CONGRATULATIONS TO PAUL HENDERSON!
On November 30, 2007 Honorable Kamala D. Harris appointed Paul Henderson to the position of Chief of Administration for the San Francisco DA's office. Henderson has been a prosecutor since 1993, Congratulations, Paul!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONORABLE KEVA LANDRUM-JOHNSON!
Congratulations to Keva Landrum-Johnson, who will take over as Interim Orleans Parish District Attorney. She will be the first woman to serve in this capacity.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HONORABLE KAMALA HARRIS!
On November 6, 2007, San Francisco's District Attorney, the Honorable Kamala Harris was re-elected to a second term. Congratulations on your reelection!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ADA AUDREY MOORE!
On November 29, 2007 at the Third Annual Thomas Dewey Medal Presentation, our very own ADA Audrey Moore will be honored as an outstanding Assistant District Attorney for New York City. Kudos to Audrey!

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE JOB FAIR COMMITTEE!
Recent law school graduates and lateral hires continue to commend the NBPA Job Fair Committee for the great opportunity to interview with employers at this year’s conference.   Outstanding job!   If you missed this opportunity, please go to our Career Services link and take advantage of the NBPA’s ongoing efforts to diversify our profession.

GAIL HARDY NAMED CONNECTICUT’S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN STATE’S ATTORNEY
On July 11, 2007, NBPA Regional Director Gail Hardy was appointed as the State’s Attorney for the Hartford Judicial District in the state of Connecticut.  This appointment makes Hardy the first African-American State’s Attorney in Connecticut’s history.  Her appointment runs through 2012.   Congratulations to Honorable Gail Hardy for this very historic achievement!

OLOSUNDE AND GURIA RECOGNIZED
We are pleased to recognize Sterling Johnson, Jr. Chapter Vice-President of Membership, Afolabi Olosunde, and the Immediate Past President, Charles Guria. Olusunde and Guria are the proud recipients of the “Brown Memorial Baptist Church's Community Service Award” which is an award given to "individuals who have made lasting impressions and outstanding contributions to the Brooklyn community." The event will take place on Sunday, June 17, 2007 @ 11:00 a.m. at Brown Memorial Baptist Church. 

Congratulations to both of you!

EARLY REGISTRATION EXTENSIONS
IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER EARLY FOR THE CONFERENCE OR THE JOB FAIR. REGISTER TODAY!!!

Conference Early Registration ---- extended to Friday, June 8, 2007
Job Fair Early Registration     ---- extended to Friday, June 29, 2007

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL IN SEATTLE!

SPECIAL INVITATION TO YOU!
We would like to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to you to join us for the NBPA's 24th Annual Conference in the beautiful Emerald City, Seattle, Washington!  This is the first time the majestic Pacific Northwest has hosted the National Conference.   The conference committee intends to show conference attendees a wonderful time!  The theme of this year’s conference is “Champions of Justice: Honoring Our Past, While Preparing For Our Future.”

Register online today!  The deadline for Early Registration is June 1, 2007.  For more information on this year's Annual Conference and Job Fair, click here.

Congratulations to LA DDA Bobby Grace
Lead trial attorney, on the successful prosecution of Chester Turner who was charged with raping and killing 11 women.   With the exception of a grainy video that captured one rape/murder, there were no eyewitnesses. The investigation did not focus on Turner until DNA samples were matched to him.  On April 30, 2007 a jury returned 1st degree murder verdicts on all 11 counts.  Because one of the women was pregnant, the jury also returned a 2nd degree murder verdict with respect to the unborn child.

Winifred Acosta Nesmith Honored With Key To The City
On March 17, 2007, the city of Live Oak, Florida honored NBPA Vice President of Planning, Winifred Acosta NeSmith with a key to the city and a proclamation. ††The Steering Committee of the Boys and Girls Club of Suwannee County held a benefit banquet with a tribute to Winifred Acosta NeSmith for her many contributions to the community. †Acosta NeSmith often returns to her hometown for public speaking engagements where she offers encouraging words to the youth, as well as serves on the Boys and Girls Club Steering Committee, the African American Development Council, and along with her husband, sponsors a scholarship to a graduating Suwannee High School senior, the ìAcosta NeSmith Achievement Award.î †There were over 200 individuals in attendance in support of the community's quest to establish its first Boys and Girls Club.

In her address, Acosta NeSmith urged the audience ìif we are moved with compassion, our time, talent, and/or treasures will touch more lives than we can ever imagine for longer than we could ever imagine.î ††She inspired them to become mentors, to encourage a promising, yet distracted student to go to college, and to steer a misguided person in the right direction. †She then, reminded them, "to whom much is given, much is required."

She was honored by the Mayor, Honorable Garth ìSonnyî Nobles, the Suwannee High School, Sweet Hope Missionary Baptist Church, the African American Development Council, and her family. ††She is believed to be the first African American to receive a key to the city of Live Oak, Florida.

Sharon Majors-Lewis Becomes Calif Gov Judicial Appointments Secretary
This past February, Gov. Schwarzenegger named Sharon Majors-Lewis as the Judicial Appointments Secretary for the state of California. †The former San Diego prosecutor is believed to be the first active prosecutor to serve in this capacity, where she will be working with the judiciary and the Assembly speaker. †Majors-Lewis is also the first African-American and first woman California Judicial Appointments Secretary.

VP Keith Cave Honored
On Thursday, February 8, 2007, Vice President of Membership, Keith M. Cave, was honored at the Southeast Region Organized Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Annual Conference for his contributions to the OCDETF Case of the Year in the Western District of North Carolina. †Congratulations, Keith!

Black Lawyers Directory Honors Ononiwu
The Black Lawyers Directory has named Grace Ononiwu, the Chief Crown Prosecutor for Northamptonshire as their Lawyer of the Month. Ononiwu was appointed Chief Crown Prosecutor for Northamptonshire in April 2005. She was the first black person of African/Caribbean origin to be so appointed. Since 2003, Ononiwu has been the Vice Chair of the National Black Crown Prosecution Association. When asked what would she change about the world, she responded, "[i] would completely revamp the education system to ensure that our children are not labeled or stigmatized; knowledge is power. If this is done then every child has a chance." Congratulations, Grace!!!

Carmen Lineberger Honored as Woman of Distinction
On January 16, 2007, NBPA's Vice President of Programs, Carmen Lineberger, received the 2007 Woman of Distinction Award from the Barristers Association of Philadelphia. The local chapter of the National Bar Association honored Lineberger for her outstanding contributions to the legal profession, legal education and community service.