Women - Hunterdon County, New Jersey

VALERIE L. BROWN
Ms. Brown, a relative newcomer to Hunterdon
County, makes her home in Lambertville. She was
born 16 November 1955 in New York and has not
forgotten her roots. As a black woman from a
broken home in a tough "melting pot" neighborhood
of Brooklyn, Ms. Brown became a powerful
advocate for the poor and the voiceless. Because
of her efforts she was awarded the 1994 Equal
Justice Medal from Legal Services of New Jersey.
Educated at The City College of New York,
with a Master of Arts degree from Miami University
of Ohio and a Jurum Doctor from Howard
University, Ms. Brown serves as legislative counsel
to the New Jersey State Bar Association.
During her tenure with the Bar Association she
has designed and managed a comprehensive government relations program for a
20,000-member nonprofit organization. Her expertise leads to extensive public
speaking engagements as well as strategic planning for issues before the Legislature.
In the course of her employment she has been a strong force in strengthening the
Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, revising New Jersey's adoption laws, legalizing
the use of living wills in New Jersey, and increasing the penalties for the unauthorized
practice of law in New Jersey.
Previous to her association with the New Jersey Bar Association she served as
Associate Director of Policy Research, New Jersey State College Governing Boards
Association. Performing research and analysis for the nine state college presidents was
but one of the important tasks delegated to this young woman. She also monitored
federal and state legislation and regulation for the Boards, published a monthly report to
state college presidents on legal and legislative affairs, and developed and coordinated
research with the Board of Higher Education.
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