http://www.nawj.org/files/monthly_update/june_2015.html

In This Issue:
President's Message, President's Calendar
July 9th on Capitol Hill: RSVP to Meet the Congressional Women's Caucus and Discuss the Conditions of Women in Prison, Noon-1:30 PM
July 9th in Washington, D.C.: KICKOFF for the 2016 NAWJ Hosted IAWJ Biennial Conference in Washington, D.C., 6:00-7:30 PM
Member Spotlight: Judge Toni Clarke, Prince George's County Circuit Court, Maryland
Nominations for NAWJ 2015-2016 Executive Committee Opens: Deadline July 10
NAWJ Seeks Nominations for Annual NAWJ Awards: Deadline August 7
REGISTER for NAWJ's Annual Conference: October 7-11, 2015, Salt Lake City, Grand America Hotel
NAWJ Adopts Resolution on Recusal Decisions in Immigration Court
ABA Commission on the Future of Legal Services Invites Comments at Public Hearing in Chicago, August 1, 2015
NAWJ Congratulates ABA 2015 Margaret Brent Award Honoree Past President Justice Nan Duffly
GEICO Benefits Members
Calendar of Programs and Events
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, PRESIDENT'S CALENDAR
Greetings,
On the first day of summer, as I exchanged emails and engaged in committee calls involving our upcoming meetings and conferences, I was once again reminded of what makes NAWJ so vibrant and vital: the commitment and passion of our members, staff, and invited speakers to move forward our mission driven goals. In the coming year we will gather for the Congressional Women Caucus Luncheon focusing on incarcerated women, at our NAWJ Annual Conference in Salt Lake City surrounded by gorgeous mountains this October, and for the spectacular IAWJ Biennial conference set in our nation's capital next May. We understand the importance of and value the opportunity to gather to be inspired by our dynamic keynote speakers, to learn from the wide range of educational programming, and to get to know one another as colleagues, committee members with whom we share a passionate interest, and as valued friends from different backgrounds. The relationships we form over time both enrich our lives and broaden our perspectives at these extraordinary conferences. These 'take-aways' are further enhanced by meeting in locations all over the country, with social activities in coveted venues, such as the U.S Supreme Court, and enjoying the cultural activities and offerings indigenous to the chosen locale.
Much of the work of NAWJ is done long distance - through emails, regularly scheduled and quickly set conference calls, district events and meetings, and the occasional 'meet up' at related events, such as the Commission on Women at the ABA meetings. It is very apparent over my years of attending that our conferences not only inspire and motivate, but also foster an esprit de corps and a pride in the impact NAWJ has as an organization. Our conferences are a call to action to further our mission objectives of protecting the rights of individuals under the rule of law, a commitment especially critical to those vulnerable populations and historically disfavored groups who need our voice, and to do so through advancing women and endorsing diverse judicial leadership; to ensuring access to the courts for all; and to creating and maintaining fairness and equality throughout our justice system.
The collegiality, exchange of ideas through formal and informal conversations, and the collective energy cannot be duplicated or nourished at the same level without assembling at these annual gatherings. Recognition of the intangibles that flow from being a full participant in these conferences, as well as such participation being critical to the continued impact of the NAWJ voice, is what sets us apart from many other organizations who have defaulted to an a la carte system – and harkens back to NAWJ's beginnings under our founders, Judges Joan Dempsey Klein and Vaino Spencer, in 1979.
One need only glance at the array of offerings at the upcoming Salt Lake City conference to appreciate the depth and breadth of the substantive programming: Human Trafficking, Impact of the Media, Beginning and End of Life Issues, Gender Bias and Same Sex Marriage Issues, Evidentiary Issues re: Magnetic Brain Images, the School to Prison Pipeline, and Domestic Violence issues - but a smattering of the offerings. A quick glance at just one set of keynote speakers and panelists at the NAWJ hosted IAWJ Biennial next May is indicative of the quality and tenor of that conference at which is anticipated over 700 women judges from around the world will participate: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Lady Hale of Britain, Chief Justice Irene Mambilima of Zambia, Justice Elena Highton-Nolasco of the Argentina's Supreme Court, and the Philippines Supreme Court Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will also participate and we have extended an invitation to Justice Elena Kagan.
So, I urge all of you to strongly consider registering for the conference in Salt Lake City this coming October 7 - 11, and Seattle when the time comes the following October, and to make plans to attend the extraordinary IAWJ conference in Washington D.C. May 26 - 29, 2016.
I assure that you will be amazed at all that you will experience and absorb by attending these carefully crafted and first rate conferences. Your only regret will be if you do not attend!
Warm Regards,
Julie
Judge Julie E. Frantz
President's Calendar:
July 9-10: Attending the Congressional Women Caucus Luncheon focusing on Incarcerated Women and the IAWJ Biennial 'Kick Off' Reception in Washington D.C., on July 9;
July 31 - August 2: Attending the ABA Annual Meeting, including the Commission on Women and the Margaret Brent Award Luncheon at which former NAWJ President Justice Nan Duffly will be a recipient.

