Judicial Portrait Project

The Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association established the Judicial Portrait Project to honor the LGBTQ legal leaders who came before us and paved the way for out LGBTQ attorneys.

Through these funds, the finished portraits are to recognize openly LGBTQ judges in Philadelphia who have recently retired from the bench. Each portrait is donated to the First Judicial District for public display in various courtrooms throughout City Hall.

This year, we’re raising funds for Judge Abbe Fletman, who retired last year from the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. Judge Abbe Fletman has devoted more than four decades to the law, public service, and the pursuit of equal justice. During her judicial career on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Judge Fletman served as Supervising Judge of Commerce Court and as Team Leader of the Complex Litigation Center, overseeing complex civil matters, mass tort litigation, non- jury trials, and arbitration appeals. She also served as a trial judge in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions.

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Before joining the bench, Judge Fletman was a nationally recognized trial lawyer with extensive experience in complex litigation, intellectual property, commercial disputes, government litigation, and civil rights matters. As a partner and shareholder at leading Philadelphia law firms, she represented clients in significant state and federal cases involving businesses, government institutions, elections, education, healthcare, and individual rights.

Judge Fletman has been a longstanding advocate for equality and inclusion, particularly for members of the LGBTQ+ community, and was one of the founders of the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association. In recognition of her advocacy, Judge Fletman received the Community Advocate Award from Lambda Legal and a Special Recognition Award from the Human Rights Campaign.

Her commitment to equal justice also has been reflected in her work on behalf of women and girls, including significant Title IX litigation securing greater access to athletic opportunities. She has held numerous leadership positions with the American Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association, and also has served as an educator and mentor, teaching evidence, trial advocacy, and litigation skills to law students and practicing attorneys.

A graduate of the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she earned her J.D. cum laude, Judge Fletman also holds an LL.M. in Trial Advocacy from Temple University.

Please note that there are no Court or other public funds for judicial portraits.  As such, the Association is requesting your support for this important project.  All donations to the Judicial Portrait Project are tax deductible through the Philadelphia LGBTQ+ Bar Association.

*Please note that contributions to the Judicial Portrait Project will not be disclosed to anyone other than the Judicial Portrait Committee and Judge Fletman was not involved in any way with the solicitation of contributions for the Judicial Portrait Project.  This solicitation is solely made by the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association’s Judicial Portrait Committee.

2026 JPP Committee

Portrait of the Honorable Patricia A. McInerney

The inaugural work of the Judicial Portrait Project recognized Judges Mary D. Colins and Patricia A. McInerney of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas at an unveiling ceremony held on June 14, 2023 in the Law Library of the First Judicial District in Philadelphia City Hall.

Portrait of the Honorable Mary D. Colins

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