http://www.nawj.org/files/monthly_update/november_2011.html 

In This Issue:
33rd Annual Conference Garners Super Attendance, International Attendees Soar
NAWJ Swears in Massachusetts Juvenile Court Judge Amy L. Nechtem President for 2011-2012
NAWJ Board of Directors Sworn in for 2011-2012 Board Year
Join Fellow Members Who Share Your Interests - Sign Up Now for NAWJ Committees
2012 Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts – March 9-11th: Register Your Attendance and Reserve Your Room Today!
Save the Date - 2012 Annual Conference in Miami, Florida, November 7-11, 2012
NAWJ Cofounder Hon. Joan Dempsey Klein Honored with Bernard E. Witkin Medal from the State Bar of California
NAWJ Salutes ‘Champions of Change’ at White House Event on Domestic Violence Awareness
NAWJ Book Drive a Success!
Memberships Drive Continues with Additional Discounts for Signature Events
Update Your Member Record for the 2012 Membership Directory
Registration Now Open for IAWJ Biennial Conference in London May 2-5, 2012
Global Women’s Issues Conference Showcases the Talents of Newark
After two years of inspiring planning and leadership, 2011 Annual Conference Chair Hon. Sue Pai Yang, Judge on the New Jersey Workers Compensation Court, and Conference Co-Chair Frances Bouchoux, Senior Associate Dean at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, presided over six days of education programming on the leading issues of current times; gatherings of the state, federal and international legal community of judges, attorneys, academics and nonprofit leaders; and a most welcome venue for the annual meetings of the National Association of Women Judges. As one of the top two most well attended conferences NAWJ has presented, Global Women’s Issues, attracted over 500 people, 50 of whom were international attendees from 23 different countries.
The 33rd Annual Conference took place throughout downtown Newark, New Jersey from October 12-16, 2011, at venues including Rutgers School of Law-Newark, Seton Hall University Law School, Essex County Historic Courthouse, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, The Newark Club and the Hilton Hotel. The myriad of inviting activities would not have been possible without the additional energy and dedication of the Conference Planning Committee including Lorraine A. Abraham, Esq., Hon. Frances L. Antonin (Retired), Hon. Judith Chirlin (Retired), Hon. Estela Maria De La Cruz, Hon. Barbara A. Curran (Retired), Hon. Rosemary Gambardella, Hon. Debra J. Gelson, Hon. Michelle Hollar-Gregory, Mamie M. Lau, Hon. Amy L. Nechtem, Hon. Sandra Ann Robinson, Hon. Lourdes I. Santiago, Hon. Isabel B. Stark (Retired), Hon. Siobhan A. Teare and Susan E. Volkert, Esq.
Friends Committee Chair Paulette Brown, Esq., Partner and Chief Diversity Officer at Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge, LLP, whose fundraising talents matched the vision of conference chairs, raised considerable funds to support the Conference. Nearly $200,000 was raised from the Newark community from approximately 50 firm, corporate, university, and individual contributors.
In addition, we acknowledge and greatly appreciate the many volunteers and exceptional guest speakers, who joined in making the experience in Newark unforgettable.
Enthusiasm in Anticipation
Before the conference officially began, judges visiting from other countries experiences with tours of the local courts. The strong gathering of attendees for The Mentor/Mentee session for First Time Attendees and International Judges praised conference organizers for providing an opportunity to share experiences and socialize with each other. Later that evening, conferees joined at the beautiful, storied Essex County Historic Courthouse for the Welcome Reception. New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, with a gracious warm welcome, addressed the group proudly noting the advances in judicial diversity made by New Jersey.
The Friends Appreciation Luncheon
The extraordinary contributions made to this year’s conference were championed by attorney Paulette Brown. A program at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center acknowledged Conference donors with masterful dance performances from the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. Warm greetings were given by the Hon. Kim Guadagno, Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, and the Hon. Cory Booker, Mayor of the City of Newark, New Jersey. Senior Counselor to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, the Hon. Alice Chamberlayne Hill (Judge, Retired) offered the keynote address describing the Department’s many efforts designed to combat human trafficking.
