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March 2014
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In This Issue:
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Greetings NAWJ Members and Friends!
March is Women's History Month and the theme chosen for this year is one from which we can take
inspiration: "Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment." The founding Mothers of NAWJ, Justice
Joan Dempsey Klein and Justice Vaino Spencer, exemplified these qualities when they founded NAWJ in
1979. Since then, NAWJ has grown from 100 to over 1,200 judges from every level of the federal and
state judiciary. NAWJ has continued and expanded its role as the leading voice of women jurists to
ensure fairness and equality in the courts and to provide cutting-edge judicial education programs.
Again, I want to invite you to attend this year's 2014 Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference in
Washington, D.C. This year's theme is "Ensuring Access to Justice for All." Our state and federal
courts and administrative agencies play a critical role in the administration of justice. Executive
and regulatory agencies, and the legislature, along with the private sector, and advocacy based
organizations, also contribute to ensuring access justice for all. Accordingly, our panels will
focus on the means used by these stakeholders to ensure access to justice for all.
We will begin on Thursday afternoon at our Congressional Women's Caucus Meeting and Luncheon, with
a panel on the "justice gap" for low-income people seeking civil legal aid, by exploring the
importance of expanding civil legal aid to ensure access to justice.
On Friday morning, we will present two plenary panels. The first will focus on emerging issues
confronted by various federal and state regulatory agencies. Leaders from several agencies will
describe how they address current challenges, and the measures they use to ensure accesses to justice.
The second plenary panel will focus on the Affordable Care Act from the perspective of regulators,
heath care providers and insurance providers.
Continuing on Friday, we are honored that our Keynote Luncheon Speaker, United States Attorney
General Eric Holder, will discuss his access to justice initiatives at the Department of Justice.
In the afternoon, United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will host NAWJ members at
the court for a special program, including a performance of Ms. Janet Langhart-Cohen's play, "Anne
and Emmett," which depicts Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl killed during the Holocaust, and Emmett
Till, a young African-American boy killed in the American South during the Jim Crow era. The play
will be followed by a panel discussion.
Finally, on Saturday morning our conference will conclude with a half-day training on the serious
issue of human trafficking.
In addition to our substantive programs and panels, I sincerely hope you enjoy the networking and
cultural opportunities that Washington, D.C. offers, especially in the wonderful Spring time!
Please register and plan to attend and enjoy this exciting conference!
Warmly,
Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby
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National Association of Women Judges
2014 Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference
March 13-15, 2014
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Register online
here
or download and complete the registration form
here.
Conference registration fees:
$425 for NAWJ Members
$525 for Non-Members Judges
$325 Guest Rate (Guests are spouses and children of conference attendees.)
Room Reservations: Click
here
or call (202) 429-0100.
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THURSDAY, MARCH 13* |
| 12:00-1:30 PM |
Congressional Women's Caucus Luncheon Meeting on Capitol Hill
Celinda Lake, President, Lake Research Partners
Martha Bergmark, Executive Director, Legal Civil Aid Hub
James L. Sandman,
President, Legal Services Corporation
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| 2:15-5:00 PM |
Private Lecture and Tour of the Archives
Exhibit "Record of Rights"
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| 4:00-5:30 PM |
NAWJ Resource Board Meeting
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| 5:30-7:30 PM |
Reception at Venable, LLP
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FRIDAY, MARCH 14* |
| 9:00-10:15 AM |
Plenary on Federal Regulatory Issues
Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner,
Federal Communications Commission
Patrice Ficklin, Assistant Director, Office of Fair Lending and Equal Opportunity,
Consumer Finance and Protection Bureau
Kevin Fitzgerald, EVP and General Counsel, Pepco Holdings
Colette Honorable,
Chairman, Arkansas Public Services Commission; President, National
Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners
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| 10:30-11:45 AM |
Plenary on the Affordable Care Act
Kim Horn, President, Kaiser Foundation
Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc.
Dora Hughes, Esq., Senior Policy Advisor, Sidley Austin LLP
Natalie O. Ludaway, Esq., Leftwich & Ludaway LLC
Joe Miller, General Counsel, America's Health Insurance Plans
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| 12:00-1:30 PM |
LUNCHEON with KEYNOTE ADDRESS
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Department of Justice
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| 3:00-3:45PM |
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
Private Lecture at the U.S. Supreme Court
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| 4:00-4:45 PM |
(Supreme Court) A Theatrical Reading of Janet
Langhart-Cohen's play "Anne & Emmett"
The play is based on the story of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl, who was a victim of the
Holocaust, and Emmett Till, a young African-American boy murdered in the American South
during segregation and the "Jim Crow" era.
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| 4:45-5:30 PM |
(Supreme Court) Implicit Bias and Access to Justice Issues
Following the play, there will be a panel discussion with the author and several experts on the
topic of Implicit Bias and Access to Justice.
