Who is LisaTresslar?

Yesterday, I told you that NorCo custody master Lisa Tresslar's has been constructively terminated  termination as custody master in Northampton County. It certainly appears that her ouster was engineered by Judges Jennifer Sletvold and Paula Roscioli, with Court Administrator Jermaine Greene doing their dirty work. You've heard her side of the story, but have only heard anonymously from those who think Tresslar needed to go. I've reached out to the President Judge and Court Administrator, but doubt I'll hear anything. In fairness to them, I should note that it's risky to speak out on personnel matters. But don't worry. You'll hear their side of the story after Tresslar almost certainly sues them. Unlike most lawyers and county employees, who cower with fear at the black robes, Tresslar is more than willing to stand up for herself. They messed with the wrong person.      

Who is Lisa Tresslar?

She grew up in a town of 5,000 people in the Ozark Mountains, the daughter of a Southern Baptist preacher dad and gospel singing mom. She liked bass fishing and rodeo. She attended Little Rock Central High School, the very same school where President Eisenhower had sent federal troops to force the governor to admit nine black students.

Tresslar graduated first in her class of 600 and was offered a full scholarship to Harvard University. where she graduated degree magna cum laude.  She went on to attend Harvard Law School, where was appointed Executive Editor of Harvard Law Review. Her criminal law professor was none other than Alan Dershowitz. One of her fellow editors on law review, Elena Kagan, now sits on the United States Supreme Court. 

After graduating from Harvard Law School, Tresslar clerked for a year under Judge Amalya L. Kearse of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. A Jimmy Carter appointee, Judge Kearse is the first woman ever admitted to the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and the first black woman to become a partner at a major Wall Street law firm. 

After finishing her judicial clerkship with Judge Kearse, Lisa spent nine years working in the litigation departments of two Wall Street law firms in NYC. She eventually was offered a full equity partnership  at the Philadelphia law firm of Duane Morris, LLP. 

She acquired comprehensive commercial litigation practice, including securities, antitrust, white collar criminal defense, professional malpractice, corporate governance, and complex class action litigation. She represented a wide variety of sophisticated corporate clients in the United States, England, Switzerland, and Japan, in both civil and criminal matters. She appeared in depositions, grand jury investigations, and court proceedings in major cities throughout the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Detroit, Nashville, New Orleans, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City.

After becoming a mother, Lisa took a step back from the law to spend more time with her family. Once her sons were in school, she decided to return to full-time employment. But she wanted to practice locally instead of resuming her previous national litigation practice, which had involved long working hours, a lengthy commute to Philadelphia, and continuous out-of-state travel. 

Northampton County Judge Michael J. Koury, Jr., who himself was a Wall Street lawyer, hired Tresslar. She clerked for him for two years, and then she was tapped by President Judge Steve Baratta as a custody master. 

Why a custody master? The courts needed someone badly, as the courts were swamped. And Tresslar developed an unusual affinity for custody law as a result of her own custody case, where she experienced first hand what it's like to be a litigant. 

Tresslar served as custody master for nine years before being constructively fired. 

What is the real beef that Judges Sletvold and Roscioli have with Tresslar?

It all comes down to plausible deniability. I