During the 92nd Annual Meeting of the National Bar Association, St. Louis City Family Court Commissioner was installed as the 47th Chair of the Judicial Council. Judge Jon R. Gray (retired) administered the oath as her husband, Richard K. Gaines, held the Bible.
Commissioner Clarke will serve as Chair for one year and will preside over the Council’s Mid-Winter meeting in January 2018 and the Annual Meeting in July 28-August 4, 2018. The Annual Meeting will be held in New Orleans, LA during the National Bar Association’s Convention. Commissioner Clarke has served the Council as an officer and Board member since 2004. She was Chair of the St. Louis Host Committee for the National Bar Association’s 91st Annual Convention held in St. Louis, July 16-23, 2016.
Commissioner Clarke will focus on Judicial Diversity and Ethnic Fairness. Continuing Education programs presented throughout the year will emphasize these issues. The Judicial Council is comprised of judicial officers serving on federal, state, municipal and administrative courts across the United States and Canada. The Judicial Council was founded in 1971 and is a division of the National Bar Association. The NBA, which was founded in 1925, is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of predominately Black lawyers, judges, law professors and law students.
“I am honored to follow the tradition of legal judicial legends such as Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall who is honored at our annual luncheon and Judge A. Leon Higgonbotham of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who is honored at our Mid-winter meeting. The Judicial Council brings together judges of varied backgrounds and provides an opportunity to exchange new and exciting ideas.”