Navan Ward, a Shareholder in our firm, is serving as the 2011-2012 Minority Caucus Chair for the American Association for Justice. Established in 1992, the Minority Caucus is responsible for recommending and developing educational opportunities, networking programs and other activities of special interest to AAJ members of color. The Caucus develops programs to stimulate minority membership and participation in leadership roles. It also works on joint programs with other AAJ Sections and special interest groups.

Service in this role gives Navan the opportunity to “foster leadership and promote professional development” among his colleagues. By taking an active role in the legal community, minority lawyers ensure that they have a voice in the development of the profession, and its direction. There is also the potential to reach young people and model to them that they can be anything they want to be, regardless of race, gender or creed. That’s an important message for the future of our profession, and the continued development and practice of the law.

Among his first duties as Chair of this group, Navan presented Alabama’s own Judge Charles Price with the 2011 Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., Soaring Eagles Award, which is a very high honor. The AAJ Minority Caucus presents this award annually to a lawyer who, despite the challenges of his or her own journey, pursues excellence and has made outstanding efforts and contributions to the legal profession in paving the way for others. Judge Price certainly meets this criteria.