NAWJ Monthly Update March 2018
Written by National Association of Women Judges|March 12, 2018|Monthly Update Archive
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Greetings,
Our nation celebrates Women's History Month each March to recognize the contributions of women in every facet of our society. In that same spirit, I acknowledge those who have achieved prominence in their respective professional and personal achievements, many of whom are NAWJ members. I also acknowledge those who supported and bettered their families, communities, work places, and others in the absence of public acclaim.
I recognize that I stand on the shoulders of the founders of this esteemed organization, the Hon. Joan Dempsey Klein and the late Hon. Vaino Spencer, as well as all past presidents. I pay homage to them for their leadership and commitment to equal access to justice to all. These honored visionaries established a lasting legacy to ensure that we remain the leading voice for women in the judiciary.
March also represents the spring season and a time of new beginnings. After nine years with NAWJ, our Executive Director, Marie E. Komisar, has decided to retire, effective June 1, 2018. We thank Marie for her dedication and commitment to NAWJ and wish her well as she spreads her wings and enters a new chapter in her professional life. She is forever a part of the NAWJ family. A search committee has been formed to identify our next Executive Director and to ensure a seamless transition as we enter this new season.
While women have achieved great strides in the legal profession and other arenas, we remain subjected to pay inequity, sexual misconduct, disparities in professional advancements and opportunities and biases. These injustices demand that we, as an organization, speak truth to power. Because there is strength in numbers, these injustices demand that we establish alliances with other professional women's organizations, and invite men to the conversation, to formulate strategies towards furthering our collective causes and addressing these issues.
This is our charge.
Sincerely,
Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy
Dear NAWJ Members,
After much thought and consideration, I have decided to retire as Executive Director of NAWJ effective June 1, 2018.
I have had the distinct honor and privilege of working with this incredible organization of strong and wonderful women from whom I have learned so much over the past nine years. It is therefore with mixed feelings and emotions that I take leave of this position.
I will always remember, with pride, and be grateful for, our important work together resulting in many impactful, outstanding programs and events. I also take great pride in NAWJ's collaborative fundraising successes supporting NAWJ's mission over these nine years.
I warmly recall that I was privileged to be a part of upgrading NAWJ's marketing materials enhancing our branding and giving NAWJ a fresh new look; working for three years on the successful Biennial Conference in D.C., attracting over 800 International Judges; premiering Janet Langhart Cohen's play Anne & Emmett at Supreme Court; locating new and moving into less expensive office space for NAWJ, and numerous other memorable and important moments.
Many thanks to NAWJ's current President, Board of Directors, Executive Committee and District Directors.
To the NAWJ Past Presidents that served during my tenure beginning in 2009, and to the Past Presidents that served before my time and who have remained supportive and engaged with the NAWJ office, l thank you for your kindness, support and for all that we accomplished together for the benefit of NAWJ.
I also want to convey my warmest appreciation to our indefatigable staff for whom I have relied upon to meet the needs of the membership and organization on a daily basis. They are dedicated and always deliver whatever is needed with a smile.
My heartfelt thanks as well to our NAWJ Resource Board members and their Landmark Sponsorship firms who have been long-time supporters of NAWJ. We appreciate you, and all that you do for NAWJ.
I could go on and on as we have come a long way. I will miss all of the great times together and I will continue to be the NAWJ Ambassador spreading the word about our good work.
Warmly,
Marie E. Komisar
The Honorable Rachael D. Johnson was elected in April 2017 to serve as Judge of Civil District Court, Division B in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Prior to her election, she was Senior Staff Attorney in the Law Offices of Julie E. Vaicius, which served as counsel in Louisiana for Hartford Insurance and its subsidiaries.
