by RICH CASSIDY on AUGUST 11, 2010
On Sunday, I had the privilege of attending the 20th Annual Margaret Brent Awards Luncheon at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting.
Named after the first woman lawyer in America, The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession gives the Awards to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women lawyers.
The 2010 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards went to five very distinguished lawyers:
Brooksley E. Born
Elizabeth J. Cabraser
Willie Stevenson Glanton
M. Margaret McKeown
Laura Stein
Each honoree was profiled and spoke, and their accomplishments and remarks were truly inspiring.
I left fascinated by one image that came up at ceremony: the Statue of Lady Justice, with scales and sword, but no blindfold. Two program advertisements featured photographs of the Statue of Justice with her eyes wide open.
One recipient, Elizabeth J. Cabraser talked about this unusual representation of justice, telling the audience that, in her childhood, her family used to visit Virginia City, Nevada, where one of 20 known such statues stands. She argued that justice should far seeing, not blind. She went on to say that her image of justice relies heavily on the sword of truth, not the sword of violence.
Something about Elizabeth Cabraser’s observation struck home with me. Justice, as I understand it, is far seeing and wise, not blind.
Still, while far seeing, justice should be blind in one aspect. It should be blind to the identity of the person who seeks justice, or to whom justice is to be administered. As between otherwise similarly situated individuals, characteristics like race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and even non-invidious distinctions such as wealth or social position, should not affect the outcome of a judicial proceeding. I think that is what “Equal Justice Before The Law” means.
I am not sure what image would best represent the justice that Elizabeth Cabraser aspires to, but I agree: open eyes seem better than those covered with a blindfold.
So thank you Elizabeth Cabraser. And thank you to each recipient of the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards for all that each of you has done to improve not just the image of justice, but its reality.
It was a pleasure to celebrate such champions of justice.
Rich