Pittsburgh solicitor Krysia Kubiak to leave post, return to Duquesne Light

Pittsburgh solicitor Krysia Kubiak is leaving her post at the city later this month, officials announced Tuesday.

When Mayor Ed Gainey took office in 2022, he appointed Kubiak to lead the city’s law department, which oversees attorneys specializing in corporate counsel, civil litigation, labor, real estate, tax, contracts, and workers’ compensation.

Kubiak previously worked at Duquesne Light Company and will return there as managing director of external affairs and regulatory law.

Kubiak is stepping down on Oct. 24. Deputy Solicitor Jesse Exilus will serve as acting solicitor after Kubiak’s departure.

Gainey’s administration is in its final months after the mayor lost his re-election bid in the primary to Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor. O’Connor faces a Republican candidate — former police officer Tony Moreno — in the upcoming November general election.

Top officials often depart and are replaced with new appointees as mayoral administrations change.

“It has been an incredible honor to serve the City of Pittsburgh and work alongside Mayor Ed Gainey and such a dedicated administration,” Kubiak said in a statement. “I’m deeply grateful for the trust and collaboration we’ve shared over the years.”

The Gainey administration credited Kubiak and the law department for saving the city “millions in litigation,” speeding up the process for moving city-owned properties to residents and implementing a new case management system.

She also was at the helm of the city’s legal team as Pittsburgh settled a wrongful death lawsuit for $8 million with the family of Jim Rogers, who died in October 2021 after being tased repeatedly by police.

She has helped to spearhead a controversial effort to challenge the tax-exempt status of properties owned by nonprofits — including UPMC, Allegheny Health Network and universities — in an effort to force them to pay taxes.

As she prepares to depart, the city is still embroiled in a lawsuit brought against the city by people who were injured when the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in the city’s Frick Park in January 2022.

Gainey in a written statement called the solicitor “an indispensable part of our leadership team.”

“Her legal expertise and steady judgement have served this city well through many important decisions,” Gainey said.