The National Jurist magazine has ranked Temple University Provost JoAnne Epps tenth in its annual report of the most influential people in legal education. The appearance marks Epps’ fourth consecutive year on the list.
Epps, who served as Temple Law’s Dean from July 2008 to August 2016, is highly respected for her leadership within both legal education and the broader legal profession. She has been a vocal proponent of curricular innovation and institutional agility, urging law schools to eschew a one-size-fits-all model of legal education to focus instead on preparing students for success in today’s legal profession. At Temple, she 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.
Epps has also been lauded nationally for her leadership and efforts toward a more diverse and inclusive legal profession. She was the 2015 recipient of the M. Ashley Dickerson Award from the National Association of Women Lawyers and a 2016 recipient of the Spirit of Excellence Award from the American Bar Association. 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.”