NAWJ Monthly Update December 2013
Written by National Association of Women Judges|December 01, 2013|Monthly Update Archive
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It has been a busy and exciting first month and a half as your new NAWJ President! As we begin the holiday
season, I pause to reflect on what a privilege we as judges and lawyers have to serve our communities
through the work we do in our respective courts and law offices around the country. But NAWJ also
provides us with a unique opportunity to more broadly "Ensure Access to Justice for All" through NAWJ's
education, outreach and mentoring programs. During this holiday season, let us all continue to give the
gift of our service.
On November 6, 2013, I attended the Welcome and Kick-Off Reception for our Mid-Year Conference, at the
beautiful venue of the Morgan, Lewis and Bockius' downtown Washington, DC office. Many thanks to our
dynamic host committee co-chairs, Beverly Perry, retired Vice-President of PEPCO, Grace Speights, partner
at Morgan Lewis and Bokius and Barbara Johnson, partner at Paul Hastings, for generating such enthusiastic
support and excitement for the Mid-Year Leadership conference!
Many thanks to our San Diego 2014 Annual Conference Co-Chairs Tamila Ipema and Margie Woods and our stellar
San Diego Friends Committee for inviting me to the Friends Committee reception hosted at the San Diego Bar
Association offices on November 14, 2013! Thank you to Justice Judith McConnell for her gracious introduction
of me to the San Diego bench and bar! The beautiful sunny weather and warm hospitality were a wonderful
preview of what we all have to look forward to next October in San Diego. The San Diego committee has a
phenomenal educational program planned with Justice Sonya Sotomayor as our keynote speaker! While in San Diego,
I had the opportunity to see a screening of a gripping documentary about the Mexican judicial system, "Presumed Guilty".
On November 21, 2013, I represented NAWJ at the U.S. Supreme Court, at the National Center for State Court's
Annual Rehnquist Dinner. I was joined by our immediate past president, Joan Churchill.
November 21st was a very busy evening, because I also represented NAWJ at the iLive2Lead Awards reception,
where our former NAWJ President, Vanessa Ruiz received the "Trail Blazer Award"! I had the pleasure of
introducing Vanessa and talking about NAWJ and some of our exciting programs! iLive2Lead is an exciting
international leadership development program for teen girls from around the world! They were very excited to
learn about NAWJ's Color of Justice and Mentor Jet programs, which may provide some great opportunities for
collaboration between our two organizations. I also described the important work of the IAWJ and its many
judicial members from around the world.
On November 25, 2013, I represented NAWJ as a panelist at the New Jersey Judicial College's annual educational
program in Teaneck, NJ. The panel was titled "Glass Ceilings, Sticky Floors, the Intersections of Race and
Gender: Women of Color Navigating the Legal Profession".
Other highlights this month include:
It is that time of year when NAWJ asks all its members to dig deep in their pockets and make an extra
contribution to our beloved organization as part of your holiday season giving. Please be as generous
as you can, and if your dues are up for renewal, please renew promptly and add an additional donation.
The theme chosen this year by NAWJ President Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby is "NAWJ: Ensuring Access
to Justice for All". Through cutting-edge judicial education, community outreach, leadership
development and mentoring programs, NAWJ will continue its mission of promoting the rule of law through
innovative and inspired programming that will promote diverse judicial leadership, fairness and equality
in the courts and equal access to justice. NAWJ will also continue its vital role of mentoring and
encouraging a new generation to pursue careers in the law and in the judiciary. Additionally, NAWJ will
continue to expand its partnerships and collaborative endeavors so that NAWJ's work can impact a wider
audience. NAWJ needs your continued support to accomplish these goals.
NAWJ is involved, as you know, in extraordinary activities on behalf of those whose voices are not readily
heard in the justice system. We do this through national and local conferences, through our projects and
training programs, and the work of our committees.
Through our involvement with the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), founded by NAWJ, and
our International Outreach Committee we are also engaged in work internationally to promote the Rule of
Law. In fact, NAWJ will host the 2016 Biennial Conference of the IAWJ in Washington, DC.
