National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division Leading Forward Together! SPRING NEWS BRIEF

APRIL 27, 2017

Greetings From the Chair Greetings, It is with great pleasure that I invite you to enjoy the first Women Lawyers Division News Brief for the 2016-2017 bar year. This issue highlights the officers who makeup the leadership of our division. We have been working diligently to continue the legacy of excellence in the Women’s Lawyers Division. You will find a calendar of events which includes our upcoming Supreme Court Swearing In Ceremony in Washington DC and activities at our Annual Convention in Toronto Canada. Thank you for your support as we are Leading Forward Together. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, Chair Women Lawyers Division _____________________ Join Today www.nationalbar.org

With Warm Regards,

Rosalyn Henderson-Myers Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, Chair Women Lawyers Division

2016-2017 WLD Board Rosalyn Henderson-Myers Chair Rachel Anderson First Vice Chair Valencia Rainey Second Vice Chair Valerie Cartright Corresponding Secretary Desiree Boykin Recording Secretary Mary Melchor Treasurer Sharon Bridges Parliamentarian Board Members At Large

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Meet Your 2016-2017 WLD Officers Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, Chair Having served on the board of the Women Lawyers Division for six years, Ms. Rosalyn Henderson currently serves as Chair of the division. Rosalyn (aka Rosalyn Mattingly) has a diverse legal background and for over 23 years has counseled and represented clients in thousands of bench trial cases and has tried over 100 jury trials to verdict where she boasts a 90 percent win ratio. She has represented both corporate and individual clients in the areas of family law, criminal law, medical malpractice, personal injury, bankruptcy, social security disability, corporate defense, and general civil litigation. She is a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association (AAA), American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Rosalyn also is a South Carolina certified arbitrator and family court mediator.

Ex-Officio

Rosalyn currently practices law in South Carolina. Due to family obligations, she has traveled and also practiced in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Pennsylvania. She is a former Alabama state court judge where she presided over 12,000 cases involving contracts, small claims, criminal misdemeanors, family law, juvenile law, and civil litigation. Prior to returning to her home state of South Carolina Rosalyn served as a corporate attorney in Philadelphia, PA where she represented a major insurance company in automobile accident and premises liability cases.

NBA President Kevin Judd Monica Dula

Always active, Rosalyn is involved in politics and in serving her community. She currently serves as City Councilmember for District 3 of the City of Spartanburg. SC.

Antoinette Barksdale Alice Bonner Camille Bryant Shelley Fullwood Shammara Henderson Norma Hutcheson Jo St. George

She is a graduate of Leadership Spartanburg 2016 and Spartanburg Citizens Academy. She is President of the Spartanburg Chapter of the Links Inc, and past President of Epsilon Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She sits on the boards of Mobile Meals of Spartanburg, Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Converse College Board of Visitors, and the National Bar Association Board of Governors where she serves as the first South Carolinian to chair the Women Lawyers Division. Other positions in the NBA include past Region IV Director, past Health Law Section Chair, past Affiliate Chapter President and founding President of the Donald James Sampson Bar Association Affiliate Chapter. Rosalyn is married to Kenneth E. Myers, Sr., and has 2 daughters, Dr. Katrina A. Mattingly and Monique R. Mattingly. Rosalyn holds a B.A. Degree in Political Science from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC and a J.D. Degree from Tulane Law School in New Orleans, LA. ___________________________________________________________ Rachel Anderson, First Vice Chair Rachel J. Anderson is a tenured Professor of Law at the William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV. Prior to becoming a law professor, she worked at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meather & Flom (UK) LLP.

