Nigerian woman gets bench appointment in California

Bunmi Awoniyi

A Nigerian woman, Bunmi Awoniyi, has been appointed to the Sacramento County Superior Court in California, United States, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

According to local media reports monitored on Sunday by the North America correspondent of NAN, Awoniyi, 48, and Steven Gevercer’s appointments were announced by Governor Edmund Brown Jr. of California.

Awoniyi has served as a principal attorney with a family law firm since 1994 as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Northern California, Lorenzo Patino School of Law from 1997 to 1998.

She is an associate attorney at the Law Office of Steven L. Wessels from 1993 to 1994 and an associate attorney at the Law Office of Brady and Kent from 1992 to 1993.

Also, Awoniyi was a law clerk at the Law Office of D. Kapp Nees in 1991 and a crown prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service in London from 1989 to 1990.

She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the Inns of Court School of Law, a Masters of Law degree from the University of Leicester School of Law, and a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Essex.

Awoniyi is a certified family law specialist. She fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position on Dec. 3, 2011.

“I could not be more delighted or excited. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours the fruit of a yearlong arduous interview and screening process and an application that took me the better part of a year to complete.

“Through all of the many lost hours on the weekends and evenings devoted to this process, to see it come to manifestation is truly marvelous.

“I am humbled and God is so good! It is a new season,” Awoniyi a Democrat said on her appointment.

Her website states that she “completed all of her education in England. She attended the University of Essex and completed her Bachelor of Law with Honors in 1986.

“She thereafter obtained a Masters of Law from the University of Leicester which was conferred in 1988. Her thesis The Detection and Investigation of Child Abuse was published. She attended the Inns of Court School of Law in London, England and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in November of 1988 as a Barrister at Law.

“She is a member of the Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and Inner Temple in England and Wales and remains in good standing. Ms. Awoniyi was admitted as an Attorney and Counselor at Law in the State of California in 1991.”

It adds that Awoniyi began practicing Family Law in 1992 and ”is an active member of both her State and Local Bar Associations. She has served in a number of leadership positions.