U.S. Attorney Trini Ross Challenges Women in Law To Embrace Diversity and Mentorship
1.16.2025
The New York State Bar Association honored the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York Trini Ross for her commitment to mentoring and promoting female attorneys in the legal profession.
“There is an explosion of women in leadership roles in the U.S. Attorney’s office under the direction of Trini Ross,” said New York State Bar Association President Domenick Napoletano. “Before Ross, there were three women in leadership in the Western New York office. Now, 12 of the 19 supervisory positions are held by women.”
Ross is a 30-year public servant who dedicated her career to litigation. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York in 2021, making her the first African American woman to hold that position.
In accepting the Kay Crawford Murray Award, Ross encouraged the lawyers in attendance to invest in a diverse workplace and commit themselves to mentoring others.
“Diversity matters,” she said. “It means embracing differences in each other because of the value it brings. Those of us who believe in diversity know that diversity makes our product better.”
She explained that diversity is not limited to race and gender, but must include factors such as age, class, and geographic region to name a few. Ross recounted that in 1995 when she started at the U.S. Attorney’s office, there were only two people of color in Western New York office and she was one of them.
Following her confirmation as U.S. Attorney for Western New York, she took a hard look at her team. All of her criminal prosecutors were white men. She set out to reorganize the office and started hiring more female federal prosecutors.
“Diversity gains public trust,” she said. “When people see someone that looks like them, in an office like mine, they know that someone cares about their needs.”
She concluded by encouraging her fellow attorneys to commit to mentorship by looking out for new talent and contributing to the success of others.
“Put your money where your heart is,” Ross said. “I am doing my part for the future of the profession by endowing a fellowship at University at Buffalo Law School.”
The New York State Bar Association’s Women in Law Section, presented the Kay Crawford Murray Memorial Award on Jan. 16 during the association’s Annual Meeting in New York City.
The Kay Crawford Murray Award honors an individual who recognizes the value of diversity in the legal profession and is committed to advancing attorneys who are women. Murray, who died in 2018, was the first recipient of the diversity award in 2008.