Women Lawyers Division Calendar of Events May 2017 th

15 WLD Newsbrief Articles & Announcements Submission Deadline 30th WLD United States Supreme Court SwearingIn - Washington, DC July 2017 28th WLD Respect Yourself Program during the NBA 92nd Annual Convention & Exhibits - Toronto, Canada 29th WLD Retreat during the NBA 92nd Annual Convention & Exhibits - Toronto, Canada August 2017 1st WLD Breakfast & CLE during the NBA 92nd Annual Convention & Exhibits - Toronto, Canada

Rachel has served as a Member at Large on the National Bar Association’s Board of Governors and on numerous NBA committees. She is a past President of the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association. Rachel currently serves on the board of directors of the ACLU, the ACLU Foundation, and the American Society of Comparative Law. She is a voting member of Nevada’s venture capital investment fund and is a state liaison for the ABA Corporate Laws Committee. Rachel has published numerous articles in reputed general and specialty law journals, as well as publications for legal practitioners. Her work is widely cited in law reviews, books, and other publications. Rachel teaches courses on Business Organizations, International Business Transactions, Diversity Leadership, and Human Rights. She also advises a BLSA Chapter and a NAACP College Chapter. Rachel also coordinates the Law School’s Voter Education Program that brings high school students to the Law School each year. She is actively engaged in legal academia and organizations at the local, state, and national levels. Rachel’s contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including Special Congressional Recognition, the State Bar of Nevada’s Medal of Justice, Urban Chamber of Commerce, Women in Business Award, Lawyers of Color Magazine, Law School Diversity 50 Under 50 List, and the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada Certificate of Appreciation for Elevating the Conversation on Issues of Racial Equity and Social Justice.

Valencia Rainey, Second Vice Chair Valencia Rainey is Senior Advisor to the General Counsel at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), where she advises the General Counsel of Agency matters. Valencia also litigates all agency employment matters. Valencia is an experienced employment law litigator, with extensive trial and courtroom experience. She litigated numerous jury trials during her nine years with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Columbia. Prior to joining the NEA, Valencia worked in the private sector at several law firms specializing in employment and labor law. She was the senior trial attorney at Gebhardt & Associates, L.L.P., and a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice.

National Bar Association Calendar of Events May 2017 7th–18th NBA International Affiliates Meeting - Dubai & India 18th NBA General Counsel Invitational - New York, NY July 2017 29th-31st NBA 92nd Annual Convention & Exhibits - Toronto, Canada August 2017 1st-4th NBA 92nd Annual Convention & Exhibits - Toronto, Canada

Valencia is an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University Law School where teaches Mediation Skills and Principles. Ms. Rainey is an arbitrator with FINRA. She is an Alternative Dispute practitioner who is certified in Mediation and Arbitration. She was awarded the prestigious 2010 H. Leon Higginbotham Fellowship by the American Arbitration Association. Valencia is a leader in several bar associations, including the National Bar Association, the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, and GWAC Bar Association (Past President). She also volunteers and participates in numerous community service organizations. ____________________________________________________________ Valerie Cartright, Corresponding Secretary Valerie M. Cartright is an Elected Official in the Town of Brookhaven, New York serving a population of over 500,000 constituents. She was elected in November of 2013 and is currently serving her second term. Of great importance to Councilwoman Cartright is easy, transparent and open access to government and the involvement of residents in the governmental Through her office, she commenced litigation to uphold the Voting Rights Act, an action for which she is proud. Valerie also serves as a tireless and community-conscious advocate and attorney. Throughout her legal career, she has gained invaluable legal experience in the areas of construction law, insurance defense, general civil and criminal law, civil rights, family, education, and labor and employment law. Valerie also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at St. Joseph’s College in Long Island. During her career, she has earned numerous awards for her contributions and service to the community. Valerie is a Past President of the Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association, former Chairperson of the Civil Rights Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association, former Chairperson of the Young Lawyers Section of the NYS Bar Association and former Trustee of the Brookhaven Rosa Parks Democratic Association. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.Rho Omega Zeta Chapter, Project Hope-The New Direction, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County and Jefferson’s Ferry. She serves on various committees in the National Coalition of 100 Black Women-Suffolk County Chapter, the Association of Towns and the National Bar Association. She is married and the proud mother of a daughter.

