Latina Keila Cosme
appointed to 6th District Court of
Appeals
Oct. 30, 2009 - Governor Ted Strickland announced the
appointment of attorney Keila Cosme to the 6th District
Court of Appeals. Cosme will be
the first Latina to serve on any
of Ohio’s 12 District Courts of Appeals.
Keila Cosme, 40, 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 in a press release. “Her unique life experiences
and determination to overcome barriers will add a distinct voice
to the Court of Appeals.” |
Keila Cosme
with Toledo Council
candidate Adam
Martínez at
El Camino Real
Restaurant. |
|
Recognition of her appointment will take place at El Camino
Real Restaurant (West Toledo) on Nov. 9, 2009, 5:00-7:00PM.
This event is co-sponsored by her law
firm Cosme, D’Angelo, and Szollosi, El
Camino Real, and the
Lucas County Hispanic
Democratic Caucus.
Cosme will take the bench on Nov. 16.
To retain the seat, she must run in the November 2010 general
election, campaigning in eight Northwest Ohio counties.
Cosme has served as a partner with the law firm of Cosme,
D’Angelo, and Szollosi, Toledo, 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,
Cleveland, 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,
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.
“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. 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.
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