MBA Meeting with Senators

On August 24, 2009, MELAW Vice President for Community Outreach, Damon Shadid, attended a meeting with Senator Maria Cantwell’s staff to discuss how the Minority Bar Associations of Washington (“MBAs”) could aid the Senator’s office in improving diversity in the federal judiciary.  Members of 12 of the MBAs attended the meeting, and the discussion focused on ideas to help the Senator utilize the knowledge and expertise of the MBAs in making judicial selections.  The group discussed short term collaboration in helping select candidates for the judicial vacancy in the Eastern District of Washington, as well as long term plans for assisting in the judicial selection process.

The meeting with Senator Cantwell’s office followed an earlier meeting between the MBAs and the staff of Senator Patty Murray, who is similarly interested in utilizing the MBAs to improve diversity in the federal judiciary.

MELAW thanks Senator Cantwell, Senator Murray, and the MBAs for planning and participating in these constructive planning sessions.  This will hopefully be the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the MBAs and the Senators.  For more information, please contact Damon.