Desiree Boykin, Recording Secretary Desiree Boykin is the Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the corporation for UNCF, the nation’s largest minority education organization. She joined UNCF in 2002 and provides advice and counsel to the UNCF Board of Directors, senior staff and member presidents in the areas of higher education, insurance, constitutional law, intellectual property, corporate compliance and corporate governance. Additionally, she practices probate, contracts, employment and nonprofit law. Desirée manages UNCF’s legacy portfolio (testamentary gifts), which has resulted in more than $67 million in revenue during her

Our History Charlotte Ray

tenure. Prior to joining UNCF, Desiree was an associate attorney at the law office of John Paul Simpkins, where she was responsible for all phases of general civil practice including personal injury, product liability, family law and medical malpractice. She has numerous professional and civic affiliations, including membership in the National Bar Association, the Greater Washington Area Chapter Women Lawyers Division, Howard University Alumni Association, DC Club and the Howard University School of Law Alumni Association. Desiree has a law degree from Howard University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Howard University.

Charlotte Ray was the first African American female attorney in the United States. After graduating Howard University School of Law in 1872, she became the first woman admitted to the District of Columbia Bar and the first woman admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. Ray’s admission to the practice of law was the precedent used by women seeking bar admission in other states. Please join the WLD as we celebrate Charlotte Ray as a Trailblazer!

____________________________________________________________________ Mary Melchor, Treasurer Mary Alice Melchor has been an attorney for 25 years and is licensed to practice in courts in Illinois, in the United States District Court for Northern District of Illinois, and before the United States Supreme Court. Mary has worked for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County since 2002 and is currently the Inspector General (since 2005) where she supervises investigations related to the Clerk’s Office. Mary has previously served in Clerk’s Office’s court operations as an Associate Clerk and as a Chief Deputy Clerk. Mary is an active member of the National Bar Association, serving as treasurer of the Women’s Law Division, Secretary/Treasurer of Region VII, and serving previously on the nominating committee. Mary is also an active member of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago (past president/current board member), the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (current board member), the American Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, and Illinois State Bar Association Mary also serves as the treasurer for the Women’s Bar Foundation (overseeing $1.5million in assets), as the treasurer of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Inspectors General, and as the treasurer and legal consultant of the Cosmopolitan Community Church, where she has been a member for 41 years. Mary has a B.A. in French/Education from Illinois Wesleyan University, an M.S. from Chicago State University in Special Education and an M.B.A. from Roosevelt University in management. In 1992, Mary received her Juris Doctorate from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she also received their Professional Achievement Award in 2013. In 2016, Mary received the prestigious Chicago Defender Newspaper’s Women of Excellence Award.

Sharon Bridges, Parliamentarian

Remembering WLD Member Judge Sheila AbdusSaalam

Sharon F. Bridges is a Director in the New Orleans Office of Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy, LLC. The firm has offices located in Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. Sharon has spent the majority of her twenty plus years of practice representing corporations in high stakes litigation involving toxic torts/environmental law, wrongful death, product liability, nursing home negligence and medical malpractice. During her legal career, Sharon has represented hundreds of clients in all aspects of trial practice. Her nursing background has been an asset in the assessment of damages, particularly in high stakes litigation. Sharon has served as national and regional litigation strategist for several corporations and has significant experience in cultivating trial themes, developing the defense story and creating voir dire presentations. An experienced litigator, Sharon has served as first and second chair trial attorney in over 25 cases in state and federal court. Sharon has lectured nationally and locally regarding business development, branding, trial practice, including jury selection and developing trial themes. Sharon is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Mississippi. Sharon is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., where she has served internationally as Chairman, International Program Committee (2010-2014), Member, International Finance Committee (2010-2014) and currently serves on the International Honorary Members & Awards Committee. She has served the National Bar Association as General Counsel, Vice President, Chairman of the Health Law Section, Deputy Chief of Staff to NBA Past Presidents, Rodney Moore and Benjamin L. Crump and Chairman for the National Bar Association’s Inaugural Ball in honor of President-Elect Barack Obama. Sharon has received numerous professional and civic honors and awards, including Mississippi Woman Lawyer of the Year, the American Association of Nurse Attorney service award, President of the Year by the South Eastern Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Mississippi Bar Foundation Fellow, Mid-South Super Lawyer Award and numerous others. Sharon received a B.S. in nursing from Morris Brown College and a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Mississippi. Sharon enjoys traveling, tennis, hot yoga and attending live music and sports events. ____________________________________________________________________ Board Members At Large Antoinette Barksdale Antoinette Barksdale is the current General Counsel at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Community Relations Service. Prior to this position, she served as a Senior Trial Attorney at the DOJ in the in the Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section. Antoinette is also an Adjunct Professor at Howard University. She serves on the following Boards: Nation's Capital Girl Scout Council (Chair of the Nominations Committee); and the Women Lawyers' Division National Bar Association. Also, Antoinette has previously served on the following Boards: Chair, Department of Justice Association of Black Attorneys, National Bar Association (Chair Women Lawyers' Division), American Bar Association, Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers' Division, Vice-President, Mentor and

