11/2/2009

Governor Appoints Keila Cosme to 6th District Court of Appeals
Alliance Group: Justice & Civil Rights, Policy & Leadership
Region: Central


PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Amanda Wurst
614 644-0957/614 832-7512 -
Amanda.Wurst@governor.ohio.gov



Governor Appoints Keila Cosme to 6th District Court of Appeals

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland announced today the appointment of Keila Cosme to the 6th District Court of Appeals. Cosme will be the first Hispanic American to serve on any of Ohio’s 12 District Courts of Appeals.

Keila Cosme, 40, of Toledo, fills the seat vacated by the death of Judge William Skow.

“Keila is an accomplished attorney who has exemplified competence and professionalism throughout her career,” Strickland said. “Her unique life experiences and determination to overcome barriers will add a distinct voice to the Court of Appeals.”

Cosme will take the bench on November 16. To retain the seat, she must run in the November 2010 general election.

Cosme has served as a partner with the law firm of Cosme, D’Angelo, and Szollosi since 2001. She previously served as an attorney for the Law Offices of Keila D. Cosme from 1998-2001 and for the firm of Calfee, Halter and Griswold from 1995-1998. While Cosme’s practice has focused primarily on commercial and civil litigation, Cosme has also counseled and represented private and pro bono clients on a wide range of legal matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the appeals court, including criminal, domestic relations and juvenile law.

Cosme came to the United States from Puerto Rico at the age of 17 to attend Boston University. While pursuing a double major, Cosme’s English language skills were so underdeveloped that she had to audio-record class lectures and translate them into Spanish to fully understand the subject matter. She managed to overcome these obstacles and became proficient in the English language through use of a Spanish/English dictionary and translation of her undergraduate course material.

Cosme serves as a member of the Ohio Association for Justice and the Hispanic National Bar Association and the Ohio Hispanic Bar Association. She also serves as a member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee.

“I’m honored by this appointment, and I am committed to serving the Court of Appeals with integrity and fairness,” Cosme said.

Cosme received a bachelor’s degree from Boston University in 1990 and a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1994.

A photo of Cosme is available at the following link: http://www.governor.ohio.gov/KeilaCosme/tabid/1303/Default.aspx

This News/Events items was submitted by Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs

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