Celebrating WHM

Lt. Mido Mary Wu—the first Asian American woman within the UCS to achieve the rank of lieutenant—was among the honorees at a Women’s History Month celebration highlighting the continued advancement of women in the courts and legal profession.

The program, held at Kings County Supreme Court’s Criminal Term in Brooklyn, was hosted by the Second Judicial District’s Equal Justice in the Courts Committee, with Kings County Supreme Court Justice and Committee Chair Joanne D. Quinones kicking off the event.

The day’s honorees also included several court clerks, a law clerk, court attorney referee, case management coordinator, court reporter, and secretary, all recognized for their dedication, leadership, and efforts in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within the judiciary.

Congratulations to the awardees! We are thankful for their outstanding contributions to the Court System and for their impact—paving the way for future generations.

Former—and longest-serving female—Appellate Division, First Department Associate Justice Angela Mazzarelli and Presiding Justice Dianne T. Renwick, the first woman of color to sit on the First Department bench, shared insights on their experiences as women judges at a “Women in Robes” program held in March at New York County Supreme Court’s Civil Term in Lower Manhattan. The talk, moderated by Jennifer Bisram of CBS News-New York, attracted a large audience, filling the Court’s ceremonial courtroom.

Justice Mazzarelli, who was appointed to the First Department in 1992, recalled her early days as one of the first female judges to sit in the Appellate Division. Justice Renwick, who began her judicial career in New York City Housing Court, shed light on her career trajectory, including her current role as Presiding Justice of the First Department, which hears appeals in criminal and civil cases from the trial courts in Manhattan and the Bronx.

The March gathering, one of many Women's History Month events held in courts across the State, was an inspiring reminder of the resilience of, and countless contributions made by, women judges throughout New York and beyond.

Courtroom 525-A in Monroe County’s Hall of Justice now carries the name of suffragette and abolitionist Susan B. Anthony who, 153 years earlier, was arrested in her hometown of Rochester for violating the laws then prohibiting women from voting. The courtroom, and a statue bearing her likeness, were unveiled at a dedication ceremony at the Rochester courthouse in late March.

Auburn City Court Judge Kristin Garland and Associate Court Attorney Laurie Michelman revealed the restored marble statue, sculpted in Rome in 1882, at the heavily attended gathering. The event also featured a re-enactment of Susan B. Anthony’s trial which, held in federal court, resulted in her conviction—as the presiding judge did not allow the jurors to discuss the case but instead directed them to find her guilty.

In praising this icon’s tenacity and vision, Seventh Judicial District Administrative Judge William K. Taylor summed it up: “Susan B. Anthony saw a future where men and women are equal.”

Now, all who enter the Rochester courthouse are reminded of her legacy as a champion of human rights and equal justice.

The Nassau County Women in the Courts Committee honored the legacy of the late Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Dawn Jimenez at the Nassau County Supreme Court’s Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin Award Ceremony in mid-March. Tragically succumbing to injuries from an accident last October, Justice Jimenez was acknowledged posthumously for her fairness, dedication to justice, and longstanding public service—attributes embodied by the award’s trailblazing namesake, who spoke at the event.

Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas and First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George paid tribute to Justice Jimenez for her numerous contributions to the Nassau County bench and legal community. Chief Clerk Ananias Grajales opened the ceremony, with Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Lisa A. Caro welcoming the many attendees, and Administrative Judge Vito M. DeStefano introducing the indomitable Justice Ellerin.

The award was presented by Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Sharon M. J. Gianelli. Justice Jimenez’s parents, Maximo Jimenez and Elena Iaconis, and her daughter, Olivia Rae Salta, shared their reflections on her life and legacy. Their words painted a portrait of a remarkable woman, a highly respected judge and devoted daughter and mother whose traits and accomplishments continue to inspire so many within our court family and beyond.

Court of Claims Judge Kathleen Hogan was among the distinguished panelists at a Women in the Law program in northeastern New York’s Fourth Judicial District, sharing her experiences as a woman in the legal profession.

Held around the State annually during Women’s History Month in March, Women in the Law events introduce high school students to the range of career options in the legal field, working to promote the advancement of women in the legal profession. These programs, which have been expanding their reach, are a partnership of the Court System, the New York State Women’s Bar Association, and local bar associations.

Judge Hogan, who started as a prosecutor, emphasized the importance of breaking down barriers for women in law. According to the American Bar Association, 39% of lawyers were women in 2023, a significant increase from a decade ago. Judge Hogan noted that while women haven’t achieved complete parity, they’ve made tremendous strides. “All we want to do is make sure that we don’t have anyone who self-selects out, saying, ‘I can’t do that because I’m a woman,’” she added.

At the Sixth Judicial District’s Women in the Law program in Delaware County, Appellate Division, Third Department Associate Justice Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald discussed her career arc, providing insights and guidance to those in pursuit of judicial and other legal careers. A Binghamton native, Justice Reynolds was first elected to the Sixth Judicial District’s Supreme Court bench in Central New York in 2007 and re-elected in 2021, serving as the District’s Administrative Judge from 2016 until her 2019 appointment to the Appellate Division, Third Department.

The Fourth and Sixth Districts—and judicial districts throughout New York’s 62 counties—are committed to the continued growth of this valuable outreach initiative which, well-received by students and educators alike, aims to inspire future generations of legal professionals and level the field for women judges, attorneys, and other law- and court-related positions.

