ALE+Speakers+2015-2016

Wednesday August 19th- Judge Lynne Battaglia - Finding Justice and Professional Identity

 Judge Lynne A. Battaglia was raised in Silver Creek, New York. She received her B.A. degree from American University in 1967 and her M.A. degree in 1968. After having been awarded a National Defense Education Act Title IV Fellowship, which were awarded to candidates interested in pursuing a career of teaching in institutions of higher education, Judge Battaglia entered Georgetown University in 1968 to embark on her doctoral studies in American Government. Before receiving her doctorate, Judge Battaglia entered the University of Maryland Law School from which she received her Juris Doctor degree in 1974; she was Articles Editor of the Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif. She continues to teach as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland Law School, as well as at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

 She began her legal career in 1974 at the Baltimore law firm of Semmes, Bowen & Semmes. In 1978, she was recruited to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, where she spent the next four years. In 1984, Judge Battaglia became Senior Trial Attorney within the Office of Special Litigation in the Department of Justice. In 1988, she was chosen by Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran to become the Chief of the Criminal Investigations Division and within three years was recruited to become the Chief of Staff to United States Senator Barbara A. Mikulski. She was appointed and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve in the position of United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, and served from August, 20, 1993 to January 26, 2001. Judge Battaglia is currently a Maryland Court of Appeals Judge from the Third Appellate Circuit, which encompasses Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard and Washington Counties. She was nominated by Governor Parris Glendening, confirmed by the Maryland Senate, and was sworn-in on January 26, 2001.

 Judge Battaglia has received numerous honors and awards during her distinguished career. In November, 2007 Judge Battaglia was elected to membership in The American Law Institute, an elite group consisting of judges, practicing lawyers and legal scholars from all areas of the United States, as well as some foreign countries, who are selected for membership on the basis of professional achievement and demonstrated interest in the improvement of the law. Recently, she was inducted into the Howard County Women’s Hall of Fame.

 She is also a model leader and mentor, having served on and chaired numerous committees and boards. She currently serves as the Chair of the Professionalism Center and as Chair of the Editorial Committee of the Finding Justice Project, which will be releasing the forthcoming publication, Finding Justice: The History of Women Lawyers in Maryland Since 1642.