Diversity Trailblazer Award
The Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazer Award celebrates an individual who contributes to and enhances diversity and inclusion within the Wisconsin legal profession. This individual is someone who:
- is a State Bar member in good standing;
- shows dedicated service to their clients and to the legal profession as a whole; and
- has participated in activities that increase the public's awareness of diversity and inclusion efforts in the legal profession.
If you would like to submit a nomination, please include a brief description of why the individual should be nominated and how their work meets the award criteria. Award winners are chosen in January and the award is presented at the Member Recognition Celebration in June.
If you have any questions, please contact Jacque Evans.
Jacque Evans
Phone: (608)250-6083
2026 Recipient - Honorable Ashley J. Morse
Ashley
J. Morse was appointed to the Rock County Circuit Court, Branch 4, in April
2022 by Governor Tony Evers and elected by the people of Rock County to a full
term in April 2023. She is the first person of color, the first Black woman,
and only the second woman to serve as a judge in Rock County.
Judge Morse previously served in the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office
from 2010 to 2022. In addition to representing children and adults in circuit
court, she held leadership roles as Training Coordinator and Racial Disparity
Practice Coordinator, where she developed statewide initiatives to expand
equity and access to justice.
She earned her B.A. in History and African American Studies from the University
of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law
School. Today, Judge Morse continues to support professional development in the
judiciary as a member of the Wisconsin Judicial Education Committee, where she
helps shape and deliver training for judges across the state.
She also contributes to community and statewide service. Judge Morse serves on
the Board of Directors of the YWCA Rock County and was appointed by the
Wisconsin Attorney General to the Wisconsin Crime Victims Council, where she
works to advance policies that support and protect victims throughout
Wisconsin.
Past Diversity Trailblazer Award Winners
2025 - Atty. T.R. Williams
2024 - Atty. Iris M. Christenson
2023 - Chief Judge Carl Ashley
2 022 - Atty. Marisol Gonzalez Castillo
2021 - No awar d given
2020 - Atty. Anza D'Antonio
2019 - Atty. Miriam Horwitz
