RCBA Board of Directors 2006-2007 - Riverside County Bar ...

detainers. She said she has busy calendars and a lot of paperwork, but finds it veryrewarding. She said that, as a commissioner, she tries to treat people the way shewanted to be treated when she appeared in court. Commissioner Codrington findsit important to treat litigants with patience, dignity and respect.So what does Commissioner Codrington like to do in her free time? I guessI should mention she has served on the Business Development Committee ofthe Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, on the Board of Directors of theCentury City Bar Association, as Chair of the Ethnic Minority Relations Committeeof the California State Bar and as President and Treasurer of the Black WomenLawyers Association of Los Angeles. She has been an active member of several professionalassociations. She was appointed as a member of the Los Angeles Citizen’sCommission on U.S. Drug Policy, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies. Herinterests also include community service in the area of educating the public aboutthe court system, issues faced by the homeless population and outreach to at-riskchildren. Her favorite bar activities included “Lawyer in the Classroom,” “Citizen’sLaw Day” and various other mentoring activities. Commissioner Codrington hasalso been a featured speaker and presenter at numerous professional educationseminars on a variety of legal topics.Commissioner Codrington does make time for some other interests. She saidshe is a real movie buff and has read several books on what goes on behind thescenes in filmmaking. She likes everything from science fiction to the old classics.She especially likes to read about the darker side of Hollywood, including the BlackDahlia and George Reeves mysteries, which are the subjects of two new featurefilms. She also loves to write poetry, and is currently working on a mentoring-typebook on how to successfully navigate through the challenges of one’s career. Shesaid that she was very lucky to have some good mentors who helped her achieveher career goals, and she hopes to continue to be a mentor to others. She wouldlike to join Commissioner Nagby in participating in Career Day programs at localschools. Commissioner Codrington would also like to arrange for local school childrento visit the courthouse, since that is how she became interested in the legalprofession.Commissioner Codrington said Riverside has been a wonderful experience.She said several judicial officers had been extremely helpful in her transition. Herstaff is absolutely marvelous. She especially likes the small-town community atmosphereof Riverside County. She notedthat Riverside has a very close-knitlegal community; everybody seems toknow one another. She is extremelyimpressed with the superb level ofprofessionalism exhibited by her courtstaff, the mediators and the attorneyswho appear in her courtroom. It hasbeen an especially valuable experienceto meet and interact with members ofthe community from all walks of life.Commissioner Codrington says it isan honor and a privilege to serve as abench officer in Riverside County. Thejudicial officers are among the mostwonderful and supportive people shehas ever met in her career!Donna Johnson Thierbach was formerlya Deputy Public Defender for RiversideCounty and is currently the AssistantDirector of the Adult Division of theRiverside County Probation Department.Riverside Lawyer, November 2006 21