CHICAGO, August 28, 2023 — Published by the American Bar Association, “Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges,” a compelling collection of personal stories by and about some of the most revered and influential women judges in the United States, is the winner of the 2023 Association of Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Publications.
“We are delighted that editor Lauren Stiller Rikleen and the ABA Judicial Division have received the 2023 ACLEA award for Outstanding Achievement in Publications,” said Donna Gollmer, director of ABA Publishing. “Rikleen has gathered narratives that profoundly illuminate both the remarkable accomplishments of these judges and the daunting challenges they have overcome. Their vision, grace, courage and resolve have made our justice system better and created a positive difference in the world, and their personal stories offer us inspiration and hope.”
The 25 judges featured in “Her Honor” are from all levels of the state and federal courts, including chief judges and two Supreme Court justices. The authors openly share examples of their challenges and successes, including the inequality, bias and other barriers they overcame in their lives. Their moving stories will be all too recognizable to those experiencing similar challenges and biases in their own careers.
“Her Honor” also demonstrates how the best of our judges share a passion for ensuring an accessible and fair system of justice, without a political agenda. They reveal a deep compassion for humanity along with an abiding respect for the law, respecting precedent but acting with courage if the law offers a way forward.
About the editor:
Lauren Stiller Rikleen is a board member and interim executive director of Lawyers Defending American Democracy, an organization devoted to the protection of democracy and the rule of law. She is also president of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership, and is a nationally known speaker, trainer, author and consultant focused on building a diverse, respectful and inclusive workplace culture. The ABA has previously published two of Rikleen’s books: “The Shield of Silence: How Power Perpetuates a Culture of Harassment and Bullying in the Workplace” and “You Raised Us, Now Work With Us – Millennials, Career Success, and Building Strong Workplace Teams.”
Rikleen is a former law firm equity partner and founder of the firm’s environmental law practice. For 20 years, she was recognized in Best Lawyers in America; she was also recognized in Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers and in Massachusetts Super Lawyers.
Title: “Her Honor: Stories of Challenge and Triumph from Women Judges”
Publisher: ABA Book Publishing
Pages: 336
Product Code: 5230308
ISBN: 9781639052400
Size: 6 x 9 inches
Binding: Softcover
Price: $24.95
Orders: https://www.americanbar.org/products/inv/book/427582689/
What prominent lawyers are saying about “Her Honor”. . .
“This is one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. The essays, by and about 25 inspirational women judges, are beautifully written and compelling accounts of lives filled with amazing accomplishments. They are stories of women who overcame great obstacles ─ sexism and racism and antisemitism and homophobia and poverty and so much else ─ to rise to the top of the legal profession and make a huge difference. I want all law students and lawyers to read it, and for that matter, all high school and college students who might be thinking of a career in the law.”
— Erwin Chemerinsky, dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Some of the judges profiled in this remarkable, and remarkably infuriating, volume are household names (Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg); others are women you’ve likely never heard of. Their stories are unique but also universal--tales of women who endured slights, barriers and outright humiliation unimaginable to later generations of female attorneys, but who persevered with grit, humor and intelligence. All helped shape the world women in the law face today—hardly perfect but dramatically changed—and this book offers fitting testimony to their contributions.
— Ruth Marcus, Washington Post columnist
As someone who’s often critical about the progress of women in the legal profession, I found this book to be a much-needed antidote to my cynicism. It’s an illuminating, honest look at how female judges overcame substantial obstacles with grit and grace—and triumphed.
— Vivia Chen, opinion columnist, Bloomberg Law
Editor’s note: If you would like a review copy or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Jeffrey Salyards at [email protected]. If you publish a review of this book, please send tear sheets or a copy for our files to Jeffrey Salyards, ABA Publishing, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60654.
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.