| |
| |
|
|
| NEWSLETTER |
 |
SUMMER 2022 |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
Message From Our Co-Chairs |
|
| |
| |
 |
Despite enormous progress made over decades to eradicate racism from the New York State Courts, equal justice under law remains elusive. Our shared responsibility, however, is not to find fault—it is to find remedies. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Welcome to New Co-Chair Hon. Richard Rivera |
|
| |
| |
 |
Chief Judge Janet DiFiore appointed Hon. Richard Rivera as Co-Chair of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission on February 28, 2022. Judge Rivera succeeds Hon. Shirley Troutman as Commission Co-Chair upon her appointment as Associate Judge on the New York State Court of Appeals. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Congratulations to Judge Shirley Troutman |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Williams Commission congratulates our Co-Chair, Hon. Shirley Troutman, on her historic appointment to the New York State Court of Appeals. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
With Our Deepest Appreciation to the
Hon. Janet DiFiore |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission wishes to thank the Hon. Janet DiFiore, Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York, for her tireless efforts to address racism and bias within the court system and for her commitment to ensuring equity, fairness, and justice for all. |
|
| |
| |
| |
Welcome New Commission Staff |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission Staff is growing, and are joined by three new attorneys.
Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Launch of Williams Commissions Legal Fellows Program |
|
| |
| |
 |
In the Fall of 2021, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission implemented its Legal Fellows program in the Third, Fifth, and Eighth Judicial Districts. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Advancing Equity in the New York State Courts |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission regularly partners with local Bar Associations that work to improve diversity in the legal profession. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
For thirty years, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission has sought to remediate the lack of diversity across all job titles in the New York court system, including the judiciary. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
On June 19, 1865, enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free, more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that more than three million enslaved African Americans living in the Confederate states were free. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
During June 2021, the official anniversary month of the Commission’s establishment as a permanent entity in New York State Courts, the Commission hosted an Oral History Series featuring excerpts from interviews with several of the pioneers who helped create and establish the Commission. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
A new generation of diverse, trailblazing public servants joined forces during a June 2021 joint interview to affirm the need to promote equal participation and access throughout the court system by all persons regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Closing Ceremony for 2021 Summer Internship Program |
|
| |
| |
 |
In July 2021, the Williams Commission hosted a closing ceremony to commemorate the conclusion of the Summer Internship Program. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Legal History from the Ground Up |
|
| |
| |
 |
In September 2021, the Historical Society of the New York Courts partnered with Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy to highlight some of New York’s legendary legal figures through a conversation with their modern-day descendants. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
In September 2021, the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission, in collaboration with the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, the UCS Office of Diversity & Inclusion, and the NYS Judicial Committee on Women hosted an early screening of the Amazon Original documentary, My Name is Pauli Murray. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Jury Service and Fairness |
|
| |
| |
 |
Congratulations to the New York State Court System, in collaboration with the Perception Institute, on their new video on Jury Service and Fairness, highlighting the importance of understanding the challenge of implicit bias. The video will be shown to prospective jurors during their orientation process. Video |
|
| |
| |
| |
Esperanza -A Celebration of
Hispanic Heritage & Hope |
|
| |
| |
 |
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission partnered with the Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association, the Latino Judges Association, and the Westchester Black Bar Association for their third annual “Esperanza” event. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Then and Now: Ohio Commission
on Racial Fairness |
|
| |
| |
 |
In October 2021, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission held a virtual program, Then and Now: Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness, sponsored by the Ohio Black Judges Association, Inc. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Attorneys for Children & Assigned Counsel: A Lawyer’s Role in Promoting Justice for Children and Families |
|
| |
| |
|
On October 13, 2021, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission and the Appellate Division, First, Second, Third, and Fourth Departments, in collaboration with the Assigned Counsel Association of NYS, INC., hosted a Continuing Legal Education webinar. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
