Endorsement Meeting, May 18 , 2023 - Candidate Responses

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

I currently serve as Principal Law Clerk to the Honorable Lisa Ottley in the Kings County Supreme Court. I also serve as a special referee for uncontested matrimonial matters in Kings County.

Why are you qualified to be a judge?

To whom much is given, much is required. My parents not only repeated this maxim to my  siblings and me, but inspired us through their own actions. At a young age, I recall my father’s  community involvement, be it in his role as the president of the local Lions Club, through his fraternity,  as a college professor, or his role within our church. Sadly, my father ended up being a victim of gun  violence in a carjacking incident. And although no arrests were ever made, I was determined to channel  my pain in a positive way. Even before making the decision to go to law school, I used my skills to  provide guidance to domestically abused women, mentor younger kids and serve my community in  various ways. I eventually made the decision to attend law school as I believed I would be able to  contribute to my community in a more meaningful way.  

Throughout my legal career, I have observed that access to justice is oftentimes based on how  much a person can afford. Consequently, I have been intentional about my commitment to equal  justice. Whether I am hosting a “Just Mercy” virtual film discussion on the criminal justice system, co hosting a Know Your Tenants’ Rights seminar, taking high schoolers on a field trip to criminal court,  volunteering as a Guardian ad litem in Housing Court, organizing a six-week judicial panel series on a  variety of topics/courts, writing and presenting on estate planning, dedicating a day at a senior  residence to facilitate the execution of advance directives, or organizing a legal clinic, education and  raising awareness by educating my community has been my path to advancing access to justice.  

In my current role as an impartial law clerk, I am keenly aware of when unrepresented parties  are marginalized. I have experienced how underrepresentation can lead to justice denied. I am in the courtroom every day, resolving disputes, and communicating with attorneys, pro se litigants, family  members, court personnel, judges and their staff, elected officials, government agencies, and medical  providers. I have learned to show courtesy, compassion and fairness in each instance, regardless of  personalities and interests. I believe this exposure will assist me in displaying the judicial temperament  required to instill confidence in our courts and to those that appear before me. It is also important that  a courtroom is run effectively of which I have gained immeasurable experience. From settling cases, to drafting orders and decisions, to monitoring standards and goals, I have learned how to administratively run a courtroom while delivering timely justice.  

As a Small Claims Court arbitrator and special referee, I aim to achieve equal justice by fairly  applying the law, and patiently explaining the law to litigants that appear before me. 

As a former sole practitioner, I advocated for and represented New York families, immigrants  and seniors, and was committed to serving the underprivileged within my community. I volunteered  within various capacities. I also know from first-hand experience the indispensable value of a  practitioner’s time, and that understanding would reflect in my display of courtesy and punctuality in my  courtroom.  

I believe my experience as a law clerk and in private practice, my desire to learn, my  commitment to safeguard the canons of equal justice under the law, my community involvement, my  commitment to public service, the strict standards of conduct I subscribe to, as well as the diversity I will  bring to the bench, are attributes that qualify me for a judicial position.

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I was rated “Qualified” by the Kings County Democratic Party judicial screening  committee and “Approved” by the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel. I have  received endorsements from various elected officials and political clubs such as the Brooklyn Young  Democrats, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Vanguard Independent Democratic Association and the  African Council.  

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

The New York State Judicial Institute routinely offers CLE programs in tackling micro and macroaggressions, implicit and explicit bias and I plan to attend those programs. I will be  intentional about attending bias and diversity trainings at the New Judges’ Seminar and throughout my  time on the bench. Furthermore, I plan to suggest/attend/sponsor seminars and conferences for judges  and court personnel on bias training as it relates to the LGBTQ community. 

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

I will create a safe courtroom by embodying empathy and taking steps to ensure all  litigants feel welcome and included regardless of their preferred pronoun or gender identity. My  commitment to ensuring a safe space will be demonstrated by asking what name or preferred pronoun  to use, using gender neutral language, and being aware of and checking my own implicit bias, if any.

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

I have appeared before LeGal and was rated “approved” on May 10.

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

My most recent position was  Senior Principal Law Clerk to a Appellate Division Justice Janice A. Taylor of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Second Judicial Dept

Why are you qualified to be a judge?

