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OBABL Links & Resources
2009 September
Sep
25
From the St. Petersburg Times:
In a highly embarrassing mea culpa, Florida’s powerful trial lawyer lobby admitted Wednesday that it was behind an ugly race-baiting flier in a recent North Florida Senate election.
“Morally and politically, it was indefensible,” said Scott Carruthers, executive director of the Florida Justice Association, the trial bar group, who said its leaders had no knowledge of it. “I accept full responsibility for not having done everything to stop that piece from going out.”
The flier juxtaposed images of the Black Panthers, President Barack Obama, the Rev. Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam and black marchers holding a large ACORN banner. The caption read: “Is this the change YOU want to believe in? Violence and intimidation at the voting booth.”
Sep
18
In his 89 years, Frank Morton has blazed a trail that will be hard for any black attorney to follow. From the Lakewood Ranch Herald:
Really, it all started in the late 1700s, when Carruthers Stanly, Morton’s great-great-great-grandfather, was emancipated from slavery at age 21 and became a wealthy plantation and barber shop owner.
That wealth allowed his descendents, and Morton, to have a proper education. Morton’s grandfather, Dr. Joseph Morton, was a professor of Greek and Latin.
Morton’s grandmother, Verina Morton-Jones, is often credited with being the first woman and the first black woman to practice medicine in Mississippi.
Verina Morton-Jones inspired Frank to be a doctor, until he ran into science classes at Long Island University. Science wasn’t for Morton, but he accomplished even more. He began in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the eastern district of New York in 1949, before becoming the first black Judge Advocate General in 1974.
“I’ve had a wonderful life,” Morton said.
Sep
17
Carla-Michelle’s Interview with Kimberly Miller
Filed Under Profiles, The Profession • Leave a Comment
Ms. Kimberly Miller is a 2000 graduate of the Florida State University College of Law. She has a Bachelors of Science in Criminology and is in the process of obtaining Masters in Political Management at the George Washington University. Social Justice is Ms. Miller’s passion and politics is her vehicle for change. Currently, Ms. Miller is working on the campaign to reform the financial services arena with Americans for Financial Reform. www.ourfinancialsecurity.org. It is a coalition of 200 consumer, labor and civil rights organizations who are pushing for the establishment of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. This agency would serve as an advocate for the American people on financial matters like credit cards, mortgages, insurance products.
How did your education prepare you for your career?
My legal skills allow me to analytically look at any situation and be able to identify the positive and negative consequences without emotion. The law gives you a new set of eyes to look through. During Hurricane Katrina, I was working in insurance compliance for a national insurance carrier. Although my heart broke for the victims, I knew that many people had not read or did not understand their insurance policy. I understand that we as consumers sign and agree to contracts that we do not read.
What extracurricular activities did you participate in during your educational career that provided you with useful tools during your professional career?
I was always interested in social justice issues. I have an undergraduate degree in criminology. I was active in the Black Law Students Association, I worked in our school’s Child Advocacy Center and I tried to have fun in law school.
What initially attracted you to your chosen career path?
I tried a number of different traditional lawyer jobs, but I didn’t really like them. Shortly after law school, I responded to an ad for a temporary legal assistance. I didn’t know it at the time, I set up and managed the legal office for the Gore/Leiberman Recount committee. It was difficult work, but it was always interesting. From that experience, I knew that I would eventually find the work that I find interesting. Now I am working on a campaign to establish the Consumer Financial Products Agency. It is a place where my love of social justice and financial services come together to help people. I was prepared for this opportunity because I didn’t let my work in insurance keep me from social justice issues in my community.
After the initial attraction, and gaining employment in your field, what keeps you attracted to the work that you do?
I love it. I would do it for free. I once clerked a judge in West Palm Beach, FL, Judge Moses Baker… He said to find the thing that you love and the money will come. In the beginning, you don’t think the money will ever come, but once it arrives it limits the career risks that you will take. If you build your career (even if it is volunteer work) on something that you love, you will make the sacrifices to see it through.
Sep
6
More Diversity On Louisville Bench
Filed Under Social Engineer • Leave a Comment
Gov. Steve Beshear continues to fulfill his diversity pledge by appointing Brian Edwards, an African-American lawyer to Jefferson Circuit Court. From the Courier-Journal:
Brian Edwards, is currently a sole practitioner who handles criminal and civil cases. He also has taught for the past two years in the University of Louisville’s Department of Pan-African Studies and served as associate director of its center for the study of crime and justice in black communities.
After Jefferson County’s only two black trial judges retired early this year, the county Commission on Racial Fairness called for Beshear and Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. to “seek out, nominate and appoint qualified African Americans and other minorities to the Kentucky judiciary.”
In July, Beshear named three black judges - Olu Stevens, the immediate past president of the Louisville Bar Association, as a circuit judge, and Sadiqa Reynolds and Erica Lee Williams as district judges.
