The Honorable Maria Araújo Kahn will receive the Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award at the CBA’s annual awards celebration, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 3.
Judge Kahn currently serves as a federal judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York City. She was appointed to this role in March of 2023. Prior to her current position, she served as an associate justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court, which she had been appointed to in 2017 after briefly serving on the Connecticut Appellate Court. She was originally appointed to the Connecticut Superior Court in 2006, where she was primarily assigned to preside over criminal matters.
Judge Kahn received her law degree from Fordham University School of Law in 1989. After law school she spent two years clerking for the Honorable Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut and subsequently served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Connecticut for nearly nine years. She also served as a deputy assistant public defender from 1991 to 1993 and as a staff attorney in the State of Connecticut’s Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities from 1993 to 1997.
During her tenure on the Connecticut Supreme Court, Judge Kahn played a significant role in addressing issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the state’s judicial system. She was instrumental in raising awareness about language access within Connecticut’s court system for those with limited proficiency in English. She also worked closely with Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson to further promote equity and impartiality within the judicial branch through various methods, including the implementation of DE&I training for judges.
The Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award is presented to members of the state and federal judiciary who have made substantial contributions to the administration of justice in Connecticut.
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