Keeping Current
While the opening panel, Conversation with Leaders of Global Issues, remained at the host hotel, this year’s conference offered attendees an alternative experience by holding education session at academic bastions Rutgers Law School-Newark and Seton Hall University Law School. The source of many of the conference’s participants, and instrumental in logistics, organizational and volunteer support, both Rutgers and Seton Hall afforded easily accessible venues and a wealth of knowledge on the many topics NAWJ wished to impart to attendees. There were sessions on Urban Revitalization; Forensic Evidence and Daubert; Family Law and Domestic Violence; and Effective Leadership Styles, in addition, many sessions surrounded this year’s conference theme Global Women’s Issues. Click here to review the sessions in the Conference Program Guide.
Dedication to Former NAWJ President the late Hon. Shirley Tolentino
The education programs at Seton Hall University School of Law were dedicated to the memory of the late Hon. Shirley Tolentino, who was NAWJ’s President from 1996-97 and a Seton Hall alumna. Inspirational remarks were given by Paula Dow Esq., Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, Hon. Renee Jones Weeks, Superior Court, State of New Jersey (Retired), and Hon. Joyce London Alexander-Ford (Judge, Retired), U.S. District Court, Massachusetts. All spoke to the extraordinary and vast legacy Judge Tolentino left by touching the lives of many people in the legal profession and throughout the community. Heartfelt remarks were given by her husband, Dr. Ernesto Tolentino, and daughter Ana-Ramona Tolentino, an attorney. As part of the dedication, the Hon. Tiffany Williams sung the national anthem, and an NAWJ Equal Access to Justice Scholarship was awarded in honor of the late Hon. Shirley Tolentino to Chrishana M. White, a law student at Seton Hall. Girl Scout Junior Troop 21263, Cadette Troop 594, and Troop 12182 served as color guard for the morning ceremonies. The late Honorable Shirley Tolentino served on Hudson County’s Girl Scouts Board of Directors.
Annual Business Meeting, New President and Great Food
At Newark's famous Don Pepe’s Restaurant, members and guests joined to celebrate the achievements of the passing year, and to look forward to the exciting year ahead. NAWJ devoted members, the Hon. Judith Chirlin, recently retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court, and Hon. Jennifer Gee, District Chief Judge at the U.S. Department of Labor, San Francisco, were proud recipients of the awards recognizing their service and achievements. Outgoing NAWJ President Hon. Marjorie Laird Carter proudly presented Judge Chirlin the Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award and Judge Gee the Mattie Belle Davis Award. Congratulations to both!!
The elections of new board officers proved to be a festive event as well, as new leaders were sworn into office by Founding Mother Justice Joan Dempsey Klein. Click here to view listing of the full board. Continuing this yearly meeting ritual, after the new President, Massachusetts Juvenile Court Judge Amy L. Nechtem, was sworn in, she was surrounded by a team of fellow Massachusetts and NAWJ District One judges in support of her upcoming service as President. You may learn more about Judge Nechtem, and read her investiture speech here.
The outstanding Portuguese cuisine at Don Pepe’s was an experience in and of itself with over seven courses served to the delight of all in attendance.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Awards and… Singing and Dancing!
The NAWJ Annual Awards Banquet began with frequent conference attendee Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg addressing our group, impressing upon them the importance of dissent (read New Jersey’s Star Ledger account here.) To a packed, quiet room at The Newark Club, Justice Ginsburg drew a line through the history of dissent on the bench leading to advancements in equal rights through future legislation. Equally pleasing for the Justice was her opportunity to present the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Scholarship Award to Seton Hall law student Megan Altman, already in pursuit of values in NAWJ’s mission.
The banquet’s namesake is reserved for one of the evening’s most important events – the awarding of NAWJ awards. This year’s recipient of the Florence K. Murray Award is Elaine Metlin, Esq. a partner at one of the nation's leading firms, Dickstein Shapiro LLP. Ms. Metlin humbly accepted this award in recognition of her service supporting women in the profession and encouraged the audience of judges to use the discretion they have to make a difference by inquiring into a firm’s representation that appears in their court.
The Hon. Judith Chirlin presented the Joan Dempsey Klein Honoree of the Year Award to Hon. Judith S. Kaye, former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. The award recognized Judge Kaye’s decades of trailblazing achievements for the courts New York.