Women in Prison to Focus
NAWJ Meeting with the Congressional Women's Caucus
July 9th on Capitol Hill • Noon-1:30 PM
**
RSVP to lcousin@nawj.org
HOTEL: Fairfax Embassy Row $149/night. Call 1-888-627-8439 (NAWJ).
NAWJ PRESIDENT
Judge Julie Frantz, Multnomah County Circuit Court, Oregon
WOMEN'S CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS
Representative Kristi Noem (South Dakota) • Representative Doris Matsui (California)
CONGRESSIONAL ATTENDEES
Representative Corrine Brown (Florida)
Representative Debbie Dingell (Michigan)
Representative Donna F. Edwards (Maryland)
Representative-Brenda Lawrence (Michigan)
Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (Washington, D.C.)
NAWJ WOMEN IN PRISON COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
Hon. Brenda Murray, Securities & Exchange Commission
Hon. Betty J. Williams, Kings County Criminal Court, New York
SPEAKERS
Alix M. McLearen,Ph.D.
Administrator, Female Offender Branch, Federal Bureau of Prisons
Sam Simon
Senior Counsel to Honorable Richard Blumenthal, Senate Judiciary Committee
Professor Brenda V. Smith
American University Washington College of Law;
Project Director, U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections Cooperative
Agreement on Addressing Prison Rape
JOIN US!
RSVP to lcousin@nawj.org and obtain a room at the FAIRFAX EMBASSY ROW hotel, $149/night. Call 1-888-627-8439 and reference NAWJ to make your reservations.

NAWJ Kick-Off Reception
for the NAWJ-IAWJ 2016 Biennial Conference
July 9th • 6:00-7:30 pm
Offices of Hunton & Williams LLP
The National Association of Women Judges will host the 2016 IAWJ Biennial Conference in Washington, D.C. from May 26-29. Conference Co-Chairs Hon. Carolyn Temin and Hon. Jane Craney will join with their team of planners for a festive kickoff the evening of July 9th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the offices of law firm Hunton and Williams located at 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, downtown Washington, D.C.
JOIN US! RSVP to Marie Komisar at mkomisar@nawj.org. Those attendees of the Capitol Hill meeting and IAWJ Biennial Kickoff may reserve a room in the FAIRFAX EMBASSY ROW hotel, $149/night. Call 1-888-627-8439 and reference NAWJ.

Member Spotlight: Judge Toni E. Clarke Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland
The Honorable Toni E. Clarke has been a member of NAWJ since 1999. She was appointed to the Seventh Judicial Circuit sitting in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland on January 8, 1998. She was the first African-American female to serve as State's Attorney for Prince George's County, Maryland, and the State of Maryland. You may read her full bio here. Last week, Judge Clarke was appointed by NAWJ to serve as its ABA Delegate. This role expands her reach in many concurrent activities including planning the District's upcoming conference in Virginia.
Six Things You Don't Know About Judge Toni E. Clarke
My secret superpower…
I often tell people I went from one bench to another. I played basketball on the women's varsity team at the Pennsylvania State University, and yes, I spent some time on the bench. Something I wasn't quite used to since I started my entire high school career on the varsity squad. I've attached a picture of me from my playing days. (DON'T LAUGH)
I have…
Between my sophomore and junior years in High School I tried out for the U.S. Women's Pan Am basketball team, which became the women's Olympic basketball team, and was the last player cut.
My first job after graduating from college was…
My first job after college was Sports Director for the Recreation Department of Montgomery County, Maryland. In that capacity I organized all adult sports leagues and tournaments, and youth tennis tournaments.
Between college and law school I…
Between College and Law School I obtained a paralegal certificate from the Antioch School of Law and started my legal career as a "go for", then paralegal in a law firm. As a result, I have held almost every position in the legal profession from file clerk to paralegal to judge, and all jobs in between.
I…
I attended law school in the evening and worked in a law firm in the above positions during the day. Because I was an evening student, I was also able to be a judicial law clerk my last two years of law school.
I am proud of …
About 5 years ago my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through chemo and surgery and is a survivor. When she was first diagnosed, in support of her and in her honor, I walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in the Washington D.C. event, walking a Marathon (26.4 miles) on Saturday and walking a Half-Marathon on Sunday. The following year, after all of her treatments and surgery, my sister and I walked it together. It was truly one of the most rewarding experiences in my life.

