Hon. Richard B. Lowe, an early member and eventual chairman of the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission, discusses the early days of the nation's first court-based commission dedicated to racial and ethnic fairness in the courts.

Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission: Hon. Richard B. Lowe

Judge Edwina Mendelson wears a variety of hats in the court system. She’s the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge  for Justice Initiatives, oversees about 300 problem-solving courts as director of the Office of Policy & Planning, oversees the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project and leads the Equal Justice in Courts initiative. She describes her most recent project, implementing the recommendations of Secretary Johnson in his October 2020 report on institutional bias in the courts, as the “assignment of a lifetime.”

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-09/Judge%20Mendelson.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Edwina Richardson

Charlotte Watson, Executive Director the New York State Judicial Committee on Women in the Courts, has been crusading to end violence against women for virtually her entire life. In this Amici podcast, Charlotte shares the personal and professional journey that began as a little girl in her grandmother's beauty salon.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-10/Charlotte%20Watson.pdf

Feminist Warrior: Charlotte Watson

In this Veteran's Day Diversity Dialogue segment, we're pleased to welcome Ron Pawelczak, the District Executive for the Seventh Judicial District. Ron is a decorated veteran of the US Army, who served in the armed forces during operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Just Cause.

In this interview, Ron discusses the difficulties managing such a large and geographically diverse district, the challenges in recruiting a diverse workforce -- and the personal challenges he has faced as a gay man.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-11/Ron%20Pawelczak.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Ronald Pawelczak

Vishnu Priya, a native of India, came to United States in 2001  to attend graduate school at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and has been with the court system since earning her master's in info science. In this podcast, Vishnu discusses her background, her job and the opportunities available in the NYS Court System for techies.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-12/VishnuPriyaFinal.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Vishnu Priya

The son of a West Indies immigrant father and a mother of European roots, the Hon. Norman St. George brings a diverse background to his position as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the Courts Outside NYC.

“I believe I'm able to relate in some way to everyone and anyone,” he says in this new Diversity Dialogue podcast of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.  
“And I think that makes a difference when you are attempting to work with people and gain trust and respect. I can always find something in common.”

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2022-01/Judge%20St.%20George.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Norman St. George

This Women's History Month program features the Hon. Deborah Kaplan, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the Courts Inside New York City. In this Diversity Dialogue podcast, Judge Kaplan describes her myriad roles -- and the challenges inherent in being a female in a leadership position.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2022-03/Judge%20Kaplan_0.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: The Hon. Deborah A. Kaplan

NYS Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks discusses a plan to streamline and modernize New York's convoluted, cumbersome and inefficient court structure. The interview was conducted by Daniel K. Wiig, host of the New York County Lawyers Association's Amicus Curiae podcast.

Streamlining the NYS Court System

Judge Rachel "Ruchie" Freier is believed to be the first Hasidic woman to hold public office in United States history. Dubbed the “Hasidic Superwoman of Night Court” by The New York Times and named one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world by the Jerusalem Post, Judge Freier shatters stereotypes about Hasidic woman neither being seen nor heard outside their insular community.

Transcript:  http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2022-05/Judge%20Freier.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Judge Rachel Freier

For this Pride Month edition of Diversity Dialogues, we are fortunate to have not one but two pioneering judges as guests: the Honorable Anthony Cannataro of New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, and Justice Joanne Winslow of the Appellate Division Fourth Department. Together the judges co-chair the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission of the New York Courts.

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2022-05/PrideMonth22_1.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Judges Cannataro and Winslow

John Sullivan is the statewide ADA coordinator for the New York courts. In this podcast interview coinciding with the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Mr. Sullivan discusses the law and implications for the court system and court users. 

Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2022-07/John%20Sullivan.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts Through the ADA: John Sullivan

Thirty years ago today, the Hon. Judith S. Kaye made history when she was sworn in as the first female Chief Judge in New York State, a position she would hold for a record-breaking 15 years. All told, Judge Kaye, who was the first woman ever to sit on the state’s highest court, served 25 years, three months, 19 days and 12 hours on the Court of Appeals. 