Despite these august presentations, the highlight of the evening was the performances of the young people in the Newark Symphony Hall’s Ensemble. In a series of renditions of classic songs, the kids of the ensemble paid enthusiastic tribute to the brilliant, devoted and lovely women in the audience. You had to be there!
Attendees thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from the totality of events, both social and educational, and appreciated the warm hospitality extended to all. Some attendees took advantage of excursions offered to grand estates deep within Essex County, NJ and to New York City. Many thanks to the security services provided by the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, FBI, and the New Jersey state and the local police. Thank you once again to the 2011 Annual Conference Chairs Judge Sue Pai Yang and Dean Frances Bouchoux and to the entire Conference Planning Committee.

Massachusetts Juvenile Court Judge Amy L. Nechtem
NAWJ’s 32nd President
Massachusetts Juvenile Court Judge Amy L. Nechtem was sworn in as President of the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ), the nation’s leading voice for women jurists. An active member since 2002, she served in several board officer roles and served on numerous committees throughout her years in the Association. She becomes NAWJ’s 32nd President.
Judge Nechtem was appointed to the Massachusetts Juvenile Court in the fall of 2001. Prior to her appointment, Judge Nechtem served in the Suffolk County District Attorney's in Boston as a lead prosecutor of a Major Felony Team and of a Child Abuse Unit. She has also served in the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and, for a time, in private practice. Judge Nechtem was recently awarded the Judicial Excellence Award for the Juvenile Court by the state's professional judicial organization, the Massachusetts Judges Conference.
Judge Nechtem attended Simmons College and Suffolk University Law School, both in Boston, Massachusetts. She proudly hails from Chelsea, a diverse, dynamic little city directly on the outskirts of Boston. She shares the honor of her presidency with her daughter, Kate, also an attorney in Boston.
Judge Nechtem said, “We must never lose sight of our mission to protect the rights of individuals under our rule of law to ensure equal access to justice for all. These are not just words. Our success is evident in our outstanding programs and committee work performed for over 33 years by our devoted membership across this great country. It is an understatement to say that I am honored to be your president and will work diligently to raise awareness, to educate and to effect positive changes for our populations at risk". Click here to read Judge Nechtem’s investiture speech.
NAWJ 2011-2012 Board of Directors
NAWJ announces its 2011-2012 Board of Directors:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Hon. Amy L. Nechtem
Massachusetts Juvenile Court
Boston, MA
President-Elect
Hon. Joan V. Churchill
Immigration Court (Retired)
Chevy Chase, MD
Vice President, Districts
Hon. Tanya R. Kennedy
Civil Court, New York, NY 
Vice President, Publications
Hon. Anna Blackburne-Rigsby 
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Washington, D.C.
Treasurer
Hon. Julie E. Frantz
Multnomah County Circuit Court
Portland, OR    Secretary
Hon. Maritza Segarra
Geary County District Court
Junction City, KS
Immediate Past President
Hon. Marjorie Laird Carter
Orange County Superior Court
Newport Beach, CA
Finance Committee Chair
Hon. Susan Criss
212th District Court of Galveston County
Galveston, TX
Projects Committee Chair
Hon. Sheri S. Roman
Appellate Division, 2nd Department
Kew Gardens, NY
DISTRICT DIRECTORS
District 1 (ME, MA, NH, PR, RI)
Hon. Ariane Vuono
Massachusetts Appeals Court 
Boston, MA
District 2 (CT, NY, VT)
Hon. Phyllis Orlikoff Flug
New York State Supreme Court
Jamaica, NY
District 3 (DE, NJ, PA, Virgin Islands)
Hon. Sandra Robinson
New Jersey Administrative Law Court
Newark, NJ
District 4 (DC, MD, VA)
Hon. Claudia Barber
District of Columbia Office of Administrative Hearings
Washington, D.C.
