad Hoc Committee, Bench-Bar Conference Committee, and has also been a section member of the Homer S. Brown Division, the Women in the Law Division, the Real Property Section, and the Labor and Employment Section.

Judge Taylor’s former board memberships include the Kelly Strayhorn Theater and NEED Pittsburgh Foundation. She also formerly served on County Executive Richard Fitzgerald’s Financial Sustainability Vision Team, as Co-Vice President of the YWCA’s Inaugural Young Leaders Board, and as an advisory committee member to The Bartko Foundation. Additionally, she served Coro Pittsburgh as a Leadership Development Facilitator where she trained master classroom teachers; served as a 6th Grade Mentor with United Way and The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania; and as a Coach with Pittsburgh Social Venture Partners to improve the economic viability of non-profits.

In her spare time, Judge Taylor enjoys traveling with her family and friends, hiking, biking, gardening, and upcycling furniture.