Legal Momentum's Ambassador at Large:
Mary McGowan Davis

Little did we know in 1999 when Mary McGowan Davis, a former Acting Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, agreed to work with us on violence issues, filling in for a staff attorney on leave, how invaluable she would become in shaping our domestic work and strengthening our commitment to international law.

"I have learned that the issues for women are the same around the world, and we can only learn from each other how to move forward. Every place I go and each conference I attend, I include Legal Momentum in the conversation. I feel like the ambassador for Legal Momentum," says Visiting Attorney Mary McGowan Davis.

Over her long and distinguished career, Davis, who served as Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District of New York and Staff Attorney at the Criminal Appeals Bureau of the Legal Aid Society in New York City, has spent much of her free time traveling the world for various human rights projects.

Her newest project, a collaborative effort with Legal Momentum's National Judicial Education Program, the International Association of Women Judges and the National Association of Women Judges-a group which includes Justices Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg-is Beyond Borders, a program that explores the impact of international law in state and federal courts. Davis says this project will provide judges with the tools they need for a new era where international and foreign law will help "inform, enhance and streamline the deliberative processes of judges at all levels."

Visiting attorney Mary Mc Gowen Davis with fellow Legal Aid Afghanistan staffers, outside of their Kabul Office

Earlier in the spring, Davis traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan, and volunteered for two months with the International Legal Foundation, mentoring Afghan lawyers. She also coached the first Afghan law students to participate in Washington, DC's Jessup Moot Court competition, where they won the Spirit of the Jessup cup.

While in Kabul, Davis was invited to attend a three-day event celebrating International Women's Day, where discussion focused on women's rights under the new Afghan constitution. "The enthusiasm was extremely uplifting," recalls Davis, "and so was the number of women who brought their young daughters to the conference."

President Kathy Rodgers says, "Mary brings exceptional professionalism, passion, big thinking and creativity to our work. She truly has opened our eyes to new possibilities. But it's more than ideas, Mary always gives 110% to what she commits to. And she keeps us regularly supplied with the most necessary ingredient for women's success-chocolate!"

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