Former Court of Appeals Senior Associate Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick–the first Latina appointed to New York’s high court in 1993–was the keynote speaker at an event at the Cohalan Court Complex highlighting this year’s Women’s History Month theme, “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.”

“Even from my first case as a new Legal Aid lawyer with a client in a custody proceeding, I was confronted with skepticism and mistrust,” Judge Ciparick told attendees, conveying some of the many challenges she faced as a woman early in her legal career. “I was the only woman in the room and I didn’t fare well. In fact, I was told by my opposing counsel, ‘Go home and have your own children and then you will understand what this is all about.” However, Judge Ciparick remained undeterred, managing to get visitation privileges for her client, a recovering substance abuser. From that day forward, she was committed “to being heard, taken seriously, and fighting for equality in the profession for myself and for all women lawyers.”

Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Maureen T. Liccione, a member of the Women in Courts Committee, presented Judge Ciparick with a decorative tea set commemorating the women’s suffrage movement. Since her retirement from the bench, Judge Ciparick continues to inspire young women through her service as Independent Monitor for Racial Bias in New York Courts, as well as Chair of the New York State Board of Law Examiners.

The celebration, sponsored by the County’s Women in the Courts Committee and hosted by Administrative Judge Andrew Crecca, also featured an awards ceremony honoring local women leaders in the legal profession. Those recognized for their contributions as pioneering women in the legal field included Supervising Judge of the Suffolk County Supreme Court’s Matrimonial Parts and Chair of the Suffolk County Equal Justice in the Courts Committee Cheryl Joseph; Executive Director of Suffolk County Human Rights Commission Dawn Lott; and St. John’s University School of Law Professor and former Faculty Director of the school’s Ronald H. Brown Center of Civil Rights Elaine Chiu.

The event was one of several Women’s History Month celebrations held at the Central Islip courthouse in March.

Jean Helen Simmerlein Toigo became Columbia County’s first woman attorney in 1955, dedicating her professional life to serving children and families, initially as a family law attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Albany, then as a law guardian in the County’s Family Court. The Capital Region’s Third Judicial District, led by Administrative Judge Gerald Connolly, celebrated Mrs. Toigo’s legacy at a Women’s History Month event held in late March at the Columbia County Courthouse in Hudson, New York.

Among the attendees were friends, family, and former colleagues of Mrs. Toigo, including both active and retired Columbia County Court judges, as well members of the Columbia-Greene Community College community, where she was a trustee. Additionally, a poster honoring Mrs. Toigo now graces the Columbia County Courthouse –part of a district-wide initiative paying homage to pioneering community members who have made a positive impact on the Third Judicial District and the New York State Courts.

Throughout March, courts across the state are hosting Women’s History Month programs to promote gender equity and call attention to the many–often overlooked–contributions of women to the law, judiciary, and society. Among these events, the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, in partnership with the New York City Bar Association, presented a program honoring the legacy of the late Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first women to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, our nation’s highest tribunal. The evening program, held at the historic Surrogate’s courthouse in Lower Manhattan, included opening remarks from Appellate Division, First Department Associate Justice and Williams Commission Co-chair Troy K. Webber; Acting Supreme Court Justice and New York Women Judges Association, Inc. President Marcia Hirsch; and New York City Bar Association President Susan J. Kohlmann.

New York Court of Appeals Associate Judge and Williams Commission Co-Chair Shirley Troutman paid tribute to Justice O’Connor as “a trailblazer with lasting impact.” The evening’s keynote was presented by Appellate Division, First Department Presiding Justice Dianne T. Renwick.

During the event, there was also a showing of the video, “In Her Own Words, featuring Justice Day O’Connor. The program closed with a panel discussion, moderated by New York Court of Appeals Associate Judge Jenny Rivera, followed by a question-and-answer segment. Panelists included U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judge Eunice C. Lee; Bronx County District Attorney Darcel D. Clark; attorney Julia A. Malkina, a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and former law clerk to Justice Day O’Connor; and attorney Sherry Levin Wallach, past president of the New York State Bar Association.

Trailblazing Queens County Supreme Court-Civil Term Justice Carmen R. Velasquez was honored in March by two distinct entities–the Women’s Economic Forum, a global forum based in India that works to “foster empowering conversations, connections, and collaborations among women”; and the Assembly of Ecuador, the country’s legislative body, led by Henry Kronfle–for her judicial leadership, community service, and role as a mentor to women and young people.

The first Ecuadorian American to become an elected judge in the United States upon her 2008 election to New York City’s Civil Court bench, Justice Velasquez received the Women’s Economic Forum’s Women of the Decade Award at the New York City Harvard Club in mid-Manhattan on March 8, 2024; and the Assembly of Ecuador’s Lifetime Achievement Award at Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens on March 14, 2024. The former award acknowledges women who, as pioneers in their respective fields, use their voice and vision to inspire and inform others. The latter honor is presented to leaders of Ecuadorian descent who have made significant contributions both to their profession and local community.

When Justice Velasquez emigrated from her native Ecuador at age 14, she didn’t speak a word of English. Although she was dissuaded from pursuing a legal career by her school advisers, she remained undeterred, attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice as a Belle Zeller Scholar and then going on to earn her Juris Doctor–on a full scholarship–from Temple Law School. The recipient of some 100 awards and honors for her judicial leadership and civic participation, Justice Velasquez has dedicated her professional and personal life to paving the way for other women, as well as those from underrepresented communities. We congratulate her on these two latest honors, along with her many other achievements!