I am qualified to be a judge because I care about  the fair administration of justice and using the law as a shield to prevent miscarriages of justice from occurring.  I am also qualified as a result of my 30 years of experience working as a an attorney on behalf of the NYS Unified Court System, where I have served  in various legal capacities (law clerk, referee, court attorney, and volunteer arbitrator) within the Appellate Division, Surrogate’s Court, Supreme Court and Small Claims Part of the Civil Court , respectively.  I am also  a court-trained mediator.   During my tenure, I have written thousands of legal decisions and court orders on behalf of scores of judges regarding  every area of law.  My mastery of the law, commitment to equity and equal justice, empathy, lived experience and cultural competence acquired as a third-generation Brooklynite from a diverse family background also equip me with the qualifying characteristics of a judge.    

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I am currently endorsed by  Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Central Brooklyn Independent  Democrats, Jim Owles Liberal Democrats,  NYS Assemblymembers Robert Carroll, JoAnne Simon, and Maritza Davila.  I am also endorsed by New York City Councilmember Crystal Hudson.

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

The Office of Court Administration has developed the Richard Failla Commission and Office of the Inspector General in an effort to ensure that judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LBGTQ community or face employee disciplinary action or training when  they are found to exhibit bias after a victim or witness complaint and investigation.  The steps I would take to secure the necessary resources to implement interventions would include engaging with the Chief Judge to seek appropriate funding, staffing, trainings, and other  resources identified by  LBGTQ  stakeholders and allies to eliminate bias, disrespect or discrimination.  I would continue to remain open-minded and competent about the issues affecting the LBGTQ community in the courts and weed out those who exhibit bias, engage in discriminatory conduct or even sleights.  I would also mandate reporting of conduct exhibiting bias against LGBTQ employees or members of the public.    There is no place for ignorance, bigotry, bias or disrespect in the spaces I occupy and I would use everything that I have at my disposal to create a place of dignity and respect in my courtroom and beyond.       

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

In every case would inquire of the parties to ascertain what their preferred pronouns and gender identity are and generate space on court documents to inquire and indicate such facts for reference and proper usage  by court employees and litigants in the courtroom and in court documents.  My Part Rules would require compliance with the parties’ preferences or otherwise face an appropriate sanction  to compel compliance, when necessary.    

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

Yes, to both

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

I am a Principal Law Clerk to a Kings County Supreme Court Justice.  I concurrently serve as a Special Referee of Uncontested Matrimonial Matters

Why are you qualified to be a judge?

I am qualified to be a judge because I have extensive experience as a Court Attorney in both Kings County Civil Court and Supreme Court.  I have worked on thousands of cases that affect hard-working Brooklynites, including personal injury, medical malpractice, mental hygiene, foreclosure, labor law, commercial landlord-tenant, uncontested matrimonial matters, and breach of contract cases. I have also assisted transgender individuals in Civil Court with name change applications to adopt names that were aligned with their identities.   My work has included complex legal research, writing and legal analysis; resolving multitudes of challenging disputes, as well as effective case management.  I am well-respected by the bench and bar for my legal acumen, settlement skills, and zeal for public service.  

I also have experience in private practice and at key governmental agencies, such as the  NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York State Attorney General’s Office, which provides me with great insight on how a judge should lead in the courtroom from a practitioner’s perspective.

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I was found qualified by the Kings County Democratic Judicial Screening Committee.

I have received the following endorsements: 1) Kings County Democratic Party, 2) Senator Kevin Parker, 3) Senator Roxanne Persaud, 4) Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, 5) Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, 6) Assemblymember Nikki Lucas, 7) Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman, 8) Councilmember Darlene Mealy, 9) District Leader Arleny Alvardo-McCalla, 10) District Leader Joe Bova, 11) District Leader Shaquana Boykin, 12) District Leader Dionne Brown-Jordan, 13) District Leader Henry Butler, 14) District Leader Lydia Bella Green, 15) District Leader Anthony Jones, 16) District Leader Margarita Kagan, 17) District Leader Victoria Kelly, 18) District Leader Mariya Markh, 19) District Leader Lenny Markh, 20) District Leader Aaron Ouyang, 21) District Leader Jacqui Painter, 22) District Leader Julio Pena III, 23) District Leader Dana Rachlin, 24) District Leader Charles Ragusa, 25) District Leader Frank Seddio, 26) District Leader Nancy Tong,  and 27) District Leader Kenesha Tranyham-Cooper.

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

The Court should be a forum where all are welcome to seek legal redress openly and freelv.  It is important for judges and court personnel to take implicit bias, diversity and inclusion courses, to foster an environment of respect, regardless of one’s background, or who they love.  My staff will take the trainings provided by the court system to ensure that all attorneys/litigants are treated with dignity and respect.  I would also attend diversity and inclusion courses/events with my staff.  Moreover, I would  refer litigants to the Help Center (rm 404) at Civil Court, so that they can be informed of resources that they can utilize. 

