Barbara Lenk
Encyclopedia
Barbara A. Lenk is an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
. On April 4, 2011, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
nominated her to to that position and she was confirmed by the Governor's Council
on May 4, 2011. She took the oath of office on June 8.
, New York, to a poor family. Her parents were a bookbinder and a housekeeper. Her first language was Polish. She received a B.A.
magna cum laude from Fordham University
in 1972, a Ph.D.
in political philosophy from Yale University
in 1978, and a J.D.
from Harvard Law School
in 1979. Upon graduation, she joined the Boston law firm of Brown, Rudnick, Freed & Gesmer and was a partner there for six years. Her practice focused on civil litigation, with a specialty in First Amendment
issues.
, a Republican, named her to the state's Superior Court
. She served there until Weld appointed her to the Appeals Court
, where she began her service on June 20, 1995. When nominated to serve on the Supreme Judicial Court, Lenk was the longest serving member of the Appeals Court.
, as chair of the Board of Editors of the Boston Bar Journal, and as a member of the Judicial Administration Council of the Massachusetts Bar Association
. She is a Trustee of Western New England College
, where she chairs the academic affairs committee, and a member of the Boston Inn of Court
. Lenk serves on the Board of Directors for Kerem Shalom in Concord, Massachusetts
.
Lenk is a lesbian
. She married her wife, attorney Debra Krupp, following the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts in 2004. They have two adopted children. She is the first openly
gay member of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. She is one of six openly LGBT judges on state supreme court
s, alongside justice Sabrina McKenna
of the Hawaii Supreme Court, justice Monica Marquez
of the Colorado Supreme Court
, justice Beth Robinson
of the Vermont Supreme Court
, and justices Rives Kistler
and Virginia Linder
, both members of the Oregon Supreme Court
.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
. On April 4, 2011, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
nominated her to to that position and she was confirmed by the Governor's Council
Massachusetts Governor's Council
The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...
on May 4, 2011. She took the oath of office on June 8.
Early life and career
Lenk was born in QueensQueens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York, to a poor family. Her parents were a bookbinder and a housekeeper. Her first language was Polish. She received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
magna cum laude from Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in 1972, a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in political philosophy from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1978, and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1979. Upon graduation, she joined the Boston law firm of Brown, Rudnick, Freed & Gesmer and was a partner there for six years. Her practice focused on civil litigation, with a specialty in First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
issues.
Judicial career
In 1993, Massachusetts Governor William WeldWilliam Weld
William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...
, a Republican, named her to the state's Superior Court
Massachusetts Superior Court
The Massachusetts Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions involving labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, and has exclusive authority to convene medical...
. She served there until Weld appointed her to the Appeals Court
Massachusetts Appeals Court
The Massachusetts Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court of Massachusetts. It was created in 1972 as a court of general appellate jurisdiction...
, where she began her service on June 20, 1995. When nominated to serve on the Supreme Judicial Court, Lenk was the longest serving member of the Appeals Court.
Personal
Lenk has served on the Board of Directors of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar AssociationBoston Bar Association
The Boston Bar Association, which also goes by the acronym BBA, is a volunteer non-governmental organization in Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
, as chair of the Board of Editors of the Boston Bar Journal, and as a member of the Judicial Administration Council of the Massachusetts Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association
The Massachusetts Bar Association is a voluntary, non-profit bar association in Massachusetts with a headquarters on West Street in Boston's Downtown Crossing. The MBA also has a Western Massachusetts office....
. She is a Trustee of Western New England College
Western New England College
Western New England University is a private university in Springfield, Massachusetts. Academic programs are provided through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Engineering, School of Law, and College of Pharmacy....
, where she chairs the academic affairs committee, and a member of the Boston Inn of Court
American Inns of Court Foundation
American Inns of Court are designed to improve the skills, professionalism and ethics of the bench and bar. An American Inn of Court is an amalgam of judges, lawyers, and in some cases, law professors and law students...
. Lenk serves on the Board of Directors for Kerem Shalom in Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
.
Lenk is a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. She married her wife, attorney Debra Krupp, following the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts in 2004. They have two adopted children. She is the first openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay member of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. She is one of six openly LGBT judges on state supreme court
State supreme court
In the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
s, alongside justice Sabrina McKenna
Sabrina McKenna
Sabrina Shizue McKenna is a judge from the U.S. state of Hawaii. Since February 16, 2011, she has served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.-Early life and education:...
of the Hawaii Supreme Court, justice Monica Marquez
Monica Marquez
Monica Marie Márquez is a jurist and judge from the state of Colorado who serves as an associate justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. Previously a Deputy Colorado Attorney General, governor Bill Ritter appointed her to the supreme court in 2010 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of...
of the Colorado Supreme Court
Colorado Supreme Court
The Colorado Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in Denver, the Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices.-Appellate jurisdiction:...
, justice Beth Robinson
Beth Robinson
Beth Robinson is an American lawyer from Vermont who was appointed in October 2011 to the Vermont Supreme Court. Her nomination, made by Governor Peter Shumlin, requires confirmation from the Vermont Senate although, according to the Burlington Free Press, this is "seen as assured"...
of the Vermont Supreme Court
Vermont Supreme Court
The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont and is one of seven state courts of Vermont.The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices; the Court mostly hears appeals of cases that have been decided by other courts...
, and justices Rives Kistler
Rives Kistler
Rives Kistler is an American attorney and judge in the state of Oregon. After college and law school on the East Coast, he moved to Oregon where he worked in private practice before joining the Oregon Department of Justice...
and Virginia Linder
Virginia Linder
Virginia Lynn Linder is an American judge from Oregon who has served, since January 2007, as the 99th justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. She had previously served since 1997 on the Oregon Court of Appeals...
, both members of the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
.