Judge Johnson commenced her legal career in 2005 as a law clerk for the Honorable Nadine Ramsey at Civil District Court in Orleans Parish. In 2006, she became an associate at the law firm of Gary, Williams, Finney in Stuart, Florida, representing hundreds of plaintiffs in Vioxx litigation, personal injury and wrongful death cases. Judge Johnson then worked as an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Riviera Beach, Florida, where she advised the city and its various boards. She graduated from Tulane Law School in 2015, where she was a member of the Juvenile Litigation Law Clinic and served on the Executive Board of the Black Law Students Association. Judge Johnson attended Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia (B.A., Psychology, 1998). She graduated from Smith College with a Masters in Social Work. While in Atlanta, she practiced social work before returning to New Orleans for law school.
Judge Johnson is active in numerous professional and civic organizations. She is Past President of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, a former member of the Louisiana State Bar Association Board of Governors, and the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the New Orleans Bar Association, and the Executive Board of the A. P. Tureaud Chapter of the Inns of Court and the Paul S. Morton Scholarship Foundation. She is an active member of Greater St. Stephen Church and the New Orleans Chapter of the Links, Inc. She was born and raised in New Orleans and is proud graduate of McDonogh #35 Senior High School.
The Honorable Ronique Bastine-Robinson is a Judge of the Municipal Court for the City of Stafford in Texas. She is also board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, as well as a public speaker, and author of "From Divorce to Deliverance" and "Wisdom from the Judge on Surviving Divorce Legally and Emotionally with your Sanity, Stability and Spirit Intact." As an attorney for over 25 years, she represented a multiplicity of litigants on a wide range of family law matters and was highly sought after by many due to her ability to navigate clients through the complex legalities of divorce and the emotional journey accompanying the process. Judge Robinson serves on several state boards and law commissions and generously donates her time and legal expertise to her church and to a host of other civic and non-profit organizations. She is a graduate of Howard University (BA, 1988), Thurgood Marshall School of Law (JD, 1990), and the University of Houston (LL.M., 1996). She holds licenses with the State Bar of Texas (1991), and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (1993). She resides near Houston, Texas with her husband and three children.
Laura Tamez, Esq. is a shareholder with the Herrera Law Firm, where she practices civil litigation including cases relating to construction injury and oil rig litigation, medical malpractice and trucking accidents. She dedicates much of her practice to representing injured workers and their families. Laura served as first chair and lead counsel in a construction site amputation injury case where a Bexar County jury awarded the plaintiff $2.8 million. She was recently involved in a medical malpractice case as lead counsel resulting in a multi-million dollar settlement. She was one of the lead litigators in a construction defect case resulting in a multi-million dollar settlement for 65 families. Laura is Past President of the San Antonio Trial Lawyers Association, and the first woman recipient of its prestigious San Antonio Trial Lawyers Association Pat Maloney, Sr. Courage Award. She has testified before the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee, House Insurance and Industry Committee and the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee on behalf of TTLA. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Texas A&M University, and law degree from at St. Mary's University School of Law.
Laura recently joined NAWJ and will co-chair NAWJ's 40th Annual Conference "Shaping the Future of Justice in the Emerging Legal Landscape" in San Antonio with NAWJ Vice President of Districts, the Honorable Orlinda Naranjo, Judge of the 419th District Court in Austin TX. Welcome to NAWJ, Laura.
Nicole Erb, Esq. co-leads the international sanctions practice at White & Case LLP, where she is one of eight partners on the firm's global Partnership Committee, a partner-elected governance body. She previously served as Chair of the firm's Global Women's Initiative Committee. Nicole represents clients in complex transnational litigation matters, civil and criminal government investigations, voluntary self-disclosures (VSDs), compliance audits and internal investigations, as well as compliance, licensing and other regulatory matters. Her clients comprise foreign states and their state-owned entities, international financial institutions and multinational corporations in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Africa and Asia.
She routinely represents clients before the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Department of Justice, and the Department of State. Nicole advises clients on U.S. primary and secondary sanctions relating to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, and the Crimea region of Ukraine. She also advises on U.S. sectoral sanctions against Russia and Venezuela, and on matters involving OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), including applications to unblock assets. Clients benefit from her skill and experience in navigating complex, multijurisdictional disputes at all levels in federal and state courts. Her litigation matters typically involve questions under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).
