Lisa Bloch Rodwin

Lisa Bloch Rodwin is a Family Court Judge in Erie County, New York. She was nominated to the bench by New York State Governor David A. Paterson on April 11, 2008 [The Buffalo News "Bloch Rodwin nominated for Erie County Family Court judge", June 12, 2008] and was unanimously confirmed by the New York State Senate on May 6, 2008. [The Buffalo News, "Bloch Rodwin is confirmed for Family Court judgeship" May 8, 2008] Bloch Rodwin assumed the seat held by Justice James A. Dillon before he was elected New York State Supreme Court Justice. [The Buffalo News "Bloch Rodwin nominated for Erie County Family Court judge", June 12, 2008] . She was sworn into office on May 29, 2008. [The Buffalo News, "Bloch Rodwin sworn in as judge" May 30, 2008]

Career

Prior to serving in Erie County Family Court, she was a prosecutor for 23 years, most recently serving as Chief of the Erie County District Attorney’s Domestic Violence Bureau. In 1995 she started the first Domestic Violence unit in New York State outside of New York City. [The Buffalo News, "Bloch Rodwin is confirmed for Family Court judgeship" May 8, 2008] By utilizing social workers and a multi-disciplinary approach, the unit dramatically changed the system's approach to family violence and helped thousands of women and children find safety. In 2007 the Domestic Violence Bureau was responsible for the prosecution of almost 4,000 cases. There was a reduction in the family violence homicide rate from 15 to zero in 2007.

While supervising Child and Sex Abuse cases for Erie County, Bloch Rodwin developed new policies for the Child Advocacy Center. A child no longer has to relive the details of the abuse during separate investigations by area agencies and law enforcement, but only has to relate the story once to one team member. Working with other child abuse specialists throughout New York, Bloch Rodwin also assisted leaders in the State Legislature to revise existing criminal laws on sexual abuse which resulted in the enactment of Sexual Assault Reform Act (SARA). This legislation dramatically strengthened penalties for child abuse. [The Buffalo News, "Bloch Rodwin is confirmed for Family Court judgeship", May 8, 2008]

Bloch Rodwin has conducted dozens of trainings throughout New York State for law enforcement officers and prosecutors on Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Investigations, Internet Crimes Against Children, Elder Abuse, and Stalking and Cyberstalking. She has lectured at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law [http://www.law.buffalo.edu/] in Family Law and the Family Violence Clinic. Bloch Rodwin was instrumental in obtaining a Federal grant of almost one million dollars for the Family Justice Center of Erie County [http://www.fjcsafe.org] . [The Buffalo News, "Bloch Rodwin is confirmed for Family Court judgeship", May 8, 2008]

Awards

In 2006 Bloch Rodwin was one of only five Western New York attorneys selected by the Daily Record for the first "Leaders in Law" Award. [The Daily Record (Rochester, New York) "Daily Record presents Inaugural Leaders in Law Award in Buffalo", April 5, 2006] In 2004, she was the recipient of the Kupferman Award for Juvenile Justice from the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York [http://www.wbasny.bluestep.net/] . In 2003 Bloch Rodwin was named Lawyer of the Year by the Women Lawyers of Western New York for her dedication to assisting families in crisis. [Business First of Buffalo, "Awards and Achievements", January 2, 2004]

Notable Cases

In 2003 Bloch Rodwin garnered national attention following the prosecution of Ulner Lee Still. Still had physically and emotionally abused his wife, Susan Still, for many years, even forcing their children to videotape the beatings. After his conviction on multiple counts of assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Still was sentenced to 36 years in prison. At that time, that was the longest sentence in a domestic violence case that did not result in the death of the victim. Bloch Rodwin appeared twice on Oprah and on 20/20 with Diane Sawyer to discuss that case and domestic violence in general. [The Buffalo News, "Bloch Rodwin is confirmed for Family Court judgeship", May 8, 2008] [http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200705/20070508/slide_20070508_284_106.jhtml] [http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200705/20070523/slide_20070523_284_108.jhtml] She also appeared on Oprah to discuss the issue of marital rape. [http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200711/20071107/slide_20071107_284_109.jhtml]

Volunteerism

In addition to her career, Bloch Rodwin is very dedicated to volunteer work in Western New York. She helped found the "It Happened to Alexa Foundation" [http://www.ithappenedtoalexa.org] which provides funding to families of child abuse and sexual assault survivors to be with their loved ones during a trial. Bloch Rodwin served as a co-chair of the Criminal Law Committee of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York for three years and served as a state director for the Western New York Chapter [http://wnychapter-wbasny.org/] . As a member of the Board of the YWCA, Bloch Rodwin chaired the Week Without Violence, which featured an educational program at area schools helping to teach children about reporting violence in their homes and at school. Bloch Rodwin served as the first Board President for the Erie County Family Justice Center. She has received exemplary service awards from the It Happened to Alexa Foundation (2007), [Business First of Buffalo, "Awards and Achievements", May 4, 2007] the Everywoman Opportunity Center (2007), [Business First of Buffalo, "Awards and Achievements", May 4, 2007] the Coalition Against Family Violence, Hispanics United, NYS Crime Prevention Coalition and Prevention Focus.

Personal life

Bloch Rodwin resides in Amherst with her husband Michael Rickert who is a researcher at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and her two sons: David, a recent honors graduate of John Hopkins University who is currently volunteering in Ahmedabad, India, and Benjamin, a student at Brandeis University.

References