Lia Epperson Professor WCL Faculty
- Degrees
- B.A., Harvard University ( magna cum laude)
J.D., Stanford Law School - Bio
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Lia Epperson, Professor of Law at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Washington College of Law, is a nationally recognized expert in the areas of constitutional law, civil rights, and education policy. Published in leading journals, her scholarship centers on the constitutional dialogue between federal courts and the political branches, and its implications for educational equity.
From 2014-2018, Epperson served as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at the law school. In 2018, she was awarded an Institute for Advanced Studies fellowship with the Collegium de Lyon in Lyon, France, working with scholars at the University of Lyon and from around the world on issues of constitutional law. Among other international engagements, she has served as a visiting professor and lecturer at University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, and National University of Ireland in Galway. Epperson has appeared on news outlets including CNN, NBC News, and C-SPAN.
Prior to her appointment at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, she served on the law faculties of the University of Maryland and Santa Clara University. She has also served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, focusing on federal civil rights enforcement of educational policies and practices.
Prior to becoming a law professor, Epperson directed the education law and policy group of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund (LDF). While there, she litigated in federal and state courts, advocated for federal administrative and legislative reforms, and co-authored multiple amicus briefs to the United States Supreme Court. In addition, she represented LDF in several national civil rights leadership coalitions.
Prior to her time at LDF, Professor Epperson was an attorney with Morrison & Foerster in Palo Alto, CA, and a law clerk to the Honorable Timothy K. Lewis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She received her law degree from Stanford University, where she served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review as well as the Stanford Law and Policy Review. She earned her bachelor's degree in sociology, magna cum laude, from Harvard University.
- Areas of Specialization
- Civil Rights
- Constitutional Law
- Education Law
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call Â鶹ÊÓƵ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ Experts
Area of Expertise
Civil Rights; Constitutional Law; Education Policy
Additional Information
Lia Epperson, Professor of Law at Â鶹ÊÓƵ Washington College of Law, is a nationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights, constitutional law, and education policy. Her scholarship centers on the constitutional dialogue between federal courts and the political branches, and its implications for educational equity. Her scholarship, published in leading journals, also explores the role of public schools, colleges, and universities in creating equal opportunity. Prior to her appointment at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, she served on the law faculties of the University of Maryland and Santa Clara University. She has also served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, focusing on federal civil rights enforcement of educational policies and practices. Dean Epperson's research interests are informed by her experiences litigating education cases throughout the country, and lobbying for the maintenance and enforcement of civil rights protections. Prior to becoming a law professor in 2005, Dean Epperson directed the education law and policy group of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund (LDF). While there, she litigated in federal and state courts, advocated for federal administrative and legislative reforms, and co-authored multiple amicus briefs to the United States Supreme Court in the areas of education and affirmative action. In addition, she represented LDF in several national civil rights leadership coalitions, including serving as chair of the Education Task Force for the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, a coalition of nearly 200 national organizations. Prior to her time at LDF, Dean Epperson was an attorney with Morrison & Foerster in Palo Alto, CA, and a law clerk to the Honorable Timothy K. Lewis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She received her law degree from Stanford University, where she served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review as well as the Stanford Law and Policy Review.
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call Â鶹ÊÓƵ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.