April 2022
Celebrating the Historic Appointment of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

In a 53-47 vote, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black Woman and first public defender to be a Supreme Court Justice. On this historic moment, our President & CEO, April Frazier Camara, had this to say: "Words cannot express the overwhelming joy I feel for all the Black women, public defenders and legal aid attorneys who have ever aspired to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court. We know that wealth and race, unfortunately, continue to decide outcomes in too many court cases. Judge Jackson’s professional experience is what is needed to help people who are caught in the intersection between poverty and the legal system."

As a former public defender, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson brings a deep understanding of the vulnerabilities of those who enter the criminal legal system and appear before the Supreme Court. You can see more in our statement celebrating her appointment here.
NLADA Announces the 2022 Exemplar Award and Beacon of Justice Winners

We are excited to announce our Exemplar Award Honorees: Deborah Goldstock Ringel, General Counsel, Secretary, and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at Accenture Federal Services and Tony West, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary at Uber.
We are also proud to announce our 2022 Beacon of Justice awardees. This year's winners were chosen because of their work to address racial inequities within their communities and on the national level. Join us in congratulating: Akin Gump, Baker McKenzie, Crowell & Moring, Dechert, Dentons, DLA Piper, Hanson Bridgett, Hunton Andrews Kurth, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, Mintz, Nelson Mullins, Squire Patton Boggs, Steptoe & Johnson, Stinson, WilmerHale, Wilson Sonsini and Zuckerman Spaeder.

We will recognize all of these honorees at the 2022 Exemplar Awards Gala on Thursday June 9 at Dock 5-Union Market. For more information or questions regarding the gala, please contact Aileen Moffatt, VP External Relations at a.moffatt@nlada.org or 202-452-0620 x 223.
NLADA Welcomes a New CAC Chair

We are excited to welcome James L. Chosy, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel of U.S. Bancorp, as the new Chair of the NLADA  Corporate Advisory Committee (CAC).

“It’s a privilege and honor to work alongside the talented team at NLADA. I’m grateful for this opportunity to support their work to help lead meaningful change for such an important cause... I believe corporations can be change agents, and in this role, I look forward to supporting NLADA and strengthening its partnership with other legal executives and the broader corporate community.” Learn more about Mr. Chosy here. Click here, to explore the work of our CAC.
Black Defender Leadership Institute

BDLI is a first of its kind leadership program dedicated to providing specialized training for Black defenders. Along with professional support tailored to the unique lived experiences of being a Black public defender, the institute also offers continuous personalized support to those that emerge from this program as they reach new benchmarks, assume new positions and achieve career goals. Click here, to learn more about and apply for BDLI 1.0 or 2.0.
2022 Holistic Defense & Leadership Conferences: Reimagining Justice

Registration is NOW OPEN for the 2022 Holistic Defense & Leadership Conferences. Happening Virtually June 14-17, HDLC consists of two events: The Community-Oriented Defender (COD) Network Conference and the The Black Public Defender Association (BPDA) Conference

Requests for proposals are open for both the COD and the BPDA conferences! Click here to learn more and register or submit your proposal!
Other Important NLADA Dates and Events





Member Corner

***REMINDER***

Mutual of America Financial Group will present The Rising Tide of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Investing, which will provide valuable insights into the recent growth of ESG investing and considerations for retirement plan sponsors. Today, more plan participants ever want to see their investment portfolios guided by their philosophical views. ESG investing, also known as socially responsible or green investing, means investing money in funds that align with one or more recognized ESG factors. To learn more, please be sure to register here.
Connect with us