DIVERSITY CORNER
Do You Want to Be a Judge ? Maybe the Road to the Bench Academy is for you !
MARYANN BRAUN
The second annual Palm Beach County Bar Association Road to the Bench Academy ( Academy ) will begin on February 16 , 2022 . This interactive , non-partisan mentorship program is designed to promote diversity on the bench . The Academy makes the application and election process less intimidating by connecting diverse candidates for the bench with current and past members of the Judiciary and Judicial Nominating Commission ( JNC ). The Academy is a sixsession course that provides insight on all aspects of the appointment and election process . The Academy covers numerous topics including how to decide when to seek a judicial appointment , tips on filling out the application , interview strategies , and how to prepare for the election process . The goal is to give participants in the Academy candid insights about the process from those on the inside of the decision making process as well as from Judges who have recently been through the process .
The 2021 Inaugural Class included twelve attorneys from both diverse backgrounds and practice areas . Each week the participants had the opportunity to hear a different set of panelists discuss a specific topic concerning the appointment or election process and get candid answers to their questions from the panelists . Distinguished judicial panelists included Judges Edward Artau , James Nutt , Sherree Cunningham , Matthew Stevenson , Shari Collins , Bradley Harper , Cymonie Rowe , Samantha Schosberg-Feuer , Sarah Willis , and Ashley Zuckerman . The Academy was also fortunate to include distinguished attorneys Gary Lesser and Sia Baker- Barnes , as well as JNC members Robert Harvey and Michael J . Gelfand as panelists . In addition , the participants received guidance from campaign strategists Rick Ansani and Richard Giorgio about seeking a judgeship through the election process .
In the first session Judges Sherree Cunningham , James Nutt , and Matthew Stevenson talked about the importance of diversity on the bench . Judge Stevenson remarked that as he looked out at the participants , he saw a great number of future judges . Judge Cunningham and Judge Nutt talked about the importance of perseverance and staying motivated during the daunting process of becoming a Judge . In a subsequent session with Judge Schosberg-Feuer , the participants wrote an introductory speech to use when speaking to an audience about their desire to become a Judge . During the session , the participants presented their speech to the other participants and the panelists . In another session , Judges Shari Collins and Cymonie Rowe with JNC member Gelfand went over the application in detail and offered their advice on what makes an application successful . In a later session , the participants had the opportunity to listen to a discussion amongst Judges Edward Artau , Laura Laurie , and JNC commissioner Robert Harvey about the vetting process and valuable insight to be prepared for questions from both the JNC and the Governor ’ s office . JNC Commissioner Robert Harvey reminded participants to begin preparing their application before there is a vacancy . Judge Artau spoke in detail about how important it is to be prepared for questions about judicial philosophy and recent Supreme Court decisions when meeting with the Governor ’ s office . In the final session , Sia Baker Barnes and Michael Gelfand provided insight to the participants about the importance of building a network of support and your own brand for preparation to run for office or seek appointment .
The upcoming 2022 Road to the Bench Academy will be expanding this year to include members of the Federal JNC along with other distinguished members of the South Florida legal community . The 2022 Academy will be divided into six onehour sessions broken down by topic . The sessions will be one hour and conducted on zoom . Graduation will be on March 30 , 2022 . The session topics and dates are :
Session 1 : Why we ’ re here : importance of encouraging a diverse bench .
• February 15 , 2022 , 6:00 p . m . via Zoom
• Academy kick-off session . Brief overview of the purpose of the program , introductions , and general qualifications to become a judge .
Session 2 : Building your brand , who are you ?
• February 22 , 2022 , 6:00 p . m . via Zoom
• Each participant will do a personal narrative exercise and self- assessment regarding running a campaign or seeking an appointment .
Session 3 : Elements of an effective and successful JNC application .
●
• March 1 , 2022 , 6:00 p . m . via Zoom
• Overview of the JNC process and discussion of the nuts and bolts of the JNC application .
Session 4 : So , you ’ ve applied , what ’ s next ?
• March 8 , 2022 , 6:00 p . m . via Zoom
• Discussion on how to put your best foot forward in the JNC and Governor ’ s office interviews .
Session 5 : Getting ready to run a judicial campaign .
• March 15 , 2022 , 6:00 p . m . via Zoom
• Discussion on the key elements to run for the judiciary and how to put together your team . Review of the judicial canons and overview of fundraising for judicial candidates .
Session 6 : Your network is your net worth .
• March 22 , 2022 , 6:00 p . m . via Zoom
• Overview of the importance of outreach and networking .
Graduation , in-person luncheon .
• ●March 29 , 2022 , 12:00 p . m . via Zoom
• ●Commencement speaker
The application to apply for the Academy is located on the Palm Beach Bar Association ’ s website . All applicants must be a member of the Palm Beach County Bar Association or a member of a partner bar association and have been practicing law for a minimum of three years . Additionally , each applicant must have a diverse background to include cultural , racial , age , sex / gender , sexual orientation , physical or mental disability , national origin , and / or religious diversity for consideration . The application deadline is January 21 , 2022 . For further information please visit https :// www . palmbeachbar . org / road-tothe-bench-academy /.