The Howard Glickstein Civil Rights and Public Policy Lecture- Equal Justice in the Courts- Celebrating the Legacy of Franklin H. Williams |
|
| |
| |
 |
As part of recent efforts to recognize important, yet unsung contributions to civil rights in the New York court system, New York attorneys had a unique opportunity in October 2021 to join a discussion entitled, “Equal Justice in the Courts: Celebrating the Legacy of Franklin H. Williams.” Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Global Diversity & Awareness Month |
|
| |
| |
 |
In celebration of Global Diversity Awareness Month, the 13th Judicial District and the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission co-sponsored two dynamic events in October 2021 with the Richmond County Bar Association. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Franklin H. Williams Proclamation Day |
|
| |
| |
 |
Ambassador Franklin Hall Williams was born on October 22, 1917, in Flushing, New York. A graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and Fordham University Law School, Mr. Williams was a “bridge figure” and trailblazer, who spent his life advancing the cause for civil rights and equal justice. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Virtual Town Hall – Part 3 and Part 4 |
|
| |
| |
 |
On the anniversary of the release of the Report of the Special Adviser on Equal Justice, the Williams Commission held its third Town Hall in October 2021. The purpose of the Town Hall was to provide an update on the Court’s implementation of the recommendations of the Special Adviser on Equal Justice and engage in an ongoing dialogue of the systemic barriers to racial and ethnic fairness in the courts. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Pace Law School - Implicit Bias - Anti-Microaggressions Training |
|
| |
| |
 |
In October 2021, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission co-sponsored the Anti-Micro Aggressions and Implicit Bias Awareness Training with Pace Law School’s Student Bar Association.
The seminar was a hybrid event, hosted both in-person and virtually. The speakers included Hon. Joanne D. Quiñones, Judge, Supreme Court, Kings County – Criminal Term, Franklin H. Williams Commissioner; Betsey Jean Jacques, Esq., Principal Law Clerk to Hon. Francois Rivera; and Mary Lynn Nicolas-Brewster, Esq., Executive Director, Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission.
|
|
| |
| |
 |
The role of community liaison is essential to the mission of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission. Requests for information from the public regarding matters of bias and diversity within the court provide critical opportunities to build community trust. As part of this ongoing priority, the Commission recently had the opportunity to present before the Manhattan Borough Board during October 2021.
At the meeting, the Commission discussed its history, purpose, and goals. The Commission shared insights from both past and recent programming and contextualized them against ongoing priorities from the “Report from the Special Adviser on Equal Justice in the New York State Courts,” dated October 1, 2020. This provided the Manhattan Borough Board an opportunity to understand how the Commission’s past conferences, pipeline programs, judicial mentorship, and town halls further the crucial work of fostering diversity in the courts. |
|
| |
| |
| |
Impact of Racism on Mental Health |
|
| |
| |
 |
“Systemic racism—which accounts for individual, institutional, and structural forms of racism—is the intersecting, overlapping, and co-dependent institutional arrangements, policies, practices, ideas, cultural norms, and behaviors, that give an unjust number of resources, access, rights, respect, and power to white people while denying those same rights and resources to people of color,” according to New York University Law Professor and President of the American Civil Liberties Union, Deborah Archer. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
In 2021, the Franklin H. Williams Commission relaunched the Special Masters Program to train attorneys from underrepresented communities to manage cases in the Courts as a Special Master in New York County. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
2020- 2021 Year in Review - Equal Justice in the New York State Courts Report |
|
| |
| |
 |
In November 2021, Chief Judge DiFiore announced the release of the Equal Justice in the New York State Courts: Year in Review Report (“Report”). The Report detailed the Court’s progress in implementing the recommendations to address issues of diversity and systemic racism from the Report of the Special Adviser on Equal Justice in the Courts. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Guardianship Diversity Initiative |
|
| |
| |
 |
The unique mandate of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission includes a responsibility for drawing attention to worthy, lesser-known opportunities for New York attorneys to contribute to equal justice under law. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Diversity Awards Ceremony |
|
| |
| |
 |
On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission held a Diversity Awards Ceremony at New York County Supreme Court, 60 Centre Street, Rotunda, to recognize the outstanding achievements, commitment, and leadership of individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to achieving racial and ethnic fairness in the courts, the community, and the legal profession. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
COMMEMORATION PROGRAM TO HONOR THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FRANKLIN H. WILLIAMS JUDICIAL COMMISSION |