District 5 (FL, GA, NC, SC)
Hon. Lisa S. Walsh
Circuit Court for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit
Miami, FL
District 6 (AL, LA, MS, TN)
Hon. Mary Hotard Becnel
40th Judicial District Court
Edgard, LA
District 7 (MI, OH, WV)
Hon. Katherine L. Hansen
36th District Court
Detroit, MI    District 8 (IL, IN, KY)
TBD
District 9 (IA, MO, WI)
Hon. Anne Walsh Bradley
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Madison, WI
District 10 (KS, MN, NE, ND, SD)
Hon. Renee Worke
Minnesota Court of Appeals
St. Paul, MN
District 11 (AR, OK, TX)
Hon. Orlinda Naranjo
419th District Court
Austin, TX
District 12 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY)
Hon. Ann Scott Timmer
Court of Appeals, Division 1
Phoenix, AZ
District 13 (AK, HI, ID, MT, WA, OR)
Hon. Marilyn G. Paja
Kitsap County District Court
Port Orchard, WA
District 14 (CA, NV)
Hon. Diana Becton
Contra Costa Superior Court
Martinez, CA
SPECIAL DIRECTORS
International Director through 5/5/12
Hon. Sue Pai Yang
NJ Workers' Compensation Court
Newark, New Jersey
International Director beginning 5/6/12
Hon. Ann Walsh Bradley
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Madison, Wisconsin
ABA Delegate
Hon. Fernande R.V. Duffly
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Boston, MA
Sign Up Now for NAWJ Working Committees
All NAWJ members regardless of membership category are encouraged to sign up to participate in NAWJ Committees for the upcoming 2011-2012 year. Even if you were a committee member last year, you should reaffirm your continuing participation to ensure you are included in the 2012 Membership Directory listings. Please click here to review open committees and to sign up. You may also download the Committee Descriptions here.
2011-2012 NAWJ Working Committees
Administrative Judiciary Committee
Amicus Committee
Awards Committee
Bylaws Committee
Conference Site Selection Committee
Domestic Violence
Ethics Committee
Fairness and Access Committee
Federal Judges Committee
Human Trafficking Committee
International Outreach Committee
International Parental Abduction Liaison Network Committee
Judicial Academic Network/ Judicial Education Committee    Judicial Independence Committee
Judicial Selection Committee
Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Committee
Media and Public Relations Committee
Membership Outreach and Retention Committee
Military Courts Committee
New Judges Committee 
Projects Committee
Resolutions Committee
Retired/Senior Judges Committee
Rural Courts Committee
Trial Judges Outreach Committee
Women in Prison Committee

2012 Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference
March 9 – 11, 2012
The Charles Hotel
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Room Reservations: 800-882-1818
NAWJ Rate: $239/night, plus applicable taxes
Deadline to Reserve: February 17, 2012
Midyear Meeting Registration Fees*
NAWJ Members: $195
Non-NAWJ Member Guests:    $245
FRIDAY MARCH 9, 2012
KEYNOTE LUNCHEON
Location: Harvard Law School
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
NAWJ members and guests will lunch at the prestigious Harvard Law School and hear from a keynote speaker addressing Choice Feminism and the Revolution of Declining Expectations.
Keynote Speaker: Judge Nancy Gertner (Ret.), U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
A CONVERSATION WITH THE JUSTICE Location: Harvard Law School
Time: 1:35 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
NAWJ members and guests will have the privilege of enlightening remarks and insight into life as a member of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Speaker: Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the United States
Moderated by Dean Martha Minow, Harvard Law School
Presentation of the NAWJ Justice Elena Kagan Scholarship Award
EDUCATION PROGRAM
Location: Harvard Law School
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Topic currently being developed.
Speaker: Professor Vicki C. Jackson, Harvard Law School
JUDICIAL/FRIENDS RECEPTION
Location: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00p.m.
NAWJ members and guests will enjoy an evening reception at one of Boston’s notable venues and network with old and new friends.
SATURDAY MARCH 10, 2012
BREAKFAST
Location: The Charles Hotel
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
EDUCATION PROGRAM
Location: The Charles Hotel
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Children & Immigration Issues – The Intersection in Judicial Proceedings
FREE TIME TO EXPLORE BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE AND SURROUNDS
Free time for those not attending the NAWJ Board meeting to explore Boston, Cambridge and surrounds. 