Our activities are expanding, but our resources are not. Fundraising is proving to be more and more
difficult and our dues cover only a small fraction of our expenses. A holiday donation from you would
be a big help, either individually or via a family foundation or other grant-making organization with
which you may be involved. These are challenging times for the issues at the core of NAWJ's mission.
We have a lot of work to do. Our Districts and Committees are up and running, ready to carry out our
work for the coming year. Let's join together to support NAWJ's financial needs to get it done.
Please note that we have added a new feature on our website, which allows members to make a general
contribution to NAWJ, or to designate that your contribution go toward one of your favorite NAWJ programs or projects.
Very Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season for you and yours,
Warmly,
After many years of service on the bench, the Hon. Brenda Stith Loftin will retire from the St. Louis
County Circuit Court. She will continue to provide leadership to NAWJ, the level of which was recognized
in her 2010 Justice Vaino Spencer Leadership Award honor. Judge Loftin created NAWJ's signature Color of
Justice Program, which has advanced the NAWJ mission of enhancing diversity on our nation's bench and in
our justice system. She also showed vision in moving forward with the creation of NAWJ's Long Range
Strategic Plan; a living document recently revisited that incorporates NAWJ's vision for the future, core
values and guiding principles. Judge Brenda Stith Loftin was appointed by Governor Mel Carnahan in March
1993 as a Circuit Judge in the St. Louis County Circuit Court. Her judicial experience includes assignments
in the Family Court, the Civil and Criminal Division and the Jury Trial Division. Prior to being appointed
judge, she served as Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in St. Louis
County from 1989 to 1993, as well as a solo practitioner representing clients in state and federal court
with emphasis on civil and criminal litigation. Judge Loftin was President of NAWJ for its 2006-2007 year.
Judge Loftin is busy planning another presentation of Color of Justice for 50 young girls in St. Louis. The program is planned for early 2014.
On November 5, 2013, longtime NAWJ member and Women in Prison Co-Chair Judge Betty J. Williams
was elected to the New York State Supreme Court and will assume her new position January 2014.
Judge Williams currently presides in the Misdemeanor Brooklyn Treatment Court (MBTC) and Part 70
(felony), Kings County Criminal Court. MBTC and Part 70 follow the national drug court model, where
long term substance abuse offenders are given the opportunity to receive treatment instead of
incarceration. Judge Williams was re-elected to Kings County (Brooklyn) Civil Court in November
2010 (first elected in November 2000) and has been assigned to Kings County Criminal Court since
January 1, 2001. She was appointed Acting Supreme Court Justice on March 31, 2009.
Judge Williams played an instrumental role in the opening of the Kings County Criminal Court Career
and Education Center on September 25, 2009 and the Brooklyn Youth GED Program on March 1, 2010.
The Center provides career educational services to all drug court participants. Judge Williams
is also Chairperson Emeritus of NAWJ's New York Chapter Women in Prison Committee. Judge Williams
has organized, facilitated, and participated in numerous prisoner workshops from 2001 to present
which address topics including parole, non-traditional jobs for women, housing, and correctional
facilities for women throughout New York State - Bayview, Taconic, Beacon, and Albion Correctional Facilities.
Judge Woods-Skipper, who currently sits on the Court of Common Pleas, First Judicial District
of Pennsylvania, was recently elevated to its President Judge. She was appointed by the former
Governor Tom Ridge and unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate in December 1998,
and later re-elected to her second ten-year term. She was appointed Supervising Judge for the
Criminal Division of the First Judicial District in November 2008, where she has been instrumental
in creating and overseeing innovative programs in the Criminal Division that have reduced the
prison population and increased efficiency in the processing of criminal cases. She currently
presides over the newly created First Judicial District Mental Health Court. Judge Woods-Skipper
was appointed by Governor Rendell to the State Council for Interstate Compact for Adult Offenders,
and was also appointed by the late Justice Cappy, and re-appointed by Justice Castille, to the
Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing. She was also selected to serve on the Mental Health
Advisory Commission (MHAC) of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency. Judge Woods-Skipper
is a native Philadelphian who attended Philadelphia High School for Girls, the University of
Pennsylvania and Temple University School of Law. Judge Woods-Skipper holds leadership roles
in the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges and the American Judges Association and
is a frequent speaker on criminal justice topics.
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