St. John's University School of Law Hosts Public Forum: "A Lasting Blueprint for Social Diversity"

The St. John’s University School of Law will host a public legislative forum entitled: “A Lasting Blueprint for Judicial Diversity” on Thursday January 18, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the Belson Moot Court Room at the University’s Queens Campus. The public forum is being coordinated by New York State Senator Malcolm A. Smith (14th SD- Queens) and members of the New York State Legislature to raise awareness and discuss constructive solutions to increase judicial diversity at all levels.

Featured expert testimony from members of the NYS Legislature, the legal community, academia, civil rights leaders and St. John’s Law Professor Leonard Baynes, Director of The Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic Development will discuss the urgent need for greater judicial diversity in New York.

The forum, which is the second in a Statewide Series, looks to promote, support and ensure the development of a robust and diverse cadre of jurists at the trial and appellate levels of the New York State Court System. Governor Elliot Spitzer will make three appointments to the Court of Appeals in his first eighteen months in office: a powerful opportunity to recast the high court bench into a model of judicial diversity with far-reaching impact and appeal all across the state.

Representatives of the bench, the Bar, the State Court System, law schools, law enforcement agencies, bar associations, political party committees, good government groups, civil rights organizations and judicial reform advocates are invited to share with state lawmakers and policymakers their insights and suggestions on establishing “A Lasting Blueprint for Judicial Diversity.”

For more information on the public legislative forum on judicial diversity contact: Chris La Barge at NYS Senator Malcolm A. Smith’s office by calling (518) 455-2973 or e-mail requests to labarge@senate.state.ny.us

For press inquiries contact Dominic Scianna, Director of Media Relations at St. John’s University by calling (718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.

Fast Facts

According to 2001 figures published by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Judicial Independence, only 84 (or 14.6%) minority judges out of 574 authorized state-court judges in New York sat on the bench in trial and appellate courts in the state.

• New York State is now over 40% minority and New York City is over 50%.  The borough of Queens, where St. John’s School of Law is located, is the most diverse county in the U.S.

• St. John’s University is proud to host this important conversation on Judicial Diversity as it has long championed the educational needs of the underserved and underrepresented throughout the metropolitan community.