Dr. Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo
Hon. Bernice Bouie Donald, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Lonnie Bunch,
Director, National Museum of African American History and Culture
Janet Langhart-Cohen, President, Langhart Communications, Inc.
Dr. William Meinecke, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum |
| 5:30-7:30 PM |
Reception at the Supreme Court Hosted by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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SATURDAY, MARCH 15* |
| 8:30 AM-12:00 PM |
ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR LABOR TRAFFICKING VICTIMS
Opening Remarks: Hon. Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, NAWJ President
Hon. Elizabeth Lee, Chair of the NAWJ Subcommittee on Human Trafficking
Jonathan Mattiello, Executive Director, State Justice Institute
Profile of Types and Dynamics of Labor Trafficking
John Martin, Director, Human Trafficking and the State Courts Collaborative
Scott Santoro, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Jennifer Silberman,
VP, Corporate Responsibility, Hilton Worldwide
Access to Justice Challenges and Forums for Addressing Labor Trafficking
Hilary Axam, Director, Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, U.S. Justice Department
Ann Breen-Greco, ABA Taskforce on Human Trafficking
Hon. Virginia Kendall, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Martina Vandenburg, The Human
Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center
Tools for Addressing Labor Trafficking
E. Christopher Johnson, Jr., ABA Business Law Section, Taskforce on Human Trafficking
Hon. Virginia Kendall, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Hon. Arline Pacht, NAWJ Subcommittee on Human Trafficking
Martina Vandenburg, The Human
Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center
Hon. Joan Churchill, Immediate Past-President, NAWJ
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| 12:00-4:00 PM |
NAWJ Board of Directors Meeting
Informal Reception
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Informed Voters - Fair Judges Marches On
ABA Judicial Division Joins as Latest Project Partner,
Dean Deanell Tacha Signs On as Co-Chair of California's Coordinating Committee,
Justice Mary Fairhurst and Judge James Docter as Co-Chairs for Washington
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The National Association of Women Judge's (NAWJ) Informed Voter-Fair Judges project (IVP) officially
launched on January 1, 2014. Two weeks later, NAWJ Resource Board member LexisNexis hosted the virtual
opening of the project's Emmy-nominated public service announcement,
"Fair and Free," featuring Justice
Sandra Day O'Connor.
In late January, the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) unanimously passed a resolution expressing support
for the objectives and educational materials prepared by NAWJ's IVP and encouraging state supreme courts,
judicial associations, and all groups dedicated to a fair and impartial judiciary to participate actively
in building public awareness of the IVP. Three hundred and twenty three online publications covered the
adoption of the resolution by the CCJ supporting the IVP, and several partners, including the Brennan
Center for Justice, included the announcement in their electronic newsletters!
The IVP recently welcomed new project partner, the Judicial Division of the American Bar Association.
Judicial Division judges will soon join NAWJ district directors and members in voter education
presentations in eight project states.
The IVP state coordinating committees are active and engaged! California has a new Co-Chair of its IVP
Coordinating Committee, Dean Deanell Tacha of Pepperdine University School of Law. Chief Justice Barbara
Madsen of Washington appointed Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Fairhurst and Judge James Docter
as Co-Chairs of the IVP Washington Coordinating Committee. Kansas Coordinating Committee members made
presentations about the IVP to the Wichita Bar Association and to the JCLS convention, and Washington
Coordinating Committee members made an IVP presentation to the Washington Chapter of the American
Judicature Society. More IVP outreach presentations are planned for early March and April!
Media coverage of the IVP is growing. The IVP was mentioned in an article entitled
"Governors Battle to Shape the Judiciary without Merit Selection" in the
February edition of the ABA Journal. The IVP was also reported on in the Knoxville
Tennessean,
the
Memphis Commercial Appeal (Tennessee), the Journal of the Kansas Association for Justice (Kansas),
and the
Fort Mill Times (California). There also was a voter education video shown on 360 North (Alaska).
Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente was invited to tape a half hour public affairs program
produced in Tallahassee called "Facing Florida" which is carried by network affiliate stations across
the state. We are awaiting confirmation of airing dates for the program, which included the full
"Fair and Free" video as the second segment of the half hour show. The Florida Channel, which produces
programming for public broadcasting stations across Florida, will feature IVP and Justice Pariente on its
"Florida Face to Face" program later this spring when the annual legislative session comes to a close.
Social media efforts for voter education continue to gain momentum. Traffic on the IVP Web site grows
daily. The IVP has 741 "likes" on
its Facebook page, with more "likes" showing up every day! IVP Team
O members and the IVP Social Media committee are planning "Project Hashtag" to post voter education
information on Twitter! ## Anyone?
Check the IVP Web site for information about the May 1, 2014 Law Day
activities and the June 9, 2014 NAWJ Symposium at the National Constitution Center.
Get Informed! Get Involved!