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
NAWJ 2012 MIDYEAR BOARD MEETING
NAWJ Board members and all NAWJ members that wish to attend.
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
JUDICIAL RECEPTION
Location: TBD
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
NAWJ members and guests will enjoy an evening reception at one of Boston’s notable venues and network with old and new friends.
SUNDAY MARCH 11, 2012
FARWELL BREAKFAST
Location: The Charles Hotel
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
"Meet Me In Miami”
NAWJ 34th Annual Conference
November 7 – 11, 2012
Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Room Reservations: (800) 319-5354
NAWJ Rate: $199/night, plus applicable taxes
Register online or download the registration form to register.
Click here to find the Conference Planners, Friends Committee, and program descriptions.
CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS
Judge Lisa S. Walsh    Judge Myriam Lehr
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Judge Gladys Perez (Chair)    Maureen Jaeger Walsh
SPEAKERS COMMITTEE
Judge Gladys Perez (Chair)    Laura Morilla
INTERNATIONAL JUDGES COMMITTEE
Judge Mercedes Bach (Chair)    Judge Judy Chirlin
SOCIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE
Judge Nushin Sayfie (Co-Chair)    Judge Lourdes Simon (Co-Chair)    Amy Rosenberg
FRIENDS COMMITTEE
Law Firm Partners Co-Chairs
Elizabeth Hernandez, Akerman Senterfitt 
Linda M. Leali, White & Case LLP
Detra P. Shaw-Wilder, Koyzak Tropin & Throckmorton
Corporate Partners Chair
Mikki Canton, AsiaAmericana International LLC
Friends Committee Members
Melissa Alvarez
Hilarie Bass
Jeffrey Bass
Caryn Bellus
Leyza Blanco 
David M. Buckner
Carmen Manrara Cartaya
Raul Chacon
Kimberly Cook
Ileana Cruz
Melanie Damian
Steve Davis
Angela Daker
Marisol Gomez Decena 
Vivian de la Cuevas-Diaz
Katherine Warthen Ezell    Lyan Fernandez
Sandra Ferrara
Dori Foster-Morales 
Carol Fox
Amy Furness
Betsy E. Gallagher
Carlos Gonzalez
Melissa Hernandez 
Julie Kane
Gerald Kornreich
Sabrina Ferris 
Alexandra Bach Lagos
Lisa Lehner
Leslie Lott 
Gustavo Membiela
Jorge Mestre    Nicole Mestre
Stephanie Moon
Edith Osman
Melissa Pallet-Vasquez
Wayne Pathman
Carolina Pelleya
Jorge Perez
Barbara Riesberg
Cristina Rodriguez
Wilfredo Rodriguez
Brigid Cech Samole 
Bill Simonovitch
Rudy Sorondo
Myron D. Stayman 
Ramona Thomas
Laura Wendell
TENATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW
PLENARY PANELS
INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY
This panel will address – what are the problems facing independence of the judiciary, what can we do about it, what ARE we doing about it, effective strategies for judicial independence, what is happening in other countries
POWER AND REACH OF THE INTERNET AND THE AGE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING 
What are the existing privacy laws, what are expectations of privacy, how do those existing privacy laws fit in with the current realities, cyberstalking and available remedies. How does the internet and social networking impact the judiciary and the ethics of judges or their clerks using the internet to research information about cases, jury members, lawyers, etc.
JUDGING IN AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
This panel will address what judges can, do and should communicate with one another, formally and informally, regarding cross border issues or simultaneous proceedings. We will use Chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code, which explicitly authorizes such communication, as a spring board for what could be used as a model in general business cases.
BRINGING HUMAN RIGHTS HOME 
This panel will examine what is new and what is happening with respect to the use of Human Rights Norms in the domestic (US) context.
CONCURRENT SESSIONS
THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
These two panels will address how the economic crisis is hurting, who and where.
(i) HIDDEN IMPACT: THE UNSEEN CONSEQUENCES OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
Beyond banks and board rooms the global economic downturn is having a profound effect on the everyday lives of people around the world. Societies, too, are being tested as the engines of economic growth sputter forward. This panel will explore the less visible consequences of the financial crisis and its impact on people and communities.
