VLJ’s Uniting for Justice Gala
Celebrating 25 Years

Tuesday, October 6, 2026
5:30 – 8:30 PM

The Park Savoy Estate
236 Ridgedale Ave
Florham Park, NJ 07932 

Widely recognized for her historic service as president of the American Bar Association (ABA) from 2015 to 2016, Paulette became the first woman of color and the first Black woman to lead the ABA in its history. During her tenure, she advanced a far-reaching agenda centered on inclusion, professional equity, and systemic reform, helping to secure significant policy changes that expanded the profession’s focus on diversity, fairness, and access to justice. Through her leadership, advocacy, and institution-building, Paulette has helped reshape national conversations about who belongs in the profession, how legal organizations can build equitable cultures, and what meaningful leadership looks like in times of change.

Paulette’s legal career began after she earned her undergraduate degree from Howard University and her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. She built a multifaceted practice that included private practice, law firm leadership, in-house counsel roles at major corporations, and service on the bench as a municipal court judge. Over the years, she served as a founding law firm partner, worked as a solo practitioner, and later became a partner and chief diversity and inclusion officer at a major law firm, where she developed and led strategies to recruit, retain, and advance diverse legal talent.

In addition to her ABA presidency, Paulette has held numerous influential leadership positions throughout the legal community. She is a past president of the National Bar Association and the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, and she also made history as the first person of color to chair the Labor & Employment Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Across these roles, Paulette has been a powerful force for expanding opportunity, strengthening leadership pipelines, and challenging longstanding structural barriers within the profession. She has been widely celebrated for opening doors for women, lawyers of color, and other underrepresented attorneys, while helping institutions confront the cultural and organizational changes necessary to create more inclusive and sustainable professional environments. Her leadership has extended beyond bar governance into public service and civic engagement, including international election-monitoring work in South Africa and service as Chair of the Board of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. She has also contributed her insight and leadership to boards and advisory bodies focused on civic opportunity, legal equity, and education, including the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Seton Hall Law School.

An internationally recognized speaker and educator, Paulette is known for her work on implicit bias, inclusive leadership, and strategies for institutional change. Through her legal career, public leadership, writing, and advocacy, Paulette has left an enduring mark on the profession by elevating the importance of equity, broadening pathways to leadership, and helping legal institutions better reflect the communities they serve. Her legacy is one of excellence, courage, and transformative impact in the law and beyond.

For her decades spent raising the bar on the legal profession and access to justice, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice proudly honors Paulette with the Partner in Justice Award, which recognizes law firms, corporations, or individuals whose collaborative approach has expanded the reach of justice initiatives and made a lasting impact. This award celebrates those who work closely with legal aid organizations and community stakeholders, sharing resources, expertise, and leadership to ensure our efforts are effective, responsive, and community centered.

Help Volunteer Lawyers for Justice celebrate Paulette Brown and our 25th anniversary by purchasing tickets, sponsorships, and/or event journal ads.

Since 2001, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) has handled more than 17,400 legal cases impacting over 38,000 people. This was made possible by VLJ’s staff and more than 2,500 volunteers who donated 87,565 hours—equivalent to nearly 10 years of service—valued at $30.9 million.

Your support empowers justice.