Call for Nominations for
2015-2016 NAWJ Board of Directors Positions
The Nominating Committee of the National Association of Women Judges seeks nominees for the following positions for the 2014 - 2015 term:
President-Elect
Vice President for Districts
Vice President for Publications
Secretary
Treasurer
International Director
NAWJ BYLAWS:
The duties of the above positions are set out in the NAWJ Bylaws at: 
Article. X (Duties of Officers) and
Article. VIII (Representatives to Other Organizations.)
Article. IX provides:
§1: "Only voting members of the organization in good standing shall be eligible to hold office."
§2(b) "The Nominating Committee shall present at least one (l) nominee for each officer's position. A nomination for each officer's position also may be submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee by petition of no less than nine (9) voting members of the organization at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting. The list of nominees for each position designated by the Nominating Committee and by petition shall be circulated to the voting membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting. Nominations for all officer positions may also be made by voting members from the floor at the Annual Meeting provided such nominees' names have previously been submitted to the Nominating Committee and the Nominating Committee has failed to endorse their candidacy."
Article. XI, §7 provides:
"The Nominating Committee, chaired by the Immediate Past President, shall consist of no less than nine (9) members selected to afford fair representation to all regions of the country. Names of the members of the Nominating Committee shall be circulated by the President to the voting members not less than ninety (90) days prior to the Annual Meeting."
* * *
We invite you to nominate yourself or another member (with consent) for any of these offices.
Only voting members, current members who are either sitting or retired member judges, in good standing are eligible to hold office and remain subject to the canons of judicial conduct.
Please submit a letter stating the roles the nominee has played in NAWJ activities, including particular accomplishments you wish to bring to the committee's attention, and the nominee's curriculum vita. The letter also should include a paragraph on the strengths the nominee would bring to the leadership of the organization, such as, for example, past financial experience for the position of treasurer. Current officers seeking a different office must submit a letter of nomination. The President-Elect must have served a term as Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer, or, as Chair of the Projects Committee or the Finance Committee. Candidates for the position of President-Elect should also address their plans to continue and build on NAWJ's existing projects and programs and to implement NAWJ's Strategic Plan, which can be found at NAWJ's website.
Individual nominations, nominations by petition and letters of support must be submitted to the Nominating Committee by Friday, July 10, 2015.
Please address letters to:
National Association of Women Judges
ATTN: Hon. Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, Chair, Nominating Committee
1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 1138
Washington, D.C. 20036
Fax: (202) 393-0125 or
Email: cevans@nawj.org and ablackburnerigsby@dcappeals.gov
* * *
NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, District of Columbia Court of Appeals, Chair
Judge Bernice Donald, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Justice Nan Duffly, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Chief Justice Dana Fabe, Alaska Supreme Court
Chief Judge Jennifer Gee, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Administrative Law Judges
Judge Marcella Holland, Circuit Court for Baltimore City (Retired)
Judge Gladys Kessler, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Judge Brenda Loftin, St. Louis County Circuit Court (Retired)
Justice Judith McConnell, California Court of Appeal
Chief Justice Amy Nechtem, Administrative Office of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court
Justice Bea Ann Smith, Texas Court of Appeals (Retired)
Judge Vanessa Ruiz, District of Columbia Court of Appeals

NAWJ Awards Committee Seeks Nominations
for Annual Hon. Joan Dempsey Klein Honoree of the Year Award
and Florence K. Murray Award
NAWJ Executive Committee and President to Consider Candidates for Mattie Belle Davis
Award and Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award
The NAWJ Awards Committee requests nominations for the Honorable Joan Dempsey Klein Honoree of the Year Award and for the Florence K. Murray Award. Nominations will be accepted until the deadline of August 7, 2015. To assist you in nominating candidates for these two awards, click here for application guidelines for the KLEIN Award, and here for the MURRAY Award.
In addition, the Executive Committee and the President will respectively select 2015 honorees for the Mattie Belle Davis Award and the Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award. Click here to review guidelines for the Mattie Belle Davis and Justice Vaino Spencer Awards.
Awards will be given out during the 37th Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Please submit completed nominations no later than August 8 to mkomisar@nawj.org by mail or fax to:
National Association of Women Judges
Attn: Hon. Amy L. Nechtem
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1138
Washington, D.C. 20036
Fax: 202-393-0125
AWARDS COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Judge Diana Becton, Contra Costa County Superior Court
Judge Diana S. Eagon, Hennepin County District Court (Retired)
Chief Justice Dana Fabe, Alaska Supreme Court
Judge Brenda Loftin, St. Louis County Circuit Court (Retired)
Chief Justice Barbara Madsen, Washington State Supreme Court
Judge Vanessa Ruiz, District of Columbia Court of Appeals

