Page 16 - July August 22 CBA Report

A ward Winners
THEMIS AWARD
Dean Verna L. Williams
The Themis Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Cincinnati Bar Association for extraordinary service to law and the community.
Dean Verna L. Williams exemplifies the attributes of the Themis Award through her involvement in the University of Cincinnati College of Law, the Cincinnati Bar Association, and the Cincinnati legal community.
Throughout her career as professor and dean at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, Dean Williams has supported the law school’s many programs, including the Urban Morgan Center, the Innocence Project, and the Freedom Center Journal. Prior to her appointment as dean, she co-founded and co-directed the Center for Race, Gender and Social Justice with the assistance of two other UC professors. Dean Williams has focused her teaching in the areas of family law, gender equality and constitutional law. Twice, she received the Goldman Prize for Teaching Excellence.
Dean Williams is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. Prior to joining the UC Law faculty in 2001, Dean Williams was Vice President and Director of Educa- tional Opportunities at the National Woman’s Law Center, where she focused on issues of gender and equity in education. In that capacity, Dean Williams was lead counsel, and successfully argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education. This winning argument established
educational institutions have a duty to address known complaints of student-to-student sexual harassment.
Dean Williams was recently recognized by the Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati (BLAC) with the Distinguished Service Award for her years of service to the greater Cincinnati legal community.
Dean William is recognized for her work in the Cincinnati legal community. She is forging paths with pipeline organiza- tions, such as the Summer Work Experience in Law (SWEL), dedicated to equality and diversity in the legal profession. She is strengthening the enrollment and curriculum at the College of Law through clinical programs such as the new Legal Access Project. Dean Williams embodies the commitment to equal justice and works to amplify the voices of people who struggle to obtain justice.
Dean Williams achieves these accomplishments with a warm and generous attitude. She has been an accomplished ambassador for the UC Law School. Dean Williams is a pioneer and leader for social justice and makes this a priority at the College of law. Her career is a leading example of dedication to the legal profession and the community.
16 THE REPORT | July/August 2022 | CincyBar.org