Attorney Doris Lipson Sassower of White Plains, has been named a “Giraffe” for her risktaking civic activism and for founding the Center for Judicial Accountability, Inc. (CJA), a national nonpartisan, nonprofit citizens’ organization. CJA is working to reform the way federal, state, and local judges are selected and disciplined; the organization has members in more than 30 states.

Ms. Sassower stuck her neck out for decades as a pioneer in the women’s movement and for family law reform. But her 35-year career at the bar ended after she brought a lawsuit against the two major political parties for their manipulation of 1990 judicial elections in New York State’s Ninth Judicial District. As pro bono counsel, she challenged a written judge-trading deal between the parties in which they agreed to cross-endorse seven judicial candidates over a three-year period, required resignations of sitting judges to create judicial vacancies, and pledged to split judicial patronage. Her suit also cited the judicial nominating conventions’ violation of Election Law quorum, roll call, and other requirements.

Ms. Sassower paid a heavy price for her reform advocacy and for championing the public interest by this politically sensitive Election Law case.