Judge Bernice Donald to deliver Stevens Lecture Oct. 19

Editor's note: This article previously stated that Judge Donald announced she would be retiring from the bench. She will not be retiring, but rather, upon confirmation of her successor in the Sixth Circuit, will be taking senior status and will continue to serve as a federal judge while hearing a reduced number of cases.

The University of Colorado Law School welcomes Judge Bernice Donald, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, as the featured speaker for the 10th annual John Paul Stevens Lecture.

Judge Donald will discuss her career, judicial philosophy and the rule of law in the context of the 1866 Memphis Massacre. The 15-minute lecture will be followed by a fireside chat and student Q&A session on Tuesday, Oct. 19, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. MDT.

From an early age, Judge Donald was a woman of firsts. Growing up in Olive Branch, Mississippi, she was one of the first four African American students to integrate into an all-white school district. She went on to become the first African American female judge: 1) in Tennessee; 2) to serve on the United States bankruptcy court for the Western District of Tennessee; 3) to serve on the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Tennessee; and 4) to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

With nearly 40 years of service, Judge Donald has received more than 100 awards for her professional, civic and community activities, including the Lifetime Liberty Achievement Award by the American Bar Association (ABA) and the Martin Luther King Community Service Award.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Stevens Lecture with Judge Bernice Donald,” said Suzette Malveaux, director of the Byron R. White Center and provost professor of civil rights law at Colorado Law. “With her four decades of experience on the bench, it is fitting that she will share her poignant insights and reflections about the judiciary and the U.S. legal system today. Her leadership and courage as a 'first' in so many arenas is inspiring and hopeful.”

Last year, American Bar Association Board of Governors created the Judge Bernice B. Donald Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award. Donald was the inaugural recipient.

The annual John Paul Stevens Lecture brings a distinguished jurist to Colorado Law to discuss judging and the state of the judiciary. The signature fireside chat format of the lecture presents an opportunity for law students, lawyers and community members to hear about the jurist’s career, legal philosophy and advice for the next generation of lawyers.