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‘Color of Justice’ Program encourages careers in law

Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013
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Photo Credit: Elizabeth A. O'Neil
Chief Justice of the Probate and Family Court Angela M. Ordoñez, founder of the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program, speaks to students at "The Color of Justice: Encouraging Students to Consider Legal and Judicial Careers" event

The Massachusetts Bar Association's Tiered Community Mentoring Committee, in conjunction with the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ), presented a program to all attorney mentors and mentee participants called "The Color of Justice: Encouraging Students to Consider Legal and Judicial Careers." It was held on Nov. 12, at New Mission High School in Hyde Park.

The program was spearheaded and moderated by the Hon. MaryLou Muirhead, associate justice of the Boston Housing Court, and the keynote speaker was the Hon. Angela Ordoñez, chief justice of the Probate and Family Court and founder of the Tiered Community Mentoring Program. At the end of the program, all speakers and participants were given the opportunity to have more one-on-one discussions, and the option to network and coordinate visits to their various courts and law firms.

In 2001, NAWJ launched its first Color of Justice Program with funding provided by a grant from the Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation. This foundation strives to promote social change to bring about a more just and equitable world. NAWJ partnered with the MBA's Tiered Community Mentoring Program in order to encourage legal professionals to share their real life experiences with the high school, college and law school participants. This included a discussion on the participants many and varied paths they took that led to their careers in the law.

Thank you to the following judges and attorneys for sharing insights about their careers:

  • Hon. Shannon Frison, associate justice, Superior Court
  • Hon. Geraldine Hines, associate justice, Appeals Court
  • Hon. Antoinette McLean Leoney, associate justice, District Court
  • Hon. Amy Nechtem, associate justice, Juvenile Court
  • Hon. Gloria Tan, associate justice, Juvenile Court
  • Diane Chang, Esq., Department of Children & Families
  • Joseph Feaster Jr., Esq., McKenzie & Associates PC
  • Joseph Kaigler Sr., Esq., Massachusetts Port Authority
  • JoeAnn Smith, Esq., first assistant clerk magistrate, Boston Housing Court