Role Models: Alumni Sworn-in as New Jersey Superior Court Judges
Seton Hall Law students aspiring to have success in law, can do no better than to look for role models in the alumni who have gone before them.
Today, we feature three who have marked another professional milestone by being sworn in as Superior Court judges --the Honorable Sharifa R. Salaam, Frank J. DeAngelis, and Lisa Miralles Walsh. Congratulations to all!
Judge Sharifa R. Salaam ’93 began her law studies ten years after earning her undergraduate degree, and it wasn’t easy! But she has fond memories of studying law on her living room floor while her two children did their homework, and in 1993 she graduated law school as her daughter, also named Sharifa, graduated high school.
Judge Salaam came to Seton Hall Law as a child of the 60s, concerned about basic human rights, a concern which resonated in her childhood and family life. After graduation, she was fortunate enough to enjoy a wide array of legal experiences, ranging from real estate to prosecution to municipal court judging. Being considered for the Superior Court bench required Judge Salaam “to recall my experiences, reflect on the opportunity, and really examine my life.”
Judge Salaam views sitting on the bench in Essex County as “a tremendous honor.” And she sees it as in part earned by the reputation she developed as a municipal court judge in Irvington, East Orange, and Newark, “I tried to be efficient and fast, but at the same time make people feel positive about the legal system by the time they left court,” she says.
On the Superior Court, Judge Salaam intends to continue to live her personal values of patience and perseverance and treating others as she would want to be treated.
Judge Sharifa R. Salaam ’96
Judge Frank J. DeAngelis ’96 always knew he wanted to be a lawyer and recalls Seton Hall Law as “a place where you feel part of a group rather than competing against everyone.” In the first class to start law school in the Law School’s current building, DeAngelis is fondly remembered by both faculty and classmates. He especially recalls his internships as “really solidifying my interest to make it to the bench. My first-year professors set the foundation for me to get where I am today. I certainly couldn’t have accomplished this without that great foundation.”
Upon graduation, Judge DeAngelis began his career at Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass LLP and remained there until his appointment to the Superior Court in December 2016. Focusing on commercial and insurance coverage litigation and defense work, DeAngelis found time to give back to his alma mater. He is a member of the Seton Hall Law Alumni Council and was a very popular adjunct professor. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Partners for Women and Justice.
Judge Frank J. DeAngelis ’96
“I hope to have a long career on the bench,” says DeAngelis. “I look forward to the opportunities to gain more of a leadership role. But I need to earn that, and I am looking forward to sitting in the criminal and family divisions to further my understanding of the courts overall and how they affect our broader society.”
When Judge Lisa Miralles Walsh ’98 wanted to go to law school in her native New Jersey. “I don’t think I really appreciated Seton Hall Law until I was actually there and experienced everything it had to offer,” Walsh says.
With an interest in criminal law, Judge Walsh took classes focused on criminal practice and sought internships with The Union County Prosecutor’s office and Public Defender’s office. After graduation, she clerked in Union County in the criminal division, became an Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor, and worked in her own practice. Judge Walsh was assigned to sit in the criminal division in Union County in January 2017.
Judge Walsh emphasized that “the biggest thing I try to focus on is to have compassion and treat people with kindness and fairness. It’s important to have civility between parties, between the bench and bar, and to remember that everyone has struggles. While I expect to be professional, I will strive to be understanding when the circumstances warrant.”
Looking back on her career path, Judge Walsh advises students to meet as many people as you can.
Judge Lisa Miralles Walsh ’98
Judges Salaam, DeAngelis, and Walsh are just three among many recent elevations of alums to the New Jersey Superior Court. Seton Hall Law also extends congratulations to:
- Vincent N. Falcetano ’81,
- Joseph G. Monaghan ’81,
- Anthony V. D’Elia ’82,
- Robert A. Ballard, Jr. ’84,
- James W. Donohue ’85,
- Mary C. Siracusa ’87,
- Christopher S. Romanyshyn ’95,
- Vincent J. Militello ’96,
- Arthur J. Batista ’97,
- Owen C. McCarthy ’98,
- Tara Schillari-Rich ’99,
- Daniel H. Brown ’00.