|
| |
| |
 |
To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, the Syracuse University College of Law Black Law Students Association held a screening of “A Bridge to Justice: The Life of Franklin H. Williams” on November 16, 2021. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
First Department First Ever All-Latino Panel |
|
| |
| |
 |
For the first time in the history of the Appellate Division, First Department, oral arguments took place before an all-Latino panel on Dec. 9, 2021. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Meetings with the Chief Judge and Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York and New York State Governor’s Counsel |
|
| |
| |
 |
For over thirty years, the Chief Judge of the State of New York has appointed judges, attorneys, and court administrators to the Franklin H. Williams Commission to make the court system more responsive to the concerns of people of color and to improve diversity in the legal profession and court system. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
FHWJC Judicial Mentoring Program |
|
| |
| |
 |
Over a decade ago, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission established the Judicial Mentor Program to promote diversity on the bench and to assist attorneys with interest to pursue judgeship. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
In celebration of National Mentoring Month, the Commisssion highlighted the success stories of panelists, former FHW mentees, who discussed their journeys to the bench and the importance of mentoring in ascending to the bench. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Spotlight on Fraternal Organizations |
|
| |
| |
 |
Highlighted in this article are Henry Chen, President of the NYS Courts Asian Jade Society; Jessica Pena Hernandez, President, Latino Court Officers Society, Inc.; Lt. Eugene P. Hunter, Co-Founder of the Sankofa Society; and Sidney Moses, President of the Guardians Association. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission congratulates judiciary achievements and appointments. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
In honor of Black History Month, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission collaborated with M.S. 353, in Brooklyn, for a feature screening of “A Bridge to Justice: The Life of Franklin H. Williams” and discussion using the FHW PBS documentary educational curriculum. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Standing on the Shoulders of Judge Constance Baker Motley: The Historic Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court |
|
| |
| |
 |
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Commission’s Second Judicial District Advisory Group held a program highlighting the historic importance of Supreme Court Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings. The panelists discussed the impact of Justice Brown Jackson’s confirmation. |
|
| |
| |
| |
The Power of Women’s Voices |
|
| |
| |
 |
This event was hosted by the National Association of Women Judges – New York Chapter and co-sponsored by the Brooklyn Women Bar Association, the Bronx Women Bar Association, and the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Sneak Peek into the Hot Seat: The Judicial Interview |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Commission’s Judicial Mentor Program Committee hosted a program targeted for attorneys aspiring to become judges, providing them insights into the judicial interview process. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission hosted a virtual Law Day program . Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Professional Development Academy |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission held its inaugural Professional Development Academy on Wednesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 12. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission Mourns the Loss of the Buffalo Shooting Victims |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission wishes to express its deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the ten victims of the racially motivated violence in Buffalo, as well as those injured in the horrific shooting. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Cultivating Leaders Against Hate |
|
| |
| |
 |
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission partnered with the New York State Unified Court System’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Asian American Judges Association of New York, the South Asian Bar Association of New York, the Asian Jade Society of the New York State Courts, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, and the Network of Bar Leaders to present an event at the New York County Supreme Court’s Rotunda, entitled Cultivating Leaders to Stand Against Hate. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission’s hosted its Symposium on Race: Illuminating Modern Systemic Racism’s Roots in Slavery and Legally Codified Discrimination on June 16, 2022. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
New Rochelle High School Visit |
|
| |
| |
 |
On July 15, 2022, the Commission staff visited New Rochelle High School and collaborated with Commissioner, Dr. Betty Campbell, and the New Rochelle Police Department, Police and Community Together (P.A.C.T.) Unit and Youth Bureau, for a feature screening of “A Bridge to Justice: The Life of Franklin H. Williams”. Read more... |
|
| |
| |
| |
Summer 2022 Legal Internship Program |
|
| |
| |
 |
The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission hosted its second annual Summer Legal Internship Program from June 1, 2022, to July 29, 2022. Read more... |
|
| |
|
