“The iconic Betty Weinberg Ellerin, upon breaking through the glass ceiling, went on to dedicate her career to helping other women on that path,” said Chief Judge Rowan Wilson. “No one is more deserving of this honor than Justice Ellerin, who not only fought for better opportunities for women lawyers and court employees but also for the fair treatment of women litigants, witnesses, and others. 

“She is a true champion of women’s rights, children’s rights, and human rights and has led the committee with distinction over the past decades,” Wilson continued. “I am deeply gratified that her legacy will now be memorialized through the renaming of the committee, whose mission is integral to the fair administration of justice.”

Justice Ellerin, who began her legal career in 1955, expressed gratitude for the honor and emphasized the importance of collective effort in achieving the committee’s goals. She continues to serve as a co-chair, focusing on eliminating all forms of gender bias in the legal system.

“The committee’s work is so very dear to my heart, and I am overwhelmed upon receiving this special honor,” said Justice Ellerin. “I warmly thank Chief Judge Wilson and the court system’s leadership team for their acknowledgment and support. While the committee will now bear my name, I want to emphasize that this important work could not be done without the collective efforts of its dedicated members to whom we owe so much. I look forward to the committee’s continued efforts, now strengthened by the addition of our wonderful and dynamic Co-Chair, Justice Rosado, as we work to eradicate the remaining areas of bias that still affect women in the courts and legal system.”

Justice Betty Weinberg Ellerin, a trailblazer in the New York State judiciary, has long been a pivotal figure in advancing the cause of gender equality within the legal system. Born in the Bronx, Justice Ellerin’s illustrious career began after she graduated cum laude with a B.A. from Washington Square College in 1950 and earned her LL.B. from New York University School of Law in 1952. Her legal career started at the New York City law firm Klein & Ruderman.

Justice Ellerin’s judicial career began in 1955 as a law clerk, a position she held for 21 years. She then progressed to serving as a New York City Civil Court Judge from 1977 to 1978 and was designated an Acting Supreme Court Justice in 1978. By November 1979, she was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in New York County, marking the beginning of a series of historic firsts. She became the first woman to serve as Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for the New York City Courts in 1982, a role that involved overseeing all trial courts across the city’s five boroughs. Her journey continued as she was appointed the first woman Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department in 1985 by Gov. Mario Cuomo, and later as the first woman Presiding Justice of the same division by Gov. George Pataki.

Beyond her judicial roles, Justice Ellerin has been deeply involved in various professional committees. She has served as the Vice Chair of the Committee on Character and Fitness and the Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics of the Appellate Division, First Department. Her leadership extends to her founding membership and directorship at the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, where she also served as past President, alongside her presidency at the National Association of Women Judges and chairing its National Task Force on Gender Bias in the Courts.

In 1986, Justice Ellerin began her long-standing role as the chair of the New York State Judicial Committee on Women in the Courts, which has been instrumental in addressing gender bias and promoting equality within the judicial system. Her efforts have led to significant reforms benefiting women litigants, attorneys and court employees, tackling issues from domestic violence to sexual harassment.

The Hon. Betty Weinberg Ellerin Committee on Women in the Courts, a standing committee of New York State’s Unified Court System, strives to ensure equal justice, treatment and opportunities for women, addressing disparities identified in a 1986 report by the New York Task Force on Women in the Courts. The committee, with members appointed by the Chief Judge of the State of New York, tackles issues affecting women litigants, attorneys and court employees and has spearheaded initiatives such as a statewide network of human trafficking intervention courts.