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

I would review court filings to ensure that I used the proper pronoun(s) when addressing a litigant.  I would also employ gender neutral language to respect all litigants.

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

Yes, I am scheduled to appear before LeGal on June 5, 2023.

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

I am the Public Administrator for Kings County working on matters that are governed under Surrogate's Court Procedure Act and Estates, Powers, and Trusts Law. 

Why are you qualified to be a judge?

I believe I am qualified to be a Civil Court Judge because of the varied experiences I have had in my career. Over the years, the nature and extent of employment as a principal law clerk has refined my legal research and writing skills on a wide variety of legal topics. In particular, I have gained extensive expertise in both decision writing and decision making while advising the judge in drafting legal decisions and assisting the judge with legal rulings from the bench and at trial.  

I work night and day to ensure what is expected of me in my current position is accomplished and I will do the same as a judge. In this unprecedented time and the exceedingly increasing number of newly filed cases, with my background and experience I can hit the ground running and be expedient, productive, and impartial in resolving cases. 

I am qualified for this position because I would draw upon principles of law, equity, and basic human rights to ensure that all who appear before me have fair and equal access to the justice system. I believe that my legal experience including my years in Supreme and Civil Court combined with my deep commitment in justice for all are qualities that make me qualified for Civil Court judge. My experience as a law clerk has exposed me to countless motions, hearings, and trials in Criminal Court, Civil Court, Supreme Court and Surrogate Court thereby giving me the knowledge required to address the serious issues before the court today.

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I have been endorsed by:

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso
NYC Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez
NY State Senator Julia Salazar
NYS Assemblymember Maritza Davila
Brooklyn District Leader Henry Butler
Brooklyn District Leader Kenesha Traynham-Cooper
Brooklyn District Leader Shaquana Boykin
Brooklyn District Leader Dana Rachlin
Brooklyn District Leader Felix Ceballos
Brooklyn District Leader Julio Peña
Brooklyn District Leader Arleny Alvarado
Brooklyn District Leader Robert Camacho
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

There must be ongoing education and professional development to teach about sexual orientation and gender identity, the biases that LGBTQ+ community face and the consequences of these biases. I would ensure that I foster an environment of inclusivity free of bias, prejudice, and harassment. I would identify and reach out to organizations that would help identify issues that persist in the courtroom. I would regularly review court policies regarding discrimination, bullying, harassment, and inclusive access for transgender and nonbinary individuals.     

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

I would ensure that members of the LGBTQ+ community are treated with fairness, dignity and respect. 

I will be vigilant in adhering to the Rules of Judicial Conduct and the Unified Court System’s Bench Card and Best Practices for Judges regarding the use of LGBTQ+ inclusive language and pronouns.

I currently avoid terms and phrases that are gender-specific and will continue to do so.

I will require in my part rules that all papers filed or submitted to the court are to be gender neutral. 

I will remind the public in my courtroom not to make assumptions regarding sexual orientation or gender identity

I would demand professionalism and prohibit the use of derogatory terms; proactively addressing any comments or actions made by anyone in the courtroom.

I would regularly familiarize myself with OCA rules, regulations and policies and have resources available in the courtroom for the public.

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

I am scheduled to appear before the LGBT Bar Association on June 12, 2023, at 7pm. I acknowledge and understand this club may rescind my endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association.

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

I am currently a Principal Law Clerk to Hon. Francois A. Rivera in the Kings County Supreme Court, Civil Term.

Why are you qualified to be a judge?

Since graduating from Syracuse University with a dual degree in both Law and Social Work, I have demonstrated my capabilities as a strong advocate within the courtroom and outside of it. Although my practice was wholly civil in nature, while working at Mental Hygiene Legal Service I dealt with criminal law and family law issues as it related to my clients in varying Mental Hygiene proceedings. Anyone who had the opportunity to observe my litigation practice can report that I remain calm despite the tension that may arise due to the potentially fractious nature of some of my clients, and that I am civil to all my adversaries even when we disagree. 

For the last 5 years, I have served as Justice Francois A. Rivera's Principal Law Clerk in the Kings County Supreme Court, Civil Term. Justice Rivera presides over a myriad of actions including, but not limited to, personal injury, foreclosures, defamation, and discrimination. As a Principal Law Clerk, I have been honing my research and drafting skills. I regularly review pre-trial motions, prepare jury charges, verdict sheets, and conference matters. 

I am also active in several bar associations and have worked through these associations to serve my community. I have had leadership positions in many of these organizations. Through legal education programs, I promote diversity and inclusion, by educating lawyers and judges about implicit bias and its effects on the court system. My education, training, and experiences have given me the tools to understand not only the law but the human condition and experience.

