‘Titan of Justice’ Judge Edwina Richardson to be honored at NYSBA annual meeting

The NYS Bar Association is set to honor Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Edwina Richardson with the prestigious Ruth G. Schapiro Award during a ceremony that will take place at the association’s Annual Meeting in Manhattan on Friday, Jan. 20.

Judge Richardson is known for her work with the Office for Justice Initiatives, which is tasked with ensuring meaningful access to justice for all New Yorkers in Civil, Criminal, and Family courts. In that role, she supervises help centers, pro bono programs, and resources catering to unrepresented court users. Her efforts focus on eliminating bias, discrimination, and harassment in the court system, and in creating trust among the public.

“Judge Richardson is a champion for women and girls, and her passion knows no bounds,” said NYSBA President Richard Lewis. “She is a visionary leader who works tirelessly to make our courts accessible to all New Yorkers and is beloved by the lawyers with whom she interacts.”

Leading the Equal Justice in the Courts Initiative, Judge Richardson continues to address issues highlighted in the 2020 report on equal access and racial bias in the New York State Court System.Homeland Security Jeh JohnsonHomeland Security Jeh Johnson, the report’s author, praised Richardson as a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion.

Her colleague, First Deputy Chief Administrative Judge Norman St. George, describes her as the “Titan of Justice” in the New York Court system.

Judge Edwina Richardson, appointed to the Court of Claims in 2017, concurrently serves in the Supreme Court Criminal Term, New York County, and previously presided over the Youth Part of the New York County Supreme Court. Her career began as a court attorney-referee in Queens County Family Court,…