In a special Women’s History Month edition of Diversity Dialogues, a podcast program of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Marilyn Marcus, Executive Director of the Historical Society of the New York Courts, discusses what Judith Smith Kaye meant to the courts, the law and to her personally.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-03/Marilyn%20Marcus%20on%20JSK.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Marilyn Marcus

Randy Bowens, the Statewide Equal Justice Coordinator for the NYS Courts, discusses his background and new role in this Diversity Dialogue podcast of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-04/Randy%20Bowens.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Randy Bowens

In this presentation of the Unified Court System's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Charlie Arrowood, senior counsel to the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission discusses their own gender transition, the meaning of terms such as "non-binary" and why the use of "they" and "them" as a singular pronoun is both appropriate and grammatically correct.

Transcript: ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/fi…0Arrowood%20.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Charlie Arrowood

In this Diversity Dialogue podcast, New York Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson discusses his childhood growing up with a totally blind mother, his recent appointment as the first Chief Judge of color in state history, his bottom-up management style and his plan to create more work for his colleagues on the high court.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-06/Chief%20Judge%20Wilson%20Final%20RDW%20edits.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson

Dr. Christine Farrow, the first female and first African American ever to serve as Commissioner of Jurors in Erie County, reflects on her life, her career, the importance of mentoring and her challenge in diversifying the jury pool.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-07/Christine%20Farrow.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Christine Farrow

In this Diversity Dialogue segment, the Hon. Joseph Zayas, the first Latino ever appointed Chief Administrative Judge in NYS, discusses his childhood in a Harlem housing project, growing up with a mentally ill father and his vision for the court system he manages.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-07/Judge%20ZayasFINAL_0.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Chief Administrative Judge Zayas

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Office of Diversity & Inclusion is pleased to present this podcast interview with Sgt. Bernice Torres, a NYS court officer who will discuss her Puerto Rican roots, her journey out of poverty, how she became a world class handball player -- and why she insists that she has the best law enforcement job possible.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-08/Sgt.%20Torres.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Sgt. Bernice Torres

In this Diversity Dialogue edition, the Hon. Lillian Wan, the first and only Asian American woman to serve on any of the four departments of the Appellate Division, discusses her childhood, growing up with immigrant parents, the biases she confronted and how those life experiences made her the judge she is.

“I wanted my courtroom to be a place where everyone feels welcome, everyone feels included, where everyone feels, regardless of the outcome—win, lose or draw— that I'm not going to prejudge you based on what you look like or where you come from and that you're going to get a fair shake in my courtroom, whether you love my decision or hate my decision, and that's still what I aspire to.”

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-10/Judge%20Wan.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Lillian Wan

In this Diversity Dialogue podcast, Linda Wiedrick, Chief Clerk in the Erie County Surrogate's Court, discusses her Mohawk roots and family story, reveals that the Mohawks were the first feminists and environmentalists, and shares the traditional Native American prayer of Thanksgiving.

"We're here. We're strong. We're surviving. We're striving not to lose our customs and traditions," says Ms. Wiedrick.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-11/Linda%20Wiedrick%20Podcast%20Transcript%20final.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Linda Wiedrick

Daniel Santiago-Stewart, a Senior Management Analyst in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, discusses the challenges of growing up gay in a deeply religious home, and his successful quest for happiness and peace.

"I am happy. Things could have been easier, but I don't regret what happened because
I am who I am because of it. I am strong because of it."

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2023-12/Dan%20Santiago.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Daniel Santiago-Stewart

In this Diversity Dialogue segment, we are honored and delighted to welcome to the program a truly historic figure, the Honorable Milton A. Tingling, the keystone of a nation's first three-generation family of Black judges. The Tingling family history and legacy is truly remarkable.

"You don't command respect," he said. "You earn respect."

NOTE: THE PODCAST  DESCRIBES JUDGE TINGLING AS NEW YORK'S FIRST BLACK COMMISSIONER OF JURORS. HE WAS THE FIRST IN NYC. THE FIRST BLACK JURY COMMISSIONER STATEWIDE WAS SIDNEY OGLESBY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-01/Milton%20Tingling_0.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Milton Tingling

When Carolyn Walker-Diallo, New York City Civil Court Administrative Judge, took her oath of office in 2015 with her hand on the Qur’an, the public recoil was instant. She was called “un-American,” a "jihadist" and a “terrorist.” For a time, she and her family were under armed guard.

In this new Diversity Dialogue podcast, Justice Walker-Diallo, the first Muslim person to serve as a judge in New York State, discusses Islam and her spiritual journey. She also reveals that that prior to converting, she harbored negative presumptions about Islam based upon the misrepresentation of the religion in the news and the media. 

