HARRISBURG (April 20, 2005) � The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Commission on Women in the Profession will present the Anne X. Alpern Award to Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Sandra Schultz Newman during its twelfth annual conference May 5 at the Hilton Pittsburgh. The award will be presented at a noon luncheon, which will feature Helen P. Pudlin, senior vice president and general counsel for PNC Financial Services Group, Pittsburgh, as the keynote speaker.

The annual Anne X. Alpern Award is presented to a female lawyer or judge who demonstrates excellence in the legal profession and who makes a significant professional impact on women in the law. The award, established in 1994, was named for Anne X. Alpern, who was Pennsylvania�s attorney general in 1959 and the first woman state attorney general in the nation.

�Commencing her career in an era dominated by the proverbial �old boys network,� Justice Newman advanced from being a successful practitioner to an intermediate appellate judge to finally becoming Pennsylvania�s first elected female Supreme Court justice,� Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph Cappy wrote in his nomination letter. �Each phase of this remarkable career is worthy of recognition�her constant mentoring of young women in the profession during all phases of her career is, in my view, a key to the Alpern Award.�

Justice Newman began her career as an assistant district attorney in Montgomery County, Pa., and went on to practice law for 20 years with the law firm of Astor, Weiss and Newman in Bala Cynwyd. She was elected to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in 1994 and, in 1996, became the first woman elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, where she continues to serve.

A tireless advocate for women and children in the justice system, Justice Newman is considered a pioneer in the field of family law in Pennsylvania. She was a professional leader and accomplished speaker in the discipline of family and matrimonial law. As an advocate, she was president of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and was a fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She also was an active member of the PBA Family Law Section.

On the bench, Justice Newman has continued her work to promote and encourage women within the legal profession. She strongly advocated for the court to study whether Pennsylvania�s justice system is affected by ethnic, racial or gender bias. She is the moving force in shaping and improving Philadelphia�s Family Court Division to ensure that services for children and families are provided in a safe and dignified environment. She mentors young lawyers and law students, providing externships in her office for aspiring lawyers. She has been honored by countless organizations across the commonwealth as a leader and as an inspiration to women.

Justice Newman received a bachelor�s degree from Drexel University, a master�s degree from Temple University and a law degree from Villanova University Law School.

For more information about the conference and luncheon or to view registration materials, visit the PBA Web site at www.pabar.org.