Volunteer Tutor, Malcolm X Elementary School, President, Community Advisory Board, Washington Center for the Aging, Board of Appeals and Review for the District of Columbia, Vice Chair East of the River Community Development Corporation, and Commissioner-Small and Local Business Development, Washington, D.C. ___________________________________________________________________ Alice Bonner Alice A. Wilkerson Bonner, a native of New Orleans, was educated in the State of Louisiana and continued her college and legal education at Texas Southern University. She was licensed to practice law in the State of Texas in May, 1967. She opened a small law firm of Bonner & Bonner in 1968 and practiced law until March, 1974 when she was appointed the First Black Woman Judge in the City of Houston. In 1977, she was appointed to the County Court of Harris County. In 1979, she was appointed the First Black to the Civil District Court of Texas, to wit, the 80th District Court of Harris County, Texas. Upon running for the office in the next election, she accumulated more vote in the Harris County election than then President Jimmy Carter. After retirement from the bench, she resumed private practice as a litigation specialist in Family and Probate Law.

Want to include an article, picture, or news item in the Summer 2017 WLD Newsbrief? Submissions Due May 15, 2017!!!! Email to: sbridges@maronmarvel. com

Alice has been extremely active in the Houston Community as Chair of the Houston Area Urban League and National Board; Boy Scouts of America, Houston Area Red Cross, and Florence Crittenden Home for Girls among other local organization. Professionally, she has been an active member of the National Bar Association (NBA) as an elected Board Member. In the Judicial Council Division of the NBA, she was the second woman to serve as Chair. She has been awarded many awards for her service of the NBA, including the recipient of one of its highest awards, the “Gertrude Rush” Award. Alice was a founding member of the Women’s Division of the NBA and has chaired the NBA’s prestigious “Hall of Fame” committee for more than 15 years. Alice was a Founding Member of National Women of Achievement, Inc. and remains active today. She is a Life Member of National Council of Negro Women and the NAACP. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and the Houston Chapter of Drifters, Inc. Alice is a proud mother, grandmother, and sister. ____________________________________________________________________

Camille Bryant Camille Bryant has over eleven years of experience as an Assistant Public Defender. She began her career in Minnesota’s Third Judicial District, working in juvenile court and on adult felonies. She later transferred to Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District and spent four years working in juvenile court before transferring to adult court where she was assigned to the property and drug division. She now supports the specialty courts, revocation team. In addition to working for the public defender’s office, Ms. Bryant has volunteered for several non-profit organizations. She served on the YWCA of Minneapolis It’s Time to Talk committee, on the board of the Collaborative Community Law Initiative (CCLI) and on the board of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers (MABL) holding the positions of secretary and currently as the Community Outreach Chairperson. She obtained her law degree from Hamline University School of Law in May 2005. Prior to attending law school she worked for over eight years at 3M Company as a chemical engineer. While at 3M Company she worked in environmental engineering and project engineering. She has proven herself to be a dogged litigator and a creative problem-solver. ___________________________________________________________________ Shelley Fullwood ____________________________________________________________________ Shammara Henderson Assistant United States Attorney, Shammara Henderson, was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She attended American University in Washington, DC, as a Frederick Douglass Scholar, where she double majored in Political Science and Philosophy. Upon graduation, she attended the University of New Mexico School of Law. After graduating from law school in 2007, Shammara clerked for Justice Charles W. Daniels at the New Mexico Supreme Court. She then practiced for a year as an Assistant District Attorney for the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Albuquerque, NM. In early 2009, she became the Associate General Counsel for the Office of Governor Bill Richardson. In 2011, Ms. Henderson joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. In 2015, U.S. Attorney Damon P. Martinez named Shammara as the Smart on Crime Coordinator for the District of New Mexico along with her duties as a prosecutor. This position will enable further outreach with the community and law enforcement. In 2017, she transferred to the civil division, where she defends the United States in FTCA, Bivens, and Employment Discrimination cases. Shammara is the current Region X Director, National Bar Association; Vice President (former President), New Mexico Black Lawyers Association; Vice President, Alumni Board UNM School of Law; Parliamentarian, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc., Iota Xi Omega Chapter; Member, NM Board of Bar Examiners; Member, Links, Inc., Albuquerque Chapter. Ms. Henderson focuses her outreach on mentorship programs and fundraising to provide scholarship money to high school, college, and law school students. ____________________________________________________________________