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-02/Administrative%20Judge%20Walker-Diallo.pdf

#ramadan #Islamophobia

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Carolyn Walker-Diallo

As the third of eight children in an Irish Catholic family, future Deputy Chief Administrative Judge James P. Murphy picked up a lot of skills early on that would come in handy when he undertook the daunting task of overseeing day-to-day trial court operations in 57 of New York’s 62 counties and put him in charge of 640 judges and 6,000 non-judicial employees: teamwork, collaboration, humility, group dynamics and a keen understanding that the interests of the clan as a whole outweigh those of any individual.

Judge Murphy, who was appointed last year as the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the Courts Outside New York City, discusses his background and management approach in a new Amici podcast.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-02/Judge%20Murphy.pdf

“Call me!” A Discussion with Deputy Chief Administrative Judge James P. Murphy

Fifty years ago, Judge Harold Arnoldus Stevens made history when he became the first African American to sit on New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals. 

In this extraordinary podcast, the two attorneys who served as Judge Steven's law clerks -- Robert McGreevy and Lawrence Zweifach -- provide an inside look at this trailblazer.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-02/Harold%20Stevens.pdf

#gibsondunn #courtofappeals

Remembering Harold Stevens: The First African American on New York’s Highest Court

Milton Tingling

The New York State Court of Claims is often a below-the-radar court in the state court system. 

It rarely makes news. Its jurisdiction is limited to civil cases against the state and some of its entities. There are no jurors, so each case is decided by a judge. And since the judges are all appointed by the Governor, they never interact with the public in the way that judges campaigning for public office do.

In a new Amici podcast, Acting Presiding Judge Richard E. Sise and Court of Claims Judges Catherine Leahy-Scott and Ramón Rivera demystify the court, explaining why it exists, what it does and how it does it. 

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-03/Court%20of%20Claims%20final.pdf

Demystifying the Courts: Court Of Claims

Many judges decorate their office with pictures of judicial luminaries who they view as role models. In Supreme Court Justice Joanne D. Quiñones' office, you’ll find Wonder Woman memorabilia. Learn why and hear about her "Camp Quiñones" mentoring program, in this new Diversity Dialogue podcast, a production of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-04/Judge%20Quinones%20final.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Joanne D. Quiñones

Antonella Barbieri was the young mother of a 2 ½ year old boy when she received the shocking and life-altering news: Your son has autism.

“I cried,” she said. “I cried a lot.”

In this candid and moving episode of Diversity Dialogues, Antonella, a senior management analyst in the Division of E-Filing, takes us behind the curtain to view the real life experiences of an autistic boy and his mother. 

She discusses those first moments and days, the daily struggles of the parent of an autistic child. And you’ll hear how she wouldn’t change a thing and believes the experience has made her a better and more patient manager. 

We hope you enjoy—and share—this Autism Awareness Month feature.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-04/Antonella%20Barbieri.pdf

#autism #autismawarenessmonth #neurodiversity

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Neurodiversity

Since its creation in 1995, the Commercial Division has transformed business litigation in New York, and as you'll hear, made the New York courts a preferred forum for complex business disputes.

We have three guests with us today: the Honorable Jennifer Schecter, who has served on the Commercial Division since 2018; the Honorable Joseph Lamendola, one of the Presiding Justices of the Commercial Division in Onondaga County; and Robert L. Haig, a partner at Kelley Drye & Warren in Manhattan, and Chairman of the Commercial Division Advisory Council.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-05/commercial%20division.pdf

Demystifying the Courts: The Commercial Division

For this Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Diversity Dialogue, we are honored to have an opportunity to chat with the Hon. Jeffrey K. Oing, an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, in Manhattan. 

Justice Oing is a native of Hong Kong whose parents brought him to the United States at the age of four and raised him in East Harlem.

Transcript: https://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2024-05/Justice%20Oing%20Final.pdf

Promoting Diversity in the Courts: Hon. Jeffrey K. Oing

New York State has an urgent need for court officers, especially in the upstate districts, and that means there's a wonderful opportunity right now for someone who just might have what it takes to join this prestigious law enforcement agency.

Today, we're joined by Captain Vinetta Anderton, a career court officer, who explains what court officers do, how they do it and why serving in that capacity is so rewarding.

The Life of a Court Officer: Vinetta Anderton

The "Amici" podcast series was created to share information and insight from New York's judges and the Unified Court System with constituents, stakeholders and anyone else who might have an interest in these topics.

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