While 2026 marks the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence, this year also marks the 250th anniversary of an important milestone in Pennsylvania history: the Commonwealth’s first state constitution, which was authorized in June 1776 during the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference held at Carpenters’ Hall. Adopted in September 1776, this document, which included a Bill of Rights and expanded voting rights, influenced other state constitutions in the Revolutionary period–and indeed the U.S. Constitution itself just a few years later. A bedrock of fundamental rights for Pennsylvanians, the current state constitution includes rights that go beyond those in the U.S. Constitution and affect the lives of everyone in the Commonwealth. 

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference and the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution, Carpenters’ Hall is hosting a series of programs and events throughout 2026 to explore this important milestone in Commonwealth history and engage Pennsylvanians in the contemporary relevance of our state constitution. This Town Hall will feature a panel discussion with experienced lawyers and legal scholars exploring the early history of our state constitution as well as issues such as public education, voting rights, the environment, reproductive rights and others that are within the jurisdiction of our current state constitution. The panelists are:

• Amy Coco, Principal, Law Office of Amy J. Coco, PLLC (moderator)
• Jerry Dickinson, Dean, University of Pittsburgh School of Law
• Hon. Christine Donohue, Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
• Hon. Thomas Saylor, Chief Justice Emeritus, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
• Hon. David Wecht, Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Partners for this Town Hall are the Allegheny County Bar Association, the Public Interest Law Center, PA Humanities, and the Pennsylvania Commission for Judicial Independence.

Please click the event registration button below to RSVP for the Pittsburgh Town Hall, which will be held on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, from 4:00-5:30 pm at the Pennsylvania Supreme Courtroom, located in the City-County Building at 414 Grant St., Pittsburgh, 15219. This session is being recorded for future viewing but is not available for live-stream.

Members of the Allegheny County Bar Association who want to earn CLE credits for this program, should register here.

Attendees at this Town Hall will be entered into a drawing, and the winner will receive a pair of tickets to a FIFA World Cup game in Philadelphia in June, an overnight stay at the Study in University City, and a private tour of Carpenters' Hall. Winners must be present to win (prize package courtesy of the PA State Tourism Office and Visit Philadelphia). 

This event is supported by America250PA and the Landenberger Family Foundation and sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association.