Students from three Queens high schools explored career opportunities in the legal field at an informative forum held on Wednesday, March 5, at the Queens County Supreme Court in Jamaica.
The “Women in Law Program,” organized by the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY) and the Queens County Women’s Bar Association (QCWBA) in collaboration with the Queens County Supreme Court-Civil Team, welcomed students from Young Women’s Leadership School, Queens High School, and Richmond Hill High School.
The program introduced students to a panel of accomplished female professionals in the legal field, including Supreme Court justices, law clerks, attorneys, stenographers, and court officers, offering firsthand insight into various legal careers.
Panelists included Maria Bradley, Esq., Chief Court Attorney and Co-Chair of the Queens Supreme Court, Civil Term, Equal Justice in the Courts Committee; Hon. Anna Culley, Judge and Co-Chair of the Gender Fairness Committee; and Hon. Audrey I. Pheffer, Queens County Clerk, Clerk of the Supreme Court, and Commissioner of Jurors. Also participating in the discussion were Tiffany Malcolm, Esq., Principal Law Clerk; Anita Ferriola, Senior Court Clerk; and court officers Coreen A. Fortune and Roseanne Sanclemente. Preet Gill, Esq., President of the Queens County Women’s Bar Association and a private practitioner, along with court reporters Jasmin Trovato and Valerie McNally, also spoke to students about their roles in the judicial system.
The event was moderated by Jasmine Valle-Bueno, Esq., Principal Law Clerk to Administrative Judge Marguerite A. Grays, who also delivered opening remarks.
The forum provided students with valuable exposure to legal professions, encouraging them to consider future careers in law through discussions with experienced professionals.
An inspiration to all
The all-female panel gave students an overview of the many possibilities open to youngsters interested in law, emphasizing that young women can balance a career and family within the field.
Bradley shared some of her work behind the scenes to help judges. As a chief court attorney, she oversees a department of 24 people, drafts decisions for judges, conducts research, and works on pretrial and matrimonial trials.
Bradley explained that the EJIC committee fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion for all who use the courts. “We try and figure out everything we do to make the courts user-friendly for people who come here every day, welcoming, and so that everyone can feel comfortable here, recognized, and respected,” she said.
Culley, who has roots in Richmond Hill, shared how she dared to dream outside of what was expected of her. She comes from an Irish-Italian background, where her father pushed her and her siblings to obtain a higher education. Her father was a corrections officer and eventually ran for public office, so she was exposed from an early age to politics, lawyers, government, and elected officials.
“ I then went into high school, and I remember in high school my father always pushing us; we had to go to college, and he wanted all three of us to become lawyers,” she said.
Culley said that she and her brother became lawyers, and her sister became a teacher. Culley broke the mold of her family’s traditional background; her aunts did not receive college educations, and many of her female cousins became homemakers after high school.
“I remember when I was in high school, my aunt, my father’s oldest sister, asked me what I wanted to become, and I said a lawyer, and she said, ‘That’s nice, Anna, but you’re going to become a wife and a mother, and you’re going to live in a house with a white picket fence,” Culley said. “ That made me say, uh-uh, I’m going to go to law school, and I’m going to prove you wrong.”
Culley said her story is a reminder to “not let anyone put you in a box.”
Culley, who has been a lawyer, assistant district attorney, and court attorney for 30 years, is now a judge.
Culley wears many hats as a mother, wife, and judge and explains to the crowd of young women that “you can do it all.” “More is expected of you as a woman, in my opinion. You have to carry all these roles of a mother, running a household, doing a good job at work… it’s not easy, but it can be done,” Culley said. “ All of us that have come before you have done it. I think if you really want something, you just keep pushing ahead and you keep pursuing it. Put in your mind that if you want it, you’re going to do it.”
Pheffer explained that as the Queens County Clerk, she is the “custodian” of all the records of the Queens County Supreme Court. Pheffer’s role is vital as lawyers and individuals must go to her office to file the necessary lawsuit paperwork. Pheffer deals with everything from registering LLCs and filing for new passports to liens on houses, notaries, and juror commissioning.
Pheffer explained that the Queens County Clerkship is an appointed position, emphasizing to the crowd that working in the court system can expand beyond an entry route of a two or four-year degree.
“It’s great because there are opportunities where you can study and take different levels of tests,” she said, referring to entry-level jobs, clerkships, and other higher-level positions. “ I think it’s one of the best types of jobs where you can move ahead on your own ability and at your own time.”
Pheffer shared how her background in public service shaped her into her current role as Queens County Clerk. A Far Rockaway native, Pheffer was a longtime community activist. She started off volunteering for an association supporting developmentally disabled children and realized quickly that there were many issues within her community.
She then went on to work for State Sen. Jeremy Weinstein and eventually ran for public office. “I did it because I felt I could do more for people working within the system than being outside of it… I was an elected official for 24 years, and my whole background was working for the public,” she said.
Malcolm is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who instilled a drive for higher education. “My parents pushed me to go to college; my mom is a nurse, and my dad is a mechanic, so no one had any formal education or training, but they pushed me to go to college,” she said. While in college, Malcolm became interested in the law and then went to law school.
Malcolm said that she was drawn to being a criminal defense attorney and, after graduation, worked with the Legal Aide Society. “I had a huge caseload, hearings, trials, and all types of cases,” she said.
Although Malcolm’s passion began in criminal defense, she decided to open her mind to other opportunities. She transitioned to working as a law clerk in criminal court for over six years, eventually taking that role in civil court. Malcolm said that she learned to adjust to the different types of law she is now working in. “I realized I’m kind of holding myself back if I only knew this one area, so I wanted to transition to learn another piece of the law,” she said.
Malcolm added that it’s okay not to know everything and embrace change. “The hardest part is what you don’t know; you just have to embrace the unknown and lean into it. Outside of my work, I try to do a lot of research, look up the laws, and look up cases,” she said.
Malcolm said networking is important for youngsters who are interested in becoming lawyers. “It’s definitely important in your social life and your professional life because it can lead to other opportunities with your jobs and your career.”
Malcolm left the crowd with powerful parting words. “One piece of advice to my younger self is, don’t doubt yourself, you can do it. A lot of times you may think this isn’t for me or I’m not smart enough… that’s hardly the case,” she said. “If you apply and try to push yourself, you can definitely make it happen.”