(ii) CURBING ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN A DOWN ECONOMY
Equal justice is an idea that we have long striven for in American society. But, is the economic crisis, with its strained government budgets, court cutbacks and loss of legal aid funding, turning back the clock on the progress we've made in reaching the goal of equal justice for all? Join us for this panel in which we will discuss how the financial squeeze is impacting access to justice at the individual court level and in society in general.
PRESENTATIONS BY AUTHORS
We will have two authors discuss books they have recently written and sign books.
(i)    Judith Resnick will speak about her book “Representing Justice”.
(ii)    Prof. Sally Kenney will discuss her book “ Gender and Judging”
THE IMPACT OF OTHER LAWS ON COURT DECISIONS 
This panel will discuss issues relating to bankruptcy, immigration and other laws that may or will impact criminal, family and commercial cases.
LAWYERING & JUSTICE: EMERGING ISSUES IN NATIONS IN TRANSITION 
This panel will look at the challenges that women lawyers and judges are facing as the world around them changes. We have issues in the Middle and Far East as well as much closer to home – the Caribbean and Venezuela.
NON-ACADEMIC SESSIONS
SO YOU THINK YOU HAVE A BOOK IN YOU 
Someone “in the business” will share the secrets (and not so secret) of what it takes to write a book and get it published.
WOMEN’S HEALTH PANEL 
A panel of doctors from the University of Miami School of Medicine will discuss the aging woman and the physical and psychological issues about which we should be aware.
MINDFULNESS AND STRESS REDUCTION 
A discussion about a new method for reducing stress and making us more effective judges.
YOGA, PILATES, AND MEDITATION
We will start our day(s) the right way with a group class each morning.
BRINGING HUMAN RIGHTS HOME 
This panel will examine what is new and what is happening with respect to the use of Human Rights Norms in the domestic (US) context.
Hon. Joan Dempsey Klein Receives the Bernard E. Witkin Medal from the State Bar of California
Our own Hon. Joan Dempsey Klein, also Founding President of the California Women Lawyers group, sat down with an intriguing interview with California Bar Journal writer Diane Curtis upon receiving the State Bar of California’s Bernard E. Witkin Medal. Click here to read her account. In 1978, Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her presiding justice in the Los Angeles appellate court, where she handles civil, criminal, juvenile and dependency matters along with her administrative duties. The must-read article hints at her future, and offer neat tidbits from an earlier interview from years past.
The Bernard E. Witkin Medal, established by the California State Bar in 1993, honors attorneys, judges and legal scholars whose lifetime body of work has altered the legal landscape. The medal is named after its first winner, a notable legal scholar who died in 1995 at the age of 91.
NAWJ Joins White House in Honoring “Champions of Change”
In Recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Hon. Joan Churchill, NAWJ President Elect and Marie Komisar, NAWJ Executive Director proudly represented NAWJ at the White House sponsored “Champions of Change” event. The celebration was held October 20th as part of the recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Fourteen “Champions” from across the country and different walks of life were honored for their work as advocates to end domestic violence in their communities. The event was held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington D.C.
Among those honored were executive directors of not for profits dedicated to ending domestic violence; victims of domestic violence; a law enforcement officer; a representative from the Department of Health And Human Services Office on Women’s Health; and a high school student who established a program at her school addressing teenage date rape and abuse issues. The Champions of Change who were honored all developed innovative strategies for prevention of domestic violence as well as ways to assist survivors cope with the experience.
White House officials in attendance included Valerie Jarrett, Senior White House adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison, and Lynn Rosenthal, White House adviser on violence against women. Both spoke about the millions of people in the United States who cannot get legal help that is often critical to their well-being and freedom. It was noted that 50 million Americans qualify for federally-funded civil legal aid, yet more than half of those who seek help are turned away due to lack of resources. In the criminal justice system, public defenders handle caseloads that far exceed recommended limits, jeopardizing their ability to provide representation that meets even constitutionally minimum standards. Closing remarks by Susan Carbon, Director of the United States Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), referenced the upcoming reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, and stressed the need to involve more and more people in the struggle to eradicate domestic violence.
