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    P.O. Box 5252
    Albany, NY 12205
    c/o Patricia L. R. Rodriguez , Esq.

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    Awards Ceremony, 2014
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    Awards Ceremony, 2014

    Recognizing People of Color in the Legal Profession
    President's Message

    William T. LittleOn behalf of the Capital District Black and Hispanic Bar Association, we welcome and thank you for being a part of our first Judicial Reception. First, we would like to thank the Chair of our Program Committee, Pat Rodriguez, and the Program Committee Members, the Board of Directors, and more specifically, Gloria Herron Arthur who were so instrumental in the success of this event.

    The founders of this great organization envisioned a diverse legal profession – diverse among both its practitioners and its judiciary. In the words of one of the founders, the Honorable Randolph Treece, “No other issue has aroused the passion of the CDBHBA as much as the absence of judges of color.” With that vision in mind, the CDBHBA has remained committed to bringing awareness to the importance of a diverse judiciary in this state.

    Today we celebrate the appointment of the Honorable Jenny Rivera and the Honorable Sheila Abdus-Salaam to the New York State Court of Appeals. While there is still significant progress to be made towards achieving a diverse judiciary, these appointments serve as inspiration to the members of this organization that our efforts have not gone unnoticed.

    William T. Little

    Celebrating

    Hon. Jenny Rivera

    Jenny Rivera, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New York City in December 1960. On January 15, 2013, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo nominated her to the Court of Appeals, and the New York State Senate confirmed her appointment on February 11, 2013.

    Judge Rivera has spent her entire professional career in public service. She clerked for the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, on the Southern District of New York, and also clerked in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals Pro Se Law Clerk’s Office. She worked for the Legal Aid Society’s Homeless Family Rights Project, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (renamed Latino Justice PRLDEF), and was appointed by the New York State Attorney General as Special Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights. Judge Rivera has been an Administrative Law Judge for the New York State Division for Human Rights, and served on the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Prior to her appointment, she was a tenured faculty member of the City University of New York School of Law, where she founded and served as Director of the Law School’s Center on Latino and Latina Rights and Equality.

    She graduated from Princeton University, and received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law.

    Jenny Rivera

    Hon. Sheila Abdus-Salaam

    Sheila Abdus-Salaam

    Jenny Rivera, Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals, was born in New York City in December 1960. On January 15, 2013, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo nominated her to the Court of Appeals, and the New York State Senate confirmed her appointment on February 11, 2013.

    Judge Rivera has spent her entire professional career in public service. She clerked for the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, on the Southern District of New York, and also clerked in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals Pro Se Law Clerk’s Office. She worked for the Legal Aid Society’s Homeless Family Rights Project, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (renamed Latino Justice PRLDEF), and was appointed by the New York State Attorney General as Special Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights. Judge Rivera has been an Administrative Law Judge for the New York State Division for Human Rights, and served on the New York City Commission on Human Rights. Prior to her appointment, she was a tenured faculty member of the City University of New York School of Law, where she founded and served as Director of the Law School’s Center on Latino and Latina Rights and Equality.

    She graduated from Princeton University, and received her J.D. from New York University School of Law and her LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law.

    2014 Sponsors

    The Capital District Black and Hispanic Bar Association would like to recognize the following organizations and thank them for co-sponsoring this reception recognizing the Honorable Jenny Rivera and Honorable Sheila Abdus-Salaam.

    Albany County Bar Association
    Capital District Women’s Bar Association
    Carter Conboy Case Blackmore Maloney & Laird PC
    Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
    Hacker Murphy LLP
    Law Office of Patricia L. R. Rodriguez
    Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP
    New York State Bar Association
    Nixon Peabody LLP
    Powers & Santola LLP
    Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP
    Schenectady County Bar Association
    The Law Office of Teresi & Little PLLC