Paulette Brown, a partner and Chief Diversity Officer of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, has been reappointed a trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting law-related education and giving all New Jersey residents a basic understanding of the legal system.

 

Throughout her career of practicing in excess of 30 years, Paulette has held a number of positions, including in house counsel to a number of fortune 500 companies and as a Municipal Court Judge.  For more than 20 years, as a member of the firm's labor and employment group, she has focused her practice on labor and employment matters.  She has litigated a variety of employment matters, including, but not limited to, class actions, sexual harassment, marital status, WARN, race and age discrimination and issues pertaining to FMLA.  Paulette is also experienced in all aspects of workplace training and collective bargaining.

 

Paulette litigates in both federal and state courts, the NLRB and arbitration forums for both unionized and non-union employees.  Paulette is a certified mediator for the United States District Court, District of New Jersey and a member of the AAA Employment Panel.  She is a frequent lecturer on labor and employment issues and issues related to electronic discovery.  Paulette serves as Treasurer of the Labor and Employment Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association and is on the Council of the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association.

 

Paulette is a past President of the National Bar Association where during her tenure, she lead a delegation to monitor the first free and democratic elections in South Africa.  Paulette is also proud of her efforts during presidency in assisting with the appointment of African Americans to the federal bench.  Currently Paulette serves on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association and on its eight member Executive Committee and Strategic Planning Committee.  Paulette is also a past President of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey.

 

Committed to the issues of women and women of color in particular, Paulette served on the ABA's Commission on Women in the Profession and co-authored the nationally acclaimed study, "Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms".  Following that study, Paulette was inspired to form a group comprised of women of color associates in New Jersey to provide them with a safe environment to discuss issues affecting them in their law firms.  The group meets quarterly, along with N.J. law firm partners, Ghillaine Reid and Lynn Wright.  Paulette speaks extensively on diversity issues and issues affecting women in the profession.

 

 

Truly committed to community service and to the advancement of women of color, Paulette has been recognized by the National Law Journal as one of the 50 Most Influential Minority Attorneys in the United States and by New Jersey Law Journal as one of the prominent women and minority attorneys in the State of New Jersey.  She has consistently been recognized as one of New Jersey's Super Lawyers and for the past four years, as one of the top 50 women lawyers.  She has also been recognized by the American Bar Association with its prestigious Spirit of Excellence Award and by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, with its Award of Excellence.  Paulette has also been honored by the National Bar Association with its Equal Justice Award and most recently, its Gertrude Rush Award.  Paulette was also honored to receive the Thurgood Marshall Award from the Garden State Bar Association.

 

Founded in 1958, the New Jersey State Bar Foundation is the educational and philanthropic arm of the New Jersey State Bar Association. The Bar Foundation's mission is to promote public understanding of the law through a free, comprehensive public education program. Among its activities, the Foundation conducts seminars and conflict resolution training, publishes materials, operates a videotape loan library and speakers bureau, and coordinates elementary, middle and high school mock trial competitions. For more information about the Foundation's programs and publications, visit us online at www.njsbf.org or call 1-800-FREE-LAW.

 

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