Dean Epps has been named the 2014 Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Diversity Award winner by the Philadelphia Bar Association. 
The award will be given at the Bar Association’s Quarterly Meeting
and Luncheon on March 11, 2014. 

The Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award “publicly
acknowledges, recognizes and honors an individual or entity that
has demonstrated a strong commitment, and has made substantial
contributions to diversity and promoting full and equal
participation and inclusion in the legal profession.” 

Long a champion for women and minorities within the profession,
Epps is a three-time honoree by Lawyers of Color Magazine as one of
the 100 most influential black lawyers in the country. Epps is a
member of the Consortium for Women’s Leadership, based at the
Center for Women in the Law at the University of Texas School of
Law, a member of the Board of the National Association of Women
Lawyers Foundation, and is active in both the American Law
Institute and AALS. 

She has recently completed longstanding service in several roles
in the American Bar Association as well:  as a member of the
ABA Standing Committee on Constitution and Bylaws, the Standing
Committee on Continuing Legal Education, the ABA Presidential
Commission on the Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Legal
Profession and Legal Needs, both the ABA Nominating Committee and
the Steering Committee of the Nominating Committee, and most
significantly 11 years as an officer of the American Bar
Association Section of Litigation.  She was a member of the
Advisory Committee to the ALI-ABA Program Committee from
1996-2006.

In 2009, the Philadelphia Bar Association recognized these
efforts and more by honoring Dean Epps with the Sandra Day O’Connor
Award, conferred annually on “a woman attorney who has demonstrated
superior legal talent, achieved significant legal accomplishments
and has furthered the advancement of women in both the profession
and the community.”  Epps has also been honored with the Doris
May Harris Image Award from the National Bar Association’s Women
Lawyers Division, the National Black Prosecutors’ Association
Award, the Barrister’s Association of Philadelphia’s Women of
Distinction Award, and as a Distinguished Daughter of
Pennsylvania.