Phyllis Beck Philadelphia, PA Death – Judge Beck was a cherished figure in the Philadelphia legal community. She was a distinguished jurist, a pioneer, a teacher, a mentor, and a philanthropist,” Jaffari stated. “Her commitment to the residents of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania was steadfast, as she advocated for judicial independence and worked towards reforms to establish a fairer justice system. Judge Beck had a deep passion for legal education, providing invaluable advice and mentorship to numerous law students and striving to improve legal education in Philadelphia. She died on 3rd March, 2025
Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Katayun I. Jaffari released a poignant statement honoring the late Honorable Phyllis W. Beck, a retired judge of the Superior Court who passed away on March 3.
Judge Beck made history as the first woman appointed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 1981 by then-Governor Dick Thornburgh, and she was subsequently elected to a full 10-year term in 1983. In the late 1980s, Governor Bob Casey appointed her to a 23-member committee focused on modernizing Pennsylvania’s court system. Beyond her judicial responsibilities, she served as a faculty member at Temple University and Villanova law schools, as well as Vice Dean at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. A graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, she also established the Beck Chair in Law to attract prominent legal leaders and scholars as visiting professors, enriching the educational experience for students.
After her retirement from the bench in 2006, Judge Beck continued her service as general counsel for the Barnes Foundation, chair of the advisory board for Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, and as a mediator for the Superior Court and asbestos cases in the First Judicial District. She also chaired the Independence Foundation, which invests in programs that enhance the lives of people in the Philadelphia area.
Judge Beck’s exemplary contributions to the legal field earned her the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Brennan Distinguished Jurist Award in 1997, recognizing her adherence to the highest standards of judicial service. In 2005, she received the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Award from the Bar Association’s Women in the Profession Committee, honoring her as an outstanding woman attorney who exemplified the qualities embodied by Justice O’Connor.
“In her acceptance speech for the O’Connor Award, Judge Beck described herself and other women who entered the legal profession in the 1950s and 1960s as a ‘brave band of sisters who marched into a profession that was not ready for us,’” Jaffari reflected. “Despite graduating at the top of her law school class in 1967, Judge Beck was initially denied approval by the Delaware County ethics committee to sit for the bar exam, based on outdated notions regarding her domestic responsibilities.”
“Judge Beck did not let this setback deter her; she persisted, and another committee ultimately granted her the necessary approval to take and pass the bar exam,” Jaffari added. “Her determination helped to break down barriers for future generations of women in the legal profession. We are deeply thankful for Judge Beck’s courage, mentorship, and leadership. Her absence will be profoundly felt.”