| Colorado Supreme Court names Head of Judicial Diversity Outreach |
Thursday, May 28, 2020
DENVER – The Colorado Supreme Court has selected Sumi Lee as Head of Judicial Diversity Outreach for the Colorado Judicial Department.
“We are thrilled for the creation of this position and to have Sumi Lee as our dedicated leader to focus on this important initiative,” said Justice Monica M. Márquez. “We are confident that Sumi will bring her leadership, experience, and passion to this new position to strengthen the bench to serve the public.”
The position was created by the Colorado Legislature in 2019 and is housed within the State Court Administrator’s Office (SCAO). Lee will be responsible for education and outreach regarding judicial officer vacancies, with focus on diversity issues in the judicial pipeline. The role will develop and deliver educational programming for attorneys and law students regarding judicial vacancies and the application process. Lee will also work on many diversity on the bench programs and committees already underway.
“Sumi has a vision for this work that includes both data driven analysis as well as relationship building,” said Brenidy Rice, SCAO Director of Court Services. “She will set a new standard for how Judicial engages with this work and we are excited to do this with her.”
“I am grateful and honored to have been selected to lead this important program for the Colorado Judicial Department,” Lee said. “The fact that this program is the first of its kind in Colorado, as well as one of the first in the country, speaks to the collective interest and support we have in our community to create courtrooms that reflect the rich diversity of our communities. I look forward to listening and connecting with all 22 Judicial Districts around the state and to work with community leaders on this initiative.”
Lee received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and her J.D. from New York Law School. She has been a licensed attorney in Colorado since 2011 and began her legal career with the Colorado Judicial Department in Denver Probate Court. She also served as a Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator in the program’s inaugural class in 2013 before practicing as a trust and estate attorney in the private sector. She currently serves as President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado and is a graduate of Leadership Denver and the Colorado Bar Association Leadership Training Program (COBALT).