NAWJ Book Drive a Success!
The New York Women in Prison Committee organized a book drive in conjunction with the 33rd Annual Conference held in Newark, New Jersey. The drive benefited the library at the Taconic Correctional Facility in New York which is in District Two, and a facility for women in NAWJ District Three, the host district of the recent Newark Conference.
The following books are being shipped to Taconic Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills, New York and a similar list is ready for shipment to a facility yet to be determined in District 3.
The list of books donated is:
1001 Natural Wonders You Must See Before You Die
15 to Life
Any Rich Man Will Do
Best Mariachi in the World: El mejor Mariachi del mundo, The
Big Girls Do Cry
Black Beauty
Breaking the Rules
Brida
Buda: La novela que cambiara tu vida 
Claiming the Spirit Within: A sourcebook of Women's Poetry
Cross
Crying Tree, The
Dejados Atras: Una Novela de los Postreros Dias de la Tierra
Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits
Dragons
Dreaming in Cuban
El viejo y el mar
Embracing Persephone
Everyman
First Lady, The
Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights
Fuerza de Mujer
Girl in the Mirror: Mothers and Daughters in the Years of Adolescence
Good Wife, The
Guardian of Lies
Have A Little Faith
In the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want
La Boda
La Breve y maravillosa vida de Oscar Wao
Las Aventuras de Tom Sawyer
Liar's Club, The
Lit
Living Through the Meantime: Learning to Break the Patterns of the Past and Begin the Healing Process
Long Fall, The
Luna de Miel
Luna Funesta
Matar un Ruisenor
Maximize the Moment: God's Action Plan for Your Life
Memory Quilt: A Christmas Story for Our Times, The
Nunca me Abandones
Olor a rosas invisibles: The Scent of Invisible Roses (Bilingual Ed.)
Opportunities in Recreation and Leisure Careers
Peace from Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through 
Power of Charm: How to win anyone over in any situation, The
Querido Papa
Reposition Yourself: Living a Life Without Limits
Sick Girl
Space Between the Stars
Tears to Triumph: Women Learn to Live, Love, and Thrive
They Broke the Law-You Be the Judge
Velvet Rope, The
Woman I Kept to Myself, The

New Member Initiatives Continue!
121 New Members to Date!!
At the 2011 Midyear meeting the Board of Directors approved a yearlong membership drive providing initial membership in NAWJ for $100. This fee is almost half the $175 fee first time joiners have paid in the past. The offer is open to anyone who shares NAWJ‘s mission. To date, one hundred twenty-one people have responded by joining NAWJ through this membership drive. Spread the word! Friends and colleagues can join NAWJ by visiting www.nawj.org.
Attend the Annual Conference within the First Three Years of Joining and Save!
Any member who is currently within the first three years of their membership may attend the Annual Conference for $375; that is $100 off of the regular member annual conference fee, and $75 off the fee paid by longer standing members who decide to attend the annual conference for the first time, NAWJ Member First Time Attendee. For more information about the 34th Annual Conference and to register, visit us at www.nawj.org.
Call for Member Updates for 2012 Membership Directory
If you haven’t responded already, NAWJ is seeking updates to member your contact information – today! We are gearing up to publish the next annual edition of NAWJ’s Membership Directory in January, 2012.
Please take a moment and review your current listing in the 2011 Membership Directory, older information you may have supplied to the National Center for State Courts, or the recent email notice sent by Lavinia Cousin at NAWJ. Our membership database and published directory are only as good as the information you provide.
If you know you are retiring at the end of the year, have a new telephone number or email address, or have been assigned to a new department or division, let us know by calling NAWJ at 202-393-0222, faxing us at 202-393-0125, or mailing updates to NAWJ, 1341 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.
Register Online for IAWJ’s
‘Keeping Safe, Keeping Well’
2012 Biennial Conference
May 2-5, 2012
Church House Center, Supreme Court and Westminster Abbey
Fees:
EARLY BOOKING RATE £500 + VAT (£600 inclusive) available until 29 February 2012
STANDARD BOOKING RATE £550 + VAT (£660 inclusive) available from 1st March 2012
ACCOMPANYING PERSONS £190 + VAT (£228 inclusive) for Welcome Reception and Gala Dinner, only
Click here to read details on registration, accommodations, and letters of invitation.
