NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JUDGES CELEBRATES ITS 36TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE "PROTECTING AND ADVANCING MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO JUSTICE

San Diego, California - The National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) 36th Annual Conference — “Protecting and Advancing Meaningful Access to Justice” — held in San Diego, California from October 15-19, 2014, was extraordinarily successful with over 400 women judges in attendance, including forty international judges representing twenty-nine countries.

The Honorable Tamila E. Ipema, Conference Co-Chair: “The theme of this year’s NAWJ Annual Conference, 'Protecting and Advancing Meaningful Access to Justice,' is universal. Providing meaningful access to justice is a challenge for us all and without it, justice cannot exist. At this year’s conference, over 400 judges from across the United States and from around the world came together in order to collaborate, learn from each other's experiences, and worked together in order to truly advance meaningful access to justice for all. The 36th Annual NAWJ conference in San Diego was the result of a team effort and a labor of love by our incredible planning committee. It allowed us to come together, learn from our peers, and work on furthering our NAWJ mission. The conference was a wonderful experience for all involved. “

The Honorable Margie G. Woods, Conference Co-Chair: “We are proud of the phenomenal outcome of this 36th Annual Conference. Due to the commitment and capabilities of all involved in the planning and execution of this five-day event our goal to continue the quest to advance and protect meaningful access to justice was met through the outstanding educational programs, messages from our exceptional keynote speakers and dialogue with all in attendance.”

The Honorable Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, Judge for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and NAWJ President during the 2013-2014 term, presided over the conference, which was held in the historic Gaslamp Quarter of beautiful downtown San Diego. Said Judge Blackburne-Rigsby: “I have dedicated my judicial career to ensuring access to justice for all individuals and fairness in our country’s court system. It was an honor to finish my term as President of NAWJ at the 36th Annual Conference, which drew on the theme that I chose for my tenure: Ensuring Access to Justice for All.”

The conference featured sessions, workshops and events highlighting and examining issues that evoke the conference theme from a variety of perspectives. Topics included the unique access to justice challenges facing the undocumented immigrant, minority, and LGBT communities, and how judges can protect women’s rights and address human trafficking through use of the rule of law. United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor keynote address highlighted the Annual NAWJ Gala Banquet which took place Saturday, October 18th. Justice Sotomayor spoke of the importance of educating the public about our court system, its role and functions, as a way to further more meaningful access to justice. Additional keynote speakers included Janet Napolitano, President of the University of California; Professor Anita F. Hill, Brandeis University; Professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Harvard Law School; and Manal Omar, Associate Vice-President of the United States Institute for Peace.

Other highlights included the presentation of the prestigious Joan Dempsey Klein Award to Past President of NAWJ, The Honorable Amy L. Nechtem, the Vaino Spencer Award to The Honorable Elizabeth K. Lee, the Norma Wikler Award to The Honorable Betty J. Williams, and the Mattie Belle Davis Award to Harriet Wesig, Esq., and a tribute and 90th birthday celebration for NAWJ founding mother, Justice Joan Dempsey Klein.

Near the end of this year’s Annual Conference, at the Gala Banquet, Justice Klein swore-in the new NAWJ President, The Honorable Julie E. Frantz of the Multnomah County Circuit Court of Oregon, and members of the upcoming Executive Committee for the 2014-2015 term. In looking forward to her upcoming term, Judge Frantz shared that she will emphasize the application of the rule of law to protect the rights of individuals, especially our most vulnerable populations, by advancing diverse judicial leadership - her theme for the year, “Voices of Justice: Keeping the Promise of the Rule of Law by Enhancing Judicial Diversity and Leadership.”

The conference was a culmination of three years of hard work and meticulous planning under the leadership of the Conference Co-Chairs, Judge Tamila E. Ipema and Judge Margie G. Woods of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, and was prominently supported both by the San Diego legal community, led by Friends Committee Co-Chairs Jerrilyn Malana, Esq. and India Jewell, Esq., as well, NAWJ’s Landmark sponsors, headed by Resource Board Co-Chairs Karen Johnson-McKewan, Esq. and Elaine Metlin, Esq. In addition, NAWJ acknowledges and greatly appreciates the many volunteers and exceptional speakers who joined in making the 36th Annual Conference a rousing success.

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ABOUT NAWJ
The National Association of Women Judges is a non-profit organization of more than 1,250 federal, state, administrative, tribal and military judges from across the country. For over 35 years, NAWJ has served as the nation’s leading voice for jurists dedicated to: promoting the judicial role in protecting the rights of individuals under the rule of law through strong, committed, diverse judicial leadership; fairness and equality in the courts; equal access to justice; providing judicial education on cutting-edge issues; and the advancement of women at all levels of the judiciary to accurately reflect their full participation in a democratic society.

For more information contact NAWJ Executive Director Marie Komisar Tel: 202-393-0222.