NJWLA Celebrates 14th Annual
WILL Platinum Gala:
Members of the Bench and Bar Gather to Honor Women Leaders in the Law in New Jersey
CEDAR GROVE, NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (NJWLA) held its 14th Annual Women’s Initiative and Leaders in the Law (WILL) Platinum Gala on March 29, 2022 at The Grove in Cedar Grove, NJ with more than 500 people in attendance. After postponing its 2020 Gala and hosting a virtual Gala in 2021, the evening was a long awaited in person celebration of the outstanding achievements of five extraordinary women in the law.
This year’s WILL Platinum Award Recipients were the Honorable Tonianne J. Bongiovanni, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey; the Honorable Marianne Espinosa, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division (Retired), Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks, Kahn, Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C.; Loren L. Pierce, Bressler Amery & Ross P.C. and Past President of NJWLA; Eboneé Lewis, Associate General Counsel – Employment, BD; and Lora Fong, Assistant Attorney General, Chief Diversity Officer for the Department of Law and Public. The Honorable Madeline Cox Arleo, United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey, served as NJWLA’s incomparable Mistress of Ceremonies.
Gala Co-Chair Kim Doyle opened the event, with remarks on behalf of herself and Jessica Carroll, Gala Co-Chair. Dina Mastellone, NJWLA’s President, provided opening 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. Mastellone 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 in the law. NJWLA continued its scholarship program and awarded $15,000 in scholarships to three law students: Marissa Catalano of Rutgers Law School – Newark; Hayly Mickles of Rutgers Law School – Camden; and Carmen Abrazado of Seton Hall University School of Law, who each wrote poignant essays you can read in the digital Gala Journal.
The evening was rounded out with comments from Linda Harvey and Jemi Goulian Lucey, NJWLA’s Past Presidents and closing remarks by Diana C. Manning, President Elect of NJWLA.
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| The NJWLA is an independent association of approximately 2,000 attorneys, law students and judges in New Jersey. Its mission is to retain women in the legal profession through education and activism; promote its members to the highest levels of law firm, government, academic, community and corporate positions; and endorse qualified female attorneys for appointments to the state and federal judiciary. Anyone interested in becoming involved with NJWLA is encouraged to visit the website for upcoming events, and to sign up for the Constant Contact emails to stay up-to-date on all upcoming events and news. More information about the NJWLA, including membership materials, can be found at www.njwla.org. |
