IJA's 26th Annual Brennan Lecture on State Courts & Social Justice:
Gender Equality and the Rule of Law
Chief Justice Maite Oronoz-Rodriguez, Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Hon. Maite Oronoz-Rodriguez
Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
Gender Equality and the Rule of Law: The state courts have a critical role in ensuring gender equality– and it starts within the judiciary itself. Chief Justice Oronoz-Rodríguez will discuss the role of the courts and the judiciary in achieving gender equality and instilling confidence in the judicial system by upholding the rule of law. She will share how the Puerto Rico court system is striving to -- and implementing measures in order to -- provide equal access to the courts and achieving just and equitable outcomes for all, particularly with the challenges presented by the catastrophe of Hurricane Maria in 2017, as well as the political turmoil of the “Summer of 2019”. The Chief Justice’s lecture is meant to provide ideas and spark discussion among a wide audience -- members of the judiciary and attorneys, as well as law students and professors--, as the themes and challenges she will discuss are, at their core, universal across states and other jurisdictions.
The Hon. Maite Oronoz-Rodriguez is the first openly LGBT chief justice in United States history. She is the third woman to preside over the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico and the youngest person to do so. She served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico from 2014-2016 and began her professional career as a law clerk to former Chief Justice Federico Hernández-Denton. She served as Deputy Solicitor General and Acting Solicitor General of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and as General Counsel of the city of San Juan. She also engaged in the private practice of law, especially in the fields of commercial and civil litigation. The Chief Justice is a member of the Permanent Commission on Gender and Access to Justice of the Ibero-American Judicial Summit and received the “2018 LLSA IMPACTO Award” in recognition of her inspiring leadership and commitment to public service and justice for all. In 2019, the National Center for State Courts presented her with its “2018 Distinguished Service Award” for her leadership in overseeing the restoration of court services following hurricanes Irma and María.
Introduction by Lauren Goldman '97, Mayer Brown LLP
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
6:15-7:30 p.m. lecture
Greenberg Lounge, Vanderbilt Hall
NYU School of Law
40 Washington Square South, New York, NY
Pre-registration by Feb. 21st is required.
Light refreshments will remain out until 8:00p.m.
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