 
CONFERENCE CHAIRS
Hon. Michele Christiansen, Utah Court of Appeals
Hon. Sharon McCully (Retired), 3rd District Juvenile Court
Education: Hon. Kate Toomey, Utah Court of Appeals
FRIENDS COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Tammy G. Georgelas, Esq., Parsons Behle & Latimer
Margaret N. McGann, Esq., Parsons Behle & Latimer
NAWJ 37th Annual Conference
October 7-11, 2015 • Salt Lake City, Utah
Grand America Hotel
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015
Optional Tours
Film Screening of Women Trailblazers in the Law: Utah's First 100 Women Lawyers
International Judges Reception
New Judges/First-Time Attendee Reception
Welcome Reception
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2015
Gender Bias: How Far Have We Come in 25 Years?
After Marriage: A Dialogue on LGBT Rights and Religious Liberties
Keynote Speaker: Professor Sujata Warrier
Impact of Media/Social Media on High Profile Cases
Disrupting the School to Prison Pipeline
The Uneasy Intersection of Law And Medicine
Reception at the National History Museum
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015
Erwin Chemerinsky
Immigration Issues Facing Local, State and Federal Courts
Human Trafficking: A Pro Bono Counsel's View of U.S. v. Adan
Friends Appreciation Luncheon
Evidentiary Issues Involving Magnetic Images of the Brain
Domestic Sex Trafficking: Overcoming the Barriers to Successful Prosecutions
Predictable Misjudgment: How Intuition Misleads Judges
Justice Reinvestment Initiative: A National Perspective
A Conversation with Judge Ilana Diamond Rovner, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
Where Are We Almost 50 Years After In Re Gault?
Utah Women Lawyers Judicial Reception
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2015
Annual NAWJ Business Meeting
Mindfulness and Meditation
Personal Story - Born in Prison, A Woman Rises Against the Odds
Annual NAWJ Gala Banquet
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2015
Live broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word featuring The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES:
$525 for Members who are First-Time Attendees
$595 for NAWJ Members ($550 Earlybird rate until April 25, 2015)
$695 for Non-Member Attendees
$575 Guest Rate for Spouse and Children of Attendees ($550 Earlybird rate until April 25, 2015)
Register online here, or download and fax this registration form.
ROOM RESERVATIONS: 
Call (800) 304-8696 • NAWJ Rate: $189/night, plus applicable taxes
For More Information Contact:
Conference Manager: Mary Kathleen Todd at mtodd@nawj.org

NAWJ Board of Directors Adopts Resolution on
Recusal Decisions in Immigration Court
NAWJ's Executive Committee, after additional discussion, voted on May 15, 2015, at a regularly scheduled monthly conference call, to recommend to the Board of Directors the adoption of the resolution regarding "Recusal Decisions in Immigration Court" discussed at the April 25, 2015 Board of Directors meeting held at the Midyear Meeting in Chicago. As modified by the amendments proposed and incorporated in the Resolution the Resolution may be found here.

ABA Presidential Commission on the Future of Legal Services
invites comments at a public hearing during the ABA
Annual Meeting in Chicago:
Saturday, August 1, 2015
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Swissotel, Lucerne II, Ballroom Level
More information here. If you are interested in testifying or providing written comment, please contact Katy Englehart in the ABA Office of the President at katy.englehart@americanbar.org. To learn more about the Commission, please visit: www.ambar.org/abafutures.

Congratulations to NAWJ Past President Justice Nan Duffly
an ABA Commission on Women in the Profession
2015 Margaret Brent Award Honoree
Awards presented at
Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards Luncheon
Sunday, August 2nd in Chicago, Illinois
The 2015 Honorees:
Mari Carmen Aponte, Ambassador of the United States to El Salvador
Lieutenant General Flora D. Darpino, U. S. Army, Judge Advocate General
Justice Fernande R.V. (Nan) Duffly, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Mary Ann Hynes, Esq., Senior Counsel, Dentons US LLP; Formerly, SVP, General Counsel, Ingredion
Professor Emma Coleman Jordan, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC

Landmark Sponsor GEICO
Part of NAWJ and GEICO's partnership will provide insurance discounts to NAWJ members. Contact GEICO for a free quote on auto insurance to see how much you could be saving. And, don't forget to mention your NAWJ affiliation; you could qualify for an exclusive member savings opportunity. Visit www.geico.com/disc/nawj (special portal here) or call 1-800-368-2734 for your free rate quote. GEICO can also help you find great rates on homeowners, renters, motorcycle insurance, and more!

Calendar of Programs and Events

2015
July
The Annual NAWJ Meeting with the Congressional Women's Caucus will take place on July 9, 20515 from noon to 1:30 pm on Capitol Hill. All members are welcome. RSVP to lcousin@nawj.org.
October
NAWJ will hold its 37th Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah from October 8-11, 2015.
2016
May
The International Association of Women Judges Biennial will be hosted in the United States by the National Association of Women Judges in Washington D.C. from May 26-29, 2016.
October
NAWJ 37th Annual Conference will take place in Seattle, Washington from October 5-9, 2016 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel.