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Bar News - June 18, 2010

Judge Conboy Hosts Labor and Employment Section

Lon Siel, former president of the Labor and Employment Law Section, receives an award in recognition of his service over the past year. Julie Moore, new president of the section, stands at right with Judge Carol Ann Conboy who hosted the meeting.

Carol Ann Conboy, the newest associate justice of the Supreme Court, speaks to the Labor and Employment Law Section about her transition from Superior Court judge to Supreme Court justice. She says, "I am trying to learn the job as fast as I can."

At the Supreme Court on June 2, Supreme Court Associate Justice Carol Ann Conboy hosted the Labor and Employment Law section meeting.

Justice Conboy, a former Superior Court judge who once practiced labor and employment law herself, spoke at length about the experience of being the newest member of the Supreme Court.

She presented an overview of the process followed by the justices in preparing for the cases that come before them. With humor and insight, she talked about being the "new kid on the block" and how much there is still to learn, even though she had been a judge for many years.

Conboy said that learning to operate as part of a group of five justices is much different from working "solo," as she did in the Superior Court. She remarked on the large volume of reading that goes along with the job. She said that every justice looks at every appeal, even the ones that are not accepted – and that the assignments made to each justice truly are random.

And she offered some writing advice: "Legal briefs are not creative writing," she said. "At the beginning of your brief, say what outcome you are hoping for. The surprise ending is not helpful here."

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