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NAWJ Monthly Update March 2014

Written by National Association of Women Judges|March 01, 2014|Monthly Update Archive

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March 2014

In This Issue:
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

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


Midyear Conference logo

National Association of Women Judges
2014 Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference
March 13-15, 2014

Keynote Speaker
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
U.S. Department of Justice

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.

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
2:15-5:00 PM Private Lecture and Tour of the Archives Exhibit "Record of Rights"
4:00-5:30 PM NAWJ Resource Board Meeting
5:30-7:30 PM Reception at Venable, LLP

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
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
12:00-1:30 PM LUNCHEON with KEYNOTE ADDRESS
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Department of Justice
3:00-3:45PM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
Private Lecture at the U.S. Supreme Court
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.
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

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
12:00-4:00 PM NAWJ Board of Directors Meeting
Informal Reception

* This schedule is subject to change.


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

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

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

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.


Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby Receives
the Charlotte E. Ray Award from the National Bar Association


(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.


South Carolina Legislators Re-elect Hon. Jean Toal
Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court


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.


Calls for Submissions for the Next Issue of Counterbalance
Deadline: March 10, 2014

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.


NAWJ 36th Annual Conference
Protecting and Advancing Meaningful Access to Justice
October 15-19, 2014 • San Diego, CA
The Westin Gaslamp Quarter

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.


Events
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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