How to Registration and Reserve Hotel Rooms
Click here and visit the IAWJ membership site to confirm your status as an IAWJ member. Once confirmed, you will be linked to the UK 2012 London registration site. In order to get the special discounted hotel rates, you must reserve your hotel accommodations via this site as well. Once you are registered for the conference, you may reserve your hotel or register for any side event at the same time or at some future date. It should be noted that we anticipate that these will fill up so encourage you to register for these as soon as possible as well. (If you have forgotten your login information or do not have it, just click the "forget password" and enter your email address to have your username and password immediately emailed to you.) You MUST register now via the process described above. Any communication you had via the UKAWJ website previously was only a ‘registration of interest’; it was NOT a conference registration.
More on Accommodations
The UKAWJ has identified a number of hotels and apartments of various prices to accommodate different needs of participants. You should book your hotel when you register for the conference as the rates are for a limited time only with a limited number of rooms available at the different locations. You must provide credit card details to confirm your accommodation reservation.
Please note the following concerning Registration and Payment: Each individual must register separately. There is no group registration.
Individual Letters of Invitation
Should you need an individual letter of invitation to submit to your court to request released time or for possible sponsors/donors for funding, please make your request with IAWJ at email, conference@iawj.org. IAWJ does not have funds available for scholarships. Individuals must seek their own funding. IAWJ is happy to write letters of invitation in support of your efforts to find donors as they have done in the past.
IAWJ will send more information about program details and side events, but for now, the important thing is to register early so that you are not left out! For more information contact IAWJ at 202-223-4455.
Events
2012
NAWJ’s Midyear Meeting and Leadership Conference will take place March 9 - 11 in Cambridge, Massachusetts at The Charles Hotel.
The International Association of Women Judges 2012 Bi-Annual Conference will take place May 2 - 5 in London, United Kingdom.
NAWJ's 34th Annual Conference will take place in Miami, Florida, November 7 - 11 at the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach.
2013
NAWJ's 35th Annual Conference will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana.
2014
The 2014 International Association of Women Judges Bi-Annual Conference will take place in Tanzania May 6 - 9.
NAWJ
Mission Statement:
The National Association of Women Judges' mission is to: Promote the judicial role of protecting the rights of individuals under the rule of law through strong, committed, diverse judicial leadership, fairness and equality in the courts, and equal access to justice.

About NAWJ:
Since its formation in 1979, NAWJ has inspired and lead the American judiciary in achieving fairness and equality for vulnerable populations. Led by two visionary women - Justice Joan Dempsey Klein and Justice Vaino Spencer - 100 brave and intrepid women judges met and formed an organization dedicated to the following ideals: ensuring equal justice and access to the courts for all including women, youth, the elderly, minorities, the underprivileged, and people with disabilities; providing judicial education on cutting-edge issues of importance; developing judicial leaders; increasing the number of women on the bench in order for the judiciary to more accurately reflect the role of women in a democratic society; and improving the administration of justice to provide gender-fair decisions for both male and female litigants.

From the day it was founded, NAWJ has been committed to diversity in our membership. Our organization welcomes both men and women. We include appellate, trial, tribal, administrative law judges, state and federal judges, and members from every state in the nation.

NAWJ takes pride in its accomplishments. We were at the forefront in the establishment and implementation of gender bias task forces in both federal and state courts. We have greatly advanced the administration of justice in areas of domestic violence, child support and child custody, and the treatment of women in the courts of America. We also are respected as a leader in educating judges on bioethics, elderly abuse, the sentencing of women offenders with substance abuse problems; improving conditions for women in prison; and the problems facing immigrants in our court system. Currently we are developing curricula on the effect of genetic advances on women and vulnerable populations, the impact of international law on state and federal courts, and cognitively disabled persons in criminal courts.

In addition to addressing these and other important issues, NAWJ provides an opportunity for judges to meet and discuss professional issues of mutual concern in a supportive atmosphere. Connecting with others with the same values, we laugh, enjoy life and mentor one another nationwide.