Dean JoAnne Epps is among the 25 most influential people in legal education, according to an annual report published by National Jurist Magazine. This is Dean Epps’ fourth consecutive appearance on the list.
Since becoming Dean in 2008, Epps has continued to push legal education in new directions. At Temple, she has initiated a critical re-examination of how advocacy is understood and taught so that students are better prepared for effective advocacy in any professional setting. She has created innovative opportunities for practical training with the launch of the Center for Compliance and Ethics, which will include enhanced curricular offerings and compliance-related externships designed to position Temple graduates for success in this rapidly growing field. Epps has also brought a portfolio of robust policy-oriented courses to the curriculum, including the D.C.-based Law and Public Policy Program and two policy-focused courses from the Sheller Center for Social Justice, including a social justice clinic and a justice lab. Outside the law school, Epps has been an influential champion for greater diversity and inclusion within both legal education and the profession. Epps was honored for her efforts with the 2015 M. Ashley Dickerson Award from the National Association of Women Lawyers and will receive the 2016 Spirit of Excellence Award from the American Bar Association in February. She was also the subject of a tribute on the floor of the U.S. Senate by Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA) recognizing her for her “significant contributions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to the Nation by promoting opportunity and diversity through our legal institutions.”