HARRISBURG (Feb. 23, 2011) - William H. Brown III, senior counsel, Schnader Harrison Segal and Lewis L.L.P., Philadelphia, will be honored with the A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award during the 23rd Annual Pennsylvania Bar Association Minority Attorney Conference, "Continuing an Agenda for Change." The conference takes place March 17 and 18 at The Doubletree Hotel, Philadelphia.

Brown will receive the award at a March 18 luncheon, which will feature keynote speaker Patricia A. Shiu, director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. Prior to being appointed to her current post by President Obama, Shiu served as the vice president for programs at the Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center in San Francisco.

The A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the accomplishments of a lawyer or judge who has demonstrated dedication to the legal profession and the minority community through civil, community or legal service. Higginbotham, who died in 1998, was a civic leader, author, academic and federal appeals court judge who fought tirelessly against racial discrimination.

Brown is nationally known in the field of employment discrimination and has advocated for employment, housing and healthcare for the disadvantaged in Philadelphia.

Brown joined the Schnader firm in 1974 and is currently a judge pro tem of the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia. From 1969 to 1973, he served as chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He previously served as deputy district attorney and chief of the frauds section of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and was a partner in the country's first African-American law firm.

In 1985, Brown was appointed chairman of the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission that investigated the MOVE tragedy in Philadelphia.

Brown served as a faculty member for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy for more than 15 year and taught at law schools in California, Colorado, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Brown has served on the boards of directors for numerous organizations, including the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Black Child Development Institute and the National Senior Citizens Law Center.

Last least year, Brown was appointed to the Philadelphia Ethics Commission by Mayor Michael Nutter.

Brown holds degrees from Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School and served in the U.S. Air Force before attending college.

The two-day Minority Attorney Conference also will offer these programs: "Race, Diversity and Criminal Justice: A View from the Trenches - The Sequel," "Dodd-Frank: Too Big to Fail," "American Dream on Hold: Immigration in the Era of Political Gridlock," "Understanding the Impact of Social Media," and "Law-related Education: Reenergizing Civics Education in K-12."

The conference, which is being organized and hosted by the PBA Minority Bar Committee and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, will offer up to 9.5 CLE credits (eight substantive and 1.5 ethics). Thanks to generous support from conference sponsors, the two-day program will offer quality content at the low price of $250 ($200 for those registering by March 8). Attendees will receive complimentary breakfast and lunch during both days of programming and an evening networking reception.

For more information about the conference and the award presentation, visit the PBA website at http://www.pabar.org or contact the PBA Member Service Center at 800-932-0311.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 29,000 lawyers who are members of the association.