Circle of Honor

Sheila Yvette Oliver served as New Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor from January 2018 until her passing in August 2023. She was the first Black woman to serve as lieutenant governor of New Jersey and the first woman of color elected to statewide office in New Jersey.

The Honorable Joseph H. Rodriguez, Senior Judge in New Jersey’s United States District Court, was New Jersey’s first Latino District Court judge, the second Public Advocate of New Jersey, and an early supporter and board member of the Camden County Legal Services office.

Michael R. Cole was chief counsel to New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean from 1990-1994 and served on the LSNJ board of trustees from 1990–1993 and 1996–2008. He was instrumental in securing state funding for Legal Services after devastating cuts at the federal level. 

Melville “De” Miller, Jr., grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, graduated from Ridge High School and Amherst College before attaining his JD from Harvard Law in 1969. De was a co-founder of LSNJ in 1971 and served as president for the next four decades.

​Stanley Van Ness was born in Somerville, New Jersey, and served in the Air Force before graduating from Rutgers School of Law. He served as counsel to Governor Richard J. Hughes; was the state's first public defender; and, in 1974, became the first Public Advocate of New Jersey.

​Douglas Eakeley was born in Morristown, New Jersey and graduated from Yale Law School. A steadfast supporter of Legal Services for his entire career, Doug served as board chair of both the national Legal Services Corporation and Legal Services of New Jersey.

​Robert Del Tufo was born in 1933 in Newark. As attorney general of New Jersey, he aggressively prosecuted environmental violations and spearheaded the Office of Bias and Community Relations. He served on the LSNJ board of trustees for over three decades.

​Congresswoman Watson Coleman was born in 1945 in Camden, NJ. Her career began with the State Division on Civil Rights and the Department of Transportation. She then joined the NJ Assembly for 18 years before winning the seat for New Jersey's 12th Congressional district.

​Chief Justice Wilentz, born in 1927 in Perth Amboy, served as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1979 until his death in 1996. He is remembered for his passion for fairness and his commitment to a responsive, accessible, and diverse court system.

Senator Weinberg was born in New York and graduated from UC, Berkeley. She began in local and county politics and spent 12 years in the Assembly before being elected to the Senate in 2005. She has been on the forefront of issues affecting women and the LGBTQ community.

Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz was born in Brooklyn, studied English and American Literature at Columbia University and received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. In 1996, she became the first female Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Kenneth C. Frazier was raised in North Philadelphia, and graduated from Pennsylvania State University and Harvard Law School. His extensive pro bono service includes representing a death row inmate and expanding the pro bono program at Merck & Co.

Senator Lipman was born in LaGrange, GA and attended Talladega College, Atlanta University, and Columbia University. She taught at Essex County Community College before entering politics and, in 1971, became New Jersey's first black female senator.

​The Honorable Thomas H. Kean, 48th Governor of New Jersey, was born in New York City into a family of public service stretching back to New Jersey's first governor, William Livingston. Kean served as Governor from 1982 to 1990 and is celebrated for his bipartisan style.

​The Honorable James H. Coleman, former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice, was born in 1933 in segregated Lawrenceville, Virginia. He attended Virginia State College and Howard School of Law, and served as LSNJ Chairman of the Board from 2003-2007.