Joan K. Irion
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IAWJ's 2016 Biennial Conference Planning Committee Chairs
Hon. Jane Spencer Craney and Hon. Carolyn Engel Temin
Seek Volunteers to Serve on Planning Committee
IAWJ 2016 Biennial Conference
Washington, D.C. May 26-29, 2016
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Last month, NAWJ's 'IAWJ Biennial Selection Committee' announced the appointment of Judge
Jane Spencer Craney (Morgan Superior Court, Indiana), and Senior Judge Carolyn Engel Temin
(Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania, Retired) as Co-Chairs of IAWJ's 2016 Biennial Conference Planning Committee.
The conference will take place in Washington, D.C from May 26-29, 2016.
Anyone wishing to serve on the IAWJ Biennial Planning Committee may contact Marie Komisar
at mkomisar@nawj.org. The Committee will work
closely with the Biennial Advisory Council and NAWJ Executive Director Marie Komisar.
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Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby Receives
the Charlotte E. Ray Award from the National Bar Association
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(Pictured above with her family.)
On February 4, 2014, the National Bar Association's Greater Washington Area Chapter Women Lawyers Division
presented NAWJ President Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby with its Charlotte E. Ray Award.
Charlotte E. Ray was born on January 13, 1850, in New York City. In the mid-1860's, she attended
the Institution for the Education of Colored Youth in Washington, D.C. By 1869, she had become a
teacher in the Normal and Preparatory Department at Howard University. It was during that time that
she enrolled in the Law Department at Howard University by submitting her application under the name
of C.E. Ray, apparently because of Howard University's reluctance at that time to admit women to its
law classes. She graduated from the Law Department in February 1872 and was admitted to the District
of Columbia Bar on April 23, 1872. She became the first African-American woman, and only the third
woman, admitted to practice law in this country. Later in 1872, Ms. Ray opened a law office in the
District of Columbia. However, she ultimately was forced to close her office due to insufficient
business. Subsequently, she returned to New York City and taught in the public school system in
Brooklyn. She continued her quest to open doors by remaining active in the women's suffrage
movement until her death at age 60.
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South Carolina Legislators Re-elect Hon. Jean Toal
Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court
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In The State's account, "{Chief Justice}Toal said she had decided to run for another
two years to continue her work converting the court system to the Internet and expanding a
special court that deals with complex business litigation." Justice Toal is 70. Read the
rest of The State's amazing article
here.
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Calls for Submissions for the Next Issue of Counterbalance
Deadline: March 10, 2014
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Counterbalance informs and connects our members around the
country by featuring news and information highlighting NAWJ's educational programs and activities.
Consider sharing news from your District for publication in Counterbalance.
NAWJ will also publish essays and articles of interest which are in accord with our mission.
The deadline for submitting information for the next issue of Counterbalance
is MARCH 10, 2014. Those interested in submitting material should do so by emailing
all text and picture files to Lavinia Cousin at lcousin@nawj.org.
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NAWJ 36th Annual Conference
Protecting and Advancing Meaningful Access to Justice
October 15-19, 2014 • San Diego, CA
The Westin Gaslamp Quarter
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CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS
Hon. Tamila E. Ipema • Hon. Margie G. Woods
Keynote Speaker:
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
(Justice Sonia Sotomayor will speak at the Banquet Gala on Saturday night and on a panel at the Farewell Brunch on Sunday morning.)
Download the Conference Highlights
here.
Wednesday Morning Optional Tours:
From 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, conference attendees may take advantage of an opportunity to tour either the International Border
or the Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors Camp.
Register online
here, or download and fax
this registration form.
Conference registration fees:
$595 for NAWJ Members ($550 before March 15)
$525 for Members who are First-Time Attendees
$695 for Non-Members Judges
$575 Guest Rate
Room Reservations: Click
here
or call (619) 239-2200.
NAWJ Rate: $219/night, plus applicable taxes, single or double occupancy
For more information contact:
Conference Chairs: Judge Tamila E. Ipema by email Tamila.Ipema@sdcourt.ca.gov
Judge Margie G. Woods by email Margie.Woods@sdcourt.ca.gov
Conference Manager: Mary Kathleen Todd by email mtodd@nawj.org.
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Events
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2014
NAWJ's 2014 Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference will be held in Washington, D.C. at
The Westin Georgetown from March 13-15, 2014.
The 2014 International Association of
Women Judges Bi-Annual Conference will take place May 5-9, 2014 in Arusha, Tanzania.
Click here for more conference details.
NAWJ 36th Annual Conference will take place October 15-19, 2014 at
Westin Gaslamp Quarter
in San Diego, California.
2015
NAWJ will hold its 37th Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah from October 8-11, 2015.
2016
The International Association of Women Judges Biennial will be hosted in the United States by the National
Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) in Washington D.C. from May 26-29, 2016.
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