My skills, experiences, and the ability to look at legal disputes from differing viewpoints have prepared me and make me uniquely qualified to serve as a judge. 

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I have been endorsed by:

I have received the endorsement of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, Independent Neighborhood Democrats and Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

I believe that diversity, bias and cultural competence training is important for all persons who serve in the Court system.  At this time, Justice Rivera and I are working to make the decisions made more gender-neutral.  We try not to make assumptions about any litigant or attorney. Therefore, our questions are carefully articulated to not presume and leave room for the individual to identify themselves as they so choose. 

 I fundamentally believe that any individual coming before the court requires dignity and respect.  Therefore, as a Judge it is my job to ensure that occurs and anything short of that is unacceptable.    

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

As an attorney, I have made applications for clients to be referred by a chosen name rather than their legal name.  As I believe dignity and respect is important, I will engage in the dialogue where such requests are made and issue the appropriate orders if necessary. 

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

I appeared before the LeGal judicial screening panel on Monday, May 15, 2023. I currently await the panel's decision.

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

I have served in the New York State Court System for 10 years as a law clerk and court attorney in the Civil Court, Supreme Court, and Appellate Division.  Currently, I am the Principal Law Clerk to the Hon. Alexander Tisch, Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County, where we oversee the Child Victims Act litigation throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all civil forfeiture actions in New York County, and a limited general part. Justice Tisch also sits on the Appellate Term for the First Department.  Prior to that, I worked in private practice, completed a fellowship at a union, and also worked for a judge in the federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I was found qualified by the Kings County Judicial Screening Committee and highly qualified by the Judiciary Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York for the position of Civil Court Judge. 

I am honored to have the support of Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, former Assemblymember Joan Millman, District Leaders Shaquana Boykin, Aaron Ouyang, Doug Schneider and Mark Hanna, former president of Lambda Independent Democrats (LID) Michael Czaczkes, among many other community leaders.  I am grateful to be endorsed by Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND), Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID), South Asians for America (SAFA), New American Voters Alliance (NAVA), Progressive Voices United, and Eleanor’s Legacy.

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

All court staff, including judges, are now required to take an implicit bias training, which I think is a really great step toward educating those in the court system and also checking our own unconscious biases. The course gives staff resources for ensuring that our courts are open and safe spaces for people of all different communities, including the LGBTQ community. It educates people on what to do when you encounter discrimination and how to report it within the court system. (This was implemented after the Office of Court Administration reviewed recommendations in Secretary Jeh Johnson’s report in 2020, which is something I personally contributed to on behalf of the Asian American and South Asian bar associations [AABANY and SABANY]).

I found the training very helpful in reminding us how we can respectfully create safe spaces and encounters between co-workers and for the litigants that we serve. For example, these are some useful tips that were provided (and I keep a page with this on my desk):

·  If you do not know someone’s preferred pronouns, ask privately, and use it when referring to them. If you slip up, apologize and move on.

· Be careful not to “out” someone’s trans-gender identity without their permission

·  Identify unknown people through gender-neutral features. (E.g., I try to refer to attorneys as “counselor” or “counsel for plaintiff” instead of Mr. or Ms.)

·  Do not tolerate others using slurs

I also appreciate having a diverse staff and actively try to build a pipeline for underrepresented communities to gain experience in the court system, mostly through internships. I proudly dedicated my time to serving on the Board of Directors of The Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program (scsjip.org).  I have personally supervised interns from the LGBT community and I look back fondly of the experience of one transgender intern in particular: I loved listening to his experience about transitioning that same summer, and how excited he was that his mother bought him new suits for the internship, conforming to his gender identity. Giving him the opportunity to work on name-change applications in the Civil Court was so rewarding for me because he was able to see how he is not alone.

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

This is partially answered above in the bullet points. Civility and respect are paramount in our judiciary and everyone who enters it is worthy of dignity and respect. I sincerely try to make sure everyone feels comfortable. 

For certain applications, I created standard form orders using “he/she/they.”  Coincidentally, many of the plaintiffs in the Child Victims Act matters proceed under pseudonym. If the name is “Jane Doe” or “John Doe,” I am able to use the respective pronoun. Often times, however, plaintiffs proceed under their initials or some other type of pseudonym.  Sometimes I look at the pleadings to try to find examples of what pronouns they used themselves, and if I cannot discern it, I leave it as “he/she/they” or “they” in the order — this is because it would sincerely disappoint me if I knew a litigant received an order from the court using the wrong pronoun, which may cause distress and/or embarrassment.

