Mentoring: The Future of the Profession

Roberta Cooper Ramo

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A graduate, magna cum laude, of the University of Colorado, Roberta Cooper Ramo earned her law degree from the University of Chicago. She has received honorary degrees from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, the University of Colorado, the University of Denver, the University of South Carolina and Golden Gate University. Her diverse legal career has taken her from small-firm and solo practice to her current position as a shareholder with Modrall Sperling Law Firm. Mrs. Ramo concentrates her practice in the areas of mediation, arbitration, business law, real estate and related matters, including probate and estate planning. She has particular expertise in working with large institutional and corporate entities in governance, strategic planning and problem solving.

In 1995, Mrs. Ramo became President of the American Bar Association, the first woman in history to head the world's largest organization of attorneys. While serving as President of the ABA, she

• defended the Legal Services Corporation and the independence of the American Judiciary in the Congress
• opened initiatives with China to help strengthen an independent bar
• precipitated a significant internal reorganization to focus on communication, membership marketing and membership benefits.

Mrs. Ramo was the founding Chair of the American Bar Asia Law Initiative Council and currently chairs the Board directing all of the ABA's international work. She is First Vice President of the American Law Institute and is an Advisor to the ALI Project on Non-profit Organizations. Mrs. Ramo served as Co-Chair of the United States Olympic Commission appointed by Senators Stevens and McCain to suggest reform of the organization’s structure. Mrs. Ramo previously served on the five-member Commission appointed by the United States Olympic Committee, chaired by George Mitchell, which made recommendations for reformation of the USOC and the International Olympic Committee. Governor Bill Richardson appointed Mrs. Ramo to the New Mexico Board of Finance in 2003 and for a second term in 2007. Mrs. Ramo served as Chair of London 2000, the joint meeting of the American and British bars.

Mrs. Ramo is an Independent Director of BlackRock advised funds and an Independent Director of Educational Credit Management Corporation. She was appointed by President Clinton to serve on the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women. She also served on the Board of CIVITAS, a non-profit organization founded by Jeffrey Jacobs, formerly President of Harpo Productions. Former board members of CIVITAS have included Oprah Winfrey and Newton Minow. Mrs. Ramo is also a vice president and member of the Board and Executive Committee of the Santa Fe Opera.

Mrs. Ramo is a nationally recognized speaker. She has spoken at the White House, at national professional meetings, and at hundreds of national organizations and forums, including the Detroit Economic Club, the Cleveland City Club, and the Houston Club. She has been invited to speak throughout the world--in Paris, London and Beijing--and at many commencements, including Yale Law School and the University of Michigan Law School. In 1997, she was the Schwartz Visiting Scholar at the University of Chicago Law School. In November of 1998, she was invited by the Chinese government to lead a team to Beijing for the first demonstration of an American criminal jury trial and civil trial, and she returned to direct a third trial in June 2001.

Mrs. Ramo is recognized in Who’s Who in America. She served for six years on the University of New Mexico Board of Regents and was President of the Board for two years. UNM is a top 50 research University and during her tenure, she led the University in establishing a science and technology corporation, through major real estate management issues, and instituted new long-range strategic planning. She has also served as President of the Board of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and as a trustee of the Albuquerque Community Foundation for many years. In 1993, she received the Governor's Distinguished Public Service Award for community service in New Mexico and in 2001 was awarded the first New Mexican of Vision Award and Peacemaker Award. In 2000, Mrs. Ramo was made an honorary member of the Bar of England and Wales and of Gray’s Inn. Mrs. Ramo serves on the large case panel for the American Arbitration Association and on the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution’s National Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.