Women Lawyers Section Program on Judicial Service
By Julia L. Ernst and Denitsa Mavrova Heinrich
On Nov. 18, 2017, SBAND’s Women Lawyers Section offered a
first-of-a-kind educational program entitled, “Judicial Service: A
Guide to Judicial Application, Selection, and Appointment.” 1 The
program was co-sponsored by The Infinity Project, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to enhancing diversity in the judiciary. More
than 80 members of SBAND’s Women Lawyers Section, which is
open to both women and men, registered to attend the forum to
learn about the process of becoming a judge from an illustrious group
of presenters that included former and current federal, state, and
tribal judges, members of the North Dakota Judicial Nominating
Committee, and representatives from both Senator Hoeven’s and
Governor Burgum’s offices.
In an effort to increase transparency and inform participants about
the judicial application, selection, and appointment processes,
the program offered various sessions focused on preparing and
applying for judicial service at the state, federal, and tribal levels.
The event provided not only sage advice on serving the judiciary,
but also invaluable networking opportunities among the program’s
participants and presenters. For those unable to attend, the following
is a brief recap of the information provided. 2
A successful judicial candidate, according to the collective view of the
presenters, must always display judicial temperament, including great
patience and understanding, an even-keel demeanor, an impeccable
reputation for integrity and honesty, a strong ethical and moral
compass, a commitment to fairness, humility, intellectual curiosity,
Below, University of North Dakota School of Law students with some of
the presenters at the reception following the program. Professor Julia
Ernst organized and helped more than a dozen law students travel to
Bismarck to attend the event.
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THE GAVEL
excellent organization skills, diligence and timeliness, and a keen
ability to listen and to know when to be silent. And so, lawyers who
aspire to serve the judiciary may wish to consider the following ideas.
For all judicial positions:
• Work hard and do excellent work.
• Try to obtain a broad range of legal experience, but do not
hesitate to apply even if your resume is not wide ranging.
• Become involved in professional and charitable organizations,
if possible. If unable to be as involved in community activities,
be prepared to explain how you have spent your time and how
those activities pertain to judicial service.
• Maintain good relationships throughout all of your professional
dealings, including with opposing counsel and opposing
parties, as well as with your own clients and colleagues. Be
polite and respectful to everyone, even under the most trying
circumstances.
• Being active in a political party can sometimes be beneficial and
sometimes not, depending on the type of judicial position you
may be seeking. Ask for specific advice about this aspect from
judges who have served in the particular area of the judiciary to
which you aspire.
• Never post anything on social media, write anything in emails
or letters, or say anything snarky that could come back to haunt
you.
• Build relationships and seek mentors with the judiciary in mind.
Invite people who have been involved in the judiciary and in the
judicial selection process to meet with you, and seek their advice
about building your resume, making your application as strong
as possible, and preparing for the interview.
• Read the judicial canons before applying for a judgeship and be
prepared to abide by those canons.