NJWLA Celebrates its 15th WILL Platinum Gala Where over 700 Members of the Bench and Bar Gathered to Honor New Jersey Leaders in the Law

CEDAR GROVE, NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (NJWLA) held its 15th Annual Women’s Initiative and Leaders in the Law (WILL) Platinum Gala on March 28, 2023 at The Grove in Cedar Grove, NJ with more than 700 people in attendance. The evening was an incredible celebration of the outstanding achievements of eight extraordinary Honorees.

This year’s WILL Platinum Award Recipients were the Honorable Karen M. Williams, United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; Honorable Karen M. Cassidy, New Jersey Superior Court, Union County Assignment Judge (Retired), Bramnick, Rodriguez, Grabas, Arnold & Mangan, LLC; Raymond Brown, Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.; Wanda Akin Brown, Wanda M. Akin & Associates; Annmarie Simeone, Associate General Counsel, Rutgers University, NJWLA Past President; Honorable Yolanda Ciccone, Middlesex County Prosecutor, Former New Jersey Superior Court, Vicinage 13 Assignment Judge; Kim Mutcherson, Co-Dean (Camden), Rutgers Law School and Rose Cuison-Villazor, Interim Co-Dean (Newark), Rutgers Law School. The Honorable Jessica S. Allen, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey and Past President of NJWLA, served as Mistress of Ceremonies.
Gala Co-Chairs Kim Doyle and Grace Byrd opened the event with welcome remarks and a tribute to the late Marilyn Askin. Diana C. Manning, NJWLA’s President, provided remarks and expressed NJWLA’s gratitude for the support of the entire New Jersey legal community and especially those who joined to celebrate at the Gala. Manning noted that the continued support of NJWLA’s sponsors and members are the key to allowing NJWLA to further its mission of advancing and retaining women of all backgrounds in the law. NJWLA continued its scholarship program and awarded $15,000 in scholarships to three law students: Naomi Franco of Rutgers Law School – Newark; Rachael Wolfram of Rutgers Law School – Camden; and Gineen Abuali of Seton Hall University School of Law, who each wrote poignant essays you can read on NJWLA’s website. The evening was rounded out with comments from Dina Mastellone, NJWLA’s Immediate Past President and closing remarks by Sharmila Jaipersaud, President Elect of NJWLA.