Resilience and purpose—how do they intersect in the life of a judge? On July 19, 2020, a lawyer who was upset with Judge Salas came to her home with a plan to assassinate her. Sadly, Judge Esther Salas’s only child, Daniel, died trying to protect his family and her husband, Mark, was shot, and nearly killed in the vicious attack. Since the murder of her 20-year-old son, Judge Salas has become a leading advocate for judicial security, pushing for real change that led to the passage of the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021. What drives her mission, and how has this tragedy shaped her role on the bench? Judge Salas, the 2024 Judge Morton A. Brody Distinguished Judicial Service Award Recipient, will reflect on her path, the law, and the fight to protect others from the dangers she and her family faced.

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The Brody Service Award was created in memory of the Honorable Morton A. Brody, a U.S. District Court judge who passed away in March 2000. Judge Brody led an exemplary career as a lawyer, judge, and civic leader. A long-time friend of the College, he taught courses at Colby on the judicial system and was the husband of former Associate Dean of Admissions Judith Brody ’58.