Tulane alumna to lead national organization of women judges

A Tulane Law alumna and former adjunct law professor will take the helm of the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) in October.

Orleans Civil District Court Judge Bernadette D’Souza (L’92), the first  Civil District Court judge elected to the  permanent domestic relations division, becomes president of the organization in October at its annual conference in Los Angeles.

D’Souza has been in public interest law since graduating from Tulane, working in family law and domestic violence. She was a managing attorney at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, which provides legal representation to clients of limited means.

She was first elected in 2012 to her current seat when state lawmakers in 2011 created two additional judgeships dedicated exclusively to handling family legal matters.At Tulane, she was an adjunct professor teaching domestic violence law and worked instructing students through the law school’s Domestic Violence Clinic.

“Judge D’Souza has dedicated her entire career to public service and been a singular force in reforming the way family law cases are handled in New Orleans,” said Law Dean David Meyer.  “The NAWJ is extremely fortunate to have the benefit of her leadership at the national level and we couldn’t be prouder of her at Tulane.”

Her leadership of the NAWJ is only the latest significant honor bestowed on D’Souza this year.

She was invited by Pope Francis to attend the first Pan American Judges Summit on Social Rights, the Environment and Social Justice June 3-4 in Rome.  The goal of the summit is to bring together judges from the Americas to share best practices in social, economic and cultural rights, as well as in the legal protection of the environment.

Earlier last month, D’Souza spoke on a panel at the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women, presenting on integrated domestic violence courts. The event was in collaboration with the American Bar Association and the NAWJ.