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Southwestern to Honor Memory of Arleigh Woods
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Southwestern Law School will honor alumnus Arleigh Maddox Woods, who was presiding justice of Div. Four of this district’s Court of Appeal from 1982-96, in a memorial service on Aug. 31, via Zoom.
Woods died in Vancouver, Washington, on July 24 at the age of 92.
In an announcement of the ceremony, to be led by retired Court of Appeal Justice Kathryn Doi Todd, Southwestern said:
“Justice Woods was a beloved, highly accomplished civic leader whose exemplary career of ‘firsts’ as a lawyer, judicial officer, and legal educator reflected her extraordinary courage, determination, and intellect that enabled her to break down myriad racial and gender barriers, forever changing the face of the legal profession. As a distinguished jurist on the California Superior Court and Court of Appeal, and as an attorney and mediator, she presented a model of compassion, fairness, and integrity. She also provided invaluable leadership and vision to her alma mater, Southwestern Law School, for over 30 years as a member and chair of the Board of Trustees.”
Darby Dickerson, president and dean of Southwestern, remarked:
“Justice Woods was a woman of firsts who inspired attorneys, faculty members, and law students to believe that it is possible to break barriers, change systems and make lasting change. Her legacy will live on at Southwestern and will continue to inspire generations of law students.”
Woods was the first Black woman in the United States to hold the position of senior partner in a major law firm— Levy, Koszdin & Woods—and was the first Black woman in the U.S. to serve as a justice on a state appellate court.
She and her husband, William T. Woods, moved to Washington, in 1996. Her husband of more than 60 years died on Jan. 16, 2010 at age 84.
The ceremony on Aug. 31—the day of her birth in 1929—will be held at 5 p.m. Registration is required and is available at www.swlaw.edu/AMWMemorial.
Copyright 2022, Metropolitan News Company