By American Bar Association
Maleaha L. Brown, associate professor at the University of Houston Law Center, has been appointed to chair the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence. Her term began in October.
Founded in 1994, the mission of the Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence is to increase access to justice for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking by mobilizing the legal profession. The commission addresses the acute need to increase the number of well-trained and supported attorneys providing representation to victims by:
• Providing technical assistance and continuing legal education opportunities for attorneys, law students, courts and allied legal advocates to raise the standard of practice on behalf of survivors of domestic and sexual violence
• Celebrating excellence in the field with the annual Corbitt and Kaye awards
• Advocating for full funding for the Violence Against Women Act and other federal legislation to increase and improve services and support for victims of domestic and sexual violence
• Collaborating with other ABA entities and national organizations to improve the systemic legal response to domestic and sexual violence.
Brown teaches family law and legal analysis, writing and skills. Prior to teaching, she was a family law attorney at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. In these roles, Brown represented low-income survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in complex family law litigation to provide protection in the aftermath of abuse and against further victimization in the court system.
Brown is also a recognized leader in the ABA Family Law Section. She currently serves on the Editorial Board for the section’s scholarly journal, Family Law Quarterly, and she has previously served on the section’s CLE committee and as the co-chair of the Domestic Violence Committee. Brown has produced and presented numerous CLEs and published articles on topics related to domestic violence and family law for the section. In 2021, she was honored with the section’s Excellence in Service and Commitment Award.
Brown received her J.D. from Howard University School of Law and her B.A. from Baylor University.