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

Yes and yes. I submitted my application to be screened by LeGaL and have an interview scheduled in the coming days.

Thank you so much for your time and attention. I look forward to discussing my qualifications with my fellow LID members

What is your current position/law practice?  If you are presently a judge, what did you do prior to becoming a judge?

I have served in the New York State Court System for 10 years as a law clerk and court attorney in the Civil Court, Supreme Court, and Appellate Division.  Currently, I am the Principal Law Clerk to the Hon. Alexander Tisch, Justice of the Supreme Court, New York County, where we oversee the Child Victims Act litigation throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all civil forfeiture actions in New York County, and a limited general part. Justice Tisch also sits on the Appellate Term for the First Department.  Prior to that, I worked in private practice, completed a fellowship at a union, and also worked for a judge in the federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  

Please list your current endorsements and judicial screening results.

I was found qualified by the Kings County Judicial Screening Committee and highly qualified by the Judiciary Committee of the Asian American Bar Association of New York for the position of Civil Court Judge. 

I am honored to have the support of Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, former Assemblymember Joan Millman, District Leaders Shaquana Boykin, Aaron Ouyang, Doug Schneider and Mark Hanna, former president of Lambda Independent Democrats (LID) Michael Czaczkes, among many other community leaders.  I am grateful to be endorsed by Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND), Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID), South Asians for America (SAFA), New American Voters Alliance (NAVA), Progressive Voices United, and Eleanor’s Legacy.

What interventions and resources are required to ensure that all judges and court personnel competently and respectfully serve and work with the LGBTQ community? What steps will you take to secure the necessary resources to implement the interventions? 

All court staff, including judges, are now required to take an implicit bias training, which I think is a really great step toward educating those in the court system and also checking our own unconscious biases. The course gives staff resources for ensuring that our courts are open and safe spaces for people of all different communities, including the LGBTQ community. It educates people on what to do when you encounter discrimination and how to report it within the court system. (This was implemented after the Office of Court Administration reviewed recommendations in Secretary Jeh Johnson’s report in 2020, which is something I personally contributed to on behalf of the Asian American and South Asian bar associations [AABANY and SABANY]).

I found the training very helpful in reminding us how we can respectfully create safe spaces and encounters between co-workers and for the litigants that we serve. For example, these are some useful tips that were provided (and I keep a page with this on my desk):

·  If you do not know someone’s preferred pronouns, ask privately, and use it when referring to them. If you slip up, apologize and move on.

· Be careful not to “out” someone’s trans-gender identity without their permission

·  Identify unknown people through gender-neutral features. (E.g., I try to refer to attorneys as “counselor” or “counsel for plaintiff” instead of Mr. or Ms.)

·  Do not tolerate others using slurs

I also appreciate having a diverse staff and actively try to build a pipeline for underrepresented communities to gain experience in the court system, mostly through internships. I proudly dedicated my time to serving on the Board of Directors of The Sonia & Celina Sotomayor Judicial Internship Program (scsjip.org).  I have personally supervised interns from the LGBT community and I look back fondly of the experience of one transgender intern in particular: I loved listening to his experience about transitioning that same summer, and how excited he was that his mother bought him new suits for the internship, conforming to his gender identity. Giving him the opportunity to work on name-change applications in the Civil Court was so rewarding for me because he was able to see how he is not alone.

How will you commit to ensuring that preferred pronouns and gender identity are respected in your courtroom and on documents prepared by litigators and the court?

This is partially answered above in the bullet points. Civility and respect are paramount in our judiciary and everyone who enters it is worthy of dignity and respect. I sincerely try to make sure everyone feels comfortable. 

For certain applications, I created standard form orders using “he/she/they.”  Coincidentally, many of the plaintiffs in the Child Victims Act matters proceed under pseudonym. If the name is “Jane Doe” or “John Doe,” I am able to use the respective pronoun. Often times, however, plaintiffs proceed under their initials or some other type of pseudonym.  Sometimes I look at the pleadings to try to find examples of what pronouns they used themselves, and if I cannot discern it, I leave it as “he/she/they” or “they” in the order — this is because it would sincerely disappoint me if I knew a litigant received an order from the court using the wrong pronoun, which may cause distress and/or embarrassment.

 Will you commit to appearing before the LGBT Bar Association (“LeGal”) judicial screening panel?  Do you understand that this club may rescind your endorsement for failure to appear or receiving a non-qualified rating from the association?

Yes and yes. I submitted my application to be screened by LeGaL and have an interview scheduled in the coming days.

Thank you so much for your time and attention. I look forward to discussing my qualifications with my fellow LID members