Nicole joined NAWJ's Resource Board in 2007. In 2013, she co-chaired the Host Committee for NAWJ's Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. She also co-chaired NAWJ meetings with the Congres¬sional Caucus for Women's Issues. In 2010, Nicole was instru¬mental in forming a collaborative relationship between NAWJ, White & Case, and the Washington School for Girls that connects middle school students with legal and judicial leaders as mentors. She has generously opened White & Case's Wash¬ington, D.C. office to the seventh and eighth grade students from Washington School every other year since the program's start. Thank you, Nicole, for your steadfast support of NAWJ, and its mission.
Tom Leighton leads government relations, strategy and execution of content acquisition for Thomson Reuters Legal as Vice President of Content Acquisition & Government Relations. He commenced his business career at West Publishing in 1989 as a headnote editor and has enjoyed a series of interesting and challenging roles in the succeeding 28 years. Prior to joining West Publishing, Tom served three years in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Navy (including a year as Legal Officer for the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron – the Blue Angels) and followed his service practicing law with a firm in Minneapolis. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas, and a law degree from the University of Minnesota. Tom currently serves on the board of a number of law-related non-profit organizations including: the American Inns of Court Foundation, New York University Law School's Institute of Judicial Administration, and the United States Supreme Court Historical Society.
NAWJ has benefitted from Tom's steadfast commitment and support for over 14 years. This year, Tom joined the NAWJ Sustainability Committee and pledged to support NAWJ's Sustainability Project, which is important to the organization's future.
NAWJ is forever grateful to you Tom for your tireless commitment and dedication to NAWJ and its mission.
May 1, 2018 will mark the 60th Anniversary of Law Day. This year's theme is Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom. This year, NAWJ's Informed Voters-Fair Judges Project will celebrate Law Day by preparing an engaging slide presentation for members to use with public presentations. The resources available to NAWJ members will include a PowerPoint, handouts, and a guide to assist with public education about the three branches of government, separation of powers, checks and balances, and the role of the courts. A training webinar detailing the presentation will be held in early April 2018. For more information, please contact 
The Women's Bar Association (WBA) of the District of Columbia will honor NAWJ Past President, Chief Justice Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, as its 2018 WBA Women Lawyer of the Year. The award recognizes a leader who has championed change in the profession, advocating for justice, and promoting advancement of women in the profession. The presentation ceremony will take place at the WBA's Annual Dinner on May 17, 2018 in the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Find tickets to the event 
Congratulations to Judge Karen Donohue on her appointment to the King County Superior Court in February, 2018. Previously, Judge Donohue served on the Seattle Municipal Court bench, most recently as Chief Judge. She has been involved with NAWJ in numerous capacities including serving: as Education Chair of the 2016 Annual Conference, on the Board of Directors in the Executive Committee and as a District Director, and as Chair of the Technology and Social Media Committee. Judge Donohue was instrumental in developing and coordinating the implementation of NAWJ's new website, and was the 2016 recipient of NAWJ’s Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award.
Karen Johnson-McKewan, Esq., a partner with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, was recently selected to serve as one of eight members of the firm's Management Committee, a distinction well deserved! In addition to serving as Co-Chair of the Resource Board, Karen is involved with numerous NAWJ projects and initiatives. She provides invaluable pro-bono legal counsel and has served on several panels, including the upcoming NAWJ's Midyear Meeting panel ‘Somebody IS Watching Me - Cybersecurity, Privacy, and the Internet of Things’. In 2015, Karen was honored as the recipient of NAWJ’s Florence K. Murray Award.
The partnership between NAWJ and GEICO provides insurance discounts to NAWJ members. Contact GEICO for a free quote on auto insurance to see how much you could be saving. Remember to mention your NAWJ affiliation since you could qualify for an exclusive member savings opportunity. Visit Connect With Us