Norma Hutcheson Norma B. Hutcheson retired from the position of Deputy Managing Counsel for the Capital Metro Law Office of the United States Postal Service (USPS) Law Department in January 2016, after 36 years of service in the federal government. She served as liaison and legal counsel to senior postal management. She managed, litigated and trained in the areas of labor and employment law, ethics, and revenue protection. Starting her legal career at the USPS in 1980, she also held the positions of acting manager and attorney/advisor at Postal Service Headquarters and its Eastern Regional and Mid-Atlantic Field Law Offices. Norma has served on the National Bar Association (NBA) Board of Directors as Region XII Director. She is a past president of the Greater Washington Area Chapter of the NBA (“GWAC”), NBA WLD, and past chair of the GWAC Foundation, Inc. Norma has been an active participant in the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law/NBA Election Protection project. She served as Secretary to the Board of the Women’s Bar Association Foundation and as a board member of the Women’s Bar Association of DC. She also has served as Vice President for Programming and Treasurer for the Potomac Chapter (VA) of The Links, Inc. and historian and Chair of the Social Justice and Human Rights Committee for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Theta Omega Omega Chapter. She was on the Board and was treasurer for Ivy Vine Charities, Inc. until December 2015. She has been a Loaned Executive to the Combined Federal Campaign for the National Capital Area. Norma currently is chair of the Issues and Resolutions Committee for the NBA and has served in this position since 2004. She is Health and Human Services Chair for the Eastern Area of The Links, Inc. She chairs the Family Strengthening Committee for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Omega Omega Chapter. She sits on the Board of the YMCA for Metropolitan Washington. She is a deacon at Zion Baptist Church in northwest Washington, DC and secretary to Zion’s Board of Church Administration. She is a member of Leadership Greater Washington – Class of 2000. A native Washingtonian, Norma is a graduate of Bucknell University (B.A. in History and Political Science) and the University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D.). She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia (active) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (inactive). ____________________________________________________________________ JoAnn St. George Jo Saint-George is founder and CEO of FHG Media Enterprises, LLC, the legal industries first woman and AfricanAmerican/Native-American legal media and tech company and developer of the only all legal digital TV network www.MinorityCounselorTV.com (MCTV). The mission of MCTV to provide legal news, commentary and programs featuring the thought leadership of minority and women lawyers to educate and empower minority communities, businesses and to provide corporate and government legal departments with diverse legal perspectives. MCTV also brands and markets minority lawyers through its national directory of lawyer profiles that provides a personal branded TV Channel, podcast, blog, photo album along with a private peer to peer lawyer referral communication tool. MCTV is positioned to the be nation’s go to digital platform that gives a voice to the over 120,000 lawyer of color in the U.S. You are invited to join the MCTV Network and the NBA WLD group to make your voice heard on pressing legal issues in your

practice area. MCTV promises to make your voice heard! ____________________________________________________________________

Save the Date National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division 2017 U.S. Supreme Court Swearing-In May 30, 2017 Washington, D.C.