New York State Unified Court System
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Newsletter • June 2023 • Issue 6

New & Newsworthy:

Ageism and Elder Abuse

On May 4, in honor of Older Americans Month, ODI hosted “Ageism and Elder Abuse.” During the lunchtime program, DCAJ Deborah Kaplan and Joan Levenson, Esq., Chair and Counsel to the NYS Judicial Committee on Elder Justice: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/ip/elder-justice/index.shtml addressed many of the stereotypes and biases that older people encounter, how to identify signs of elder abuse, and ways to combat ageism, often referred to as “the last socially accepted -ism.” This informative and timely program was recorded, and can be viewed on ODI’s webpage: inside-UCS.org: Office of Diversity & Inclusion

AAPI Heritage Month Celebration at New York State Supreme Court

On May 18, in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the Franklin H. Williams Commission -- in collaboration with ODI, the Asian American Judges Association of NY and the Asian American Bar Association of NY -- hosted a hybrid program, Empowered Asian American Leadership.

The event was held in the rotunda at 60 Centre St, and included introductory remarks from Hon. Rowan Wilson, Chief Judge of the State of New York. Hon. Shahabuddeen (Shah) A. Ally, Supervising Judge of New York City Civil Court, moderated the program, which included panel discussions that examined the struggles and victories of the AAPI community, and highlights from a recent report by the Asian American Bar Association of New York, Endless Tide: The Continuing Struggle to Overcome Anti-Asian Hate in New York.

Professor Elaine M. Chiu, Professor of Law, St. John’s University School of Law, delivers the keynote address at the AAPI Heritage celebration.

A panel discussion featured (L-R): moderator Hon. Austin D’Souza, Hon. Toko Serita, Lieutenant Henry Chen, Hon. Zainab A. Chaudhry, and Hon. Raja Rajeswari.

Key Diversity Initiatives from the Division of Human Resources:

Based on recommendations from Secretary Jeh Johnson’s 2020 Special Adviser Report on Equal Justice, the Division of Human Resources (HR) implemented a series of new human resources initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and inclusivity within the NYS Courts. These new HR initiatives mark an important step forward in our ongoing commitment to cultivating a workplace that values and celebrates differences. Some new key initiatives include:

Public Data Tool – Increased Transparency

Transparency is critical for our organization to foster trust and accountability. It enables effective decision-making and a culture of openness and collaboration. HR is proud to introduce our powerful new public data tool: Non-Judicial Demographics Data Viewer. This interactive data platform provides detailed insights into the NYS Courts’ diversity statistics, allowing users to view this data by job information and location.

Diversity Enhanced Interview Format

By focusing on diverse experiences, perspectives, and skills, HR aims to attract and select talent that truly represents our diverse society. To facilitate this goal, HR developed a diversity-enhanced structured interview format and standardized rating scale. All interviews are conducted by a diverse interview panel. HR also provides training and interview and resume tips, via the Careers page of the UCS website:
The Interview Process, Resume and Interview Tips.

Exam Materials Website: Equipping Candidates for Success

Providing equal opportunities for everyone to succeed is crucial to attracting a diverse talent pool. To level the playing field, HR launched a comprehensive website - Exam Study Guides - dedicated to exam information and study materials. This resource hub ensures that all candidates have access to the same preparatory materials. By removing barriers to entry, the NYS Courts hopes to attract a wider range of talented individuals.

Visit the HR Diversity Initiatives website for information on additional HR diversity initiatives.

Franklin H. Williams Commission
Juneteenth Symposium on Race

The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission hosted its annual Juneteenth Symposium this year on June 13. The program, The Reconstruction Amendments – The Road to Freedom and Civil Rights, examined the Reconstruction Amendments (the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution) and their impact on the historical struggle for civil rights by communities of color.

Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson provided the morning keynote address and reviewed the historical impact of the 13th Amendment. The afternoon keynote was delivered by Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin (retired federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the SDNY), and focused on the 14th and 4th Amendments and the need for criminal justice reform, and NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins delivered remarks on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and voting reforms.

Chief Judge Rowan Wilson delivered the keynote address at the 2023 Juneteenth Symposium on Race.

Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission:

The Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission traveled to Buffalo on June 2 for the Second Annual Judge Paul G. Feinman Award ceremony. Buffalo attorney William “Bill” Gardner, a retired partner at Hodgson Russ LLP, played an instrumental role in the successful litigation efforts that resulted in striking down New York’s sodomy (People v. Onofre (1980)) and sodomy solicitation (People v. Uplinger (1983)) statutes in the early 1980s. Bill also then successfully defended his Uplinger win from the New York Court of Appeals at the U.S. Supreme Court in 1984. It is difficult to overstate the harms once done to LGBTQ people by the sodomy laws. In many places, including Buffalo, police entrapment of gay men was rampant, and the reach of the laws went even further, associating all LGBTQ people with criminal sexual activity. The sodomy laws were also used to justify other forms of discrimination, including employment and custody and visitation rights. Bill’s courageous and brilliant decriminalization work cracked open a new world of possibilities and freedom for New York’s LGBTQ community.

At the 2nd annual Judge Paul G. Feinman Award ceremony are (left to right) seated: Hon. Anthony Cannataro, Bill Gardner, Hon. Gerald Whalen.
Standing: Ron Pawelczak, Professor Michael Boucai, Hon. Joanne Winslow, Bob Conklin, Matthew Skinner, Hon. E. Jeannette Ogden, Charlie Arrowood, Hon. Grace Hanlon, Andrea Conjerti.

S. Anthony Walters, Director

25 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004

Phone: (212) 428-2540 • Fax: (212) 428-2545

diversity@nycourts.gov