Partner
Jeff Ruder
Jeff Ruder is the founder and principal of Ruder Law. Since 2006, Jeff has focused his practice on advocating for the rights of disabled children in public schools. Jeff is also frequent speaker to professional and parent groups regarding the rights of students with disabilities.
Jeff also serves as an Allegheny County Solicitor, handling matters involving child abuse and neglect. In addition, Jeff works as special counsel for the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations where he represents victims of housing discrimination. Jeff also serves as special prosecutor for Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board. Previously, Jeff worked as a guardian ad litem for Legal Aid for Children.
Jeff is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and a 1996 graduate of the Dickinson School of Law.
PARTNER
Kristen Weidus
Kristen Weidus is a Partner at Ruder Law. Prior to joining the firm, she was an associate attorney at Tremba, Kinney, Greiner & Kerr, LLC, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and served as co-counsel in the G.L. v. Ligonier Valley School District case, No. 14-1387 (3d Cir. 2015). As a resident of Greensburg, Kristen remains active in the Westmoreland Bar Association, currently serving on the Membership Committee and formerly chairing the Young Lawyers Committee. She received the Westmoreland Bar Association's Outstanding Young Lawyer Award in 2016, and currently serves as a Zone 6 Delegate in the Pennsylvania Bar Association's House of Delegates. Kristen was also selected as a Pennsylvania Rising Star by SuperLawyers in 2021.
Kristen graduated magna cum laude from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, DC in 2012. She worked as a law student attorney in the Took Crowell Institute for At-Risk Youth, representing students with disabilities enrolled in the DC Public Schools. Kristen also served as President of the Women’s Law Society, Articles Editor for the Law Review, and President and Founder of the UDC-DCSL Disability Rights and Advocacy Society.
Kristen graduated cum laude from Hiram College in 2009. Beginning in 2000, she worked for the HELP Foundation Summer Program, an extended school year program that serves children with disabilities in Northeast Ohio.
ASSOCIATE
Ellen Connally
Ellen ("Ell") Connally graduated from Duquesne University School of Law in May 2021 where she earned the CALI Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy; competed in the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) National Trial Competition; and was inducted into the Justice Louis L. Manderino Honors Society for outstanding contributions to the Duquesne trial advocacy program. During law school, Ell interned with the Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender and the Federal Defender of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. She also served as Vice-President of the Student Bar Association and the Communications and Outreach Chair for the Public Interest Law Association.
Ell graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 2015 with a B.A. in Theatre Arts and a B.A. in French Language & Literature.
ASSOCIATE
Jessica Tully
Jessica Tully is an associate attorney at Ruder Law.
Following her graduation from the Dickinson School of Law in 2017, Jessica worked as an associate attorney at a local general practice firm for four years. Jessica’s caseload included many different practice areas, including civil litigation, appellate litigation, civil rights, personal injury, criminal defense, and estates.
During law school, Jessica worked as an intern for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge W. Terrence O’Brien, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General (civil division), and Penn State Student Legal Services. Jessica volunteered during law school as a mediator for the Center for Alternatives in Community Justice, a non-profit community mediation center. She also worked as a student advocate for the law school's Children’s Advocacy Clinic. She served on the Trial Advocacy Board, was elected as the Dickinson School of Law Delegate of the Graduate & Professional Student Association, and served as the Women’s Law Caucus Vice President.
As a college student, Jessica wrote for various publications, including USA TODAY, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, McClatchy Newspapers, and Lazerpro Digital Media Group. Jessica graduated from Penn State University in 2014.
ASSOCIATE
Antonette Hornsby
Antonette Hornsby is an associate attorney at Ruder Law. Prior to joining Ruder Law, Antonette served as in-house counsel for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) where she advised on issues stemming from contracts, employment law, civil forfeiture, criminal procedure, and public records law. She also spent much of her time in the courtroom bringing risk protection order petitions under Florida’s “red flag law.”
Antonette attended Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Florida, where she graduated summa cum laude. As a recipient of the St. Thomas More Full Tuition Scholarship, Antonette earned CALI Awards as the highest scoring student in numerous courses including Constitutional Law, Tenets of Constitutional and Statutory Interpretation, Evidence, and Trial Advocacy. Antonette interned for the Honorable Sheri Polster Chappell, District Judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida as well as the State Attorney’s Office. She also served on the moot court executive board and gained recognition for her advocacy skills by placing as a semi-finalist and quarterfinalist in competitions in Orlando and Chicago. Antonette also worked in the Human Trafficking Law Clinic and received the St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Award—an award recognizing outstanding performance in clinical programs.
Prior to attending law school, Antonette served as a guardian ad litem volunteer representing the best interest of abused, abandoned, and neglected children. She earned her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Antonette is admitted to practice law in both Florida and Pennsylvania.
ASSOCIATE
Thad Kotarski is an associate attorney at Ruder Law.
Thad graduated cum laude with a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2023. While at Pitt, Thad worked as a teaching assistant, research assistant, certified legal intern (Environmental Law Clinic), and Barco Law Library research fellow. Thad also volunteered extensively with various civil rights and social justice groups in law school, graduating with Pitt Law’s Pro Bono Excellence and Public Service Recognition commendations upon graduation.
Prior to joining the firm, Thad worked as an associate attorney or law clerk with the Halpern Law Firm, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, and Friday & Cox, LLC.
Thad graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh in 2018 and worked at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a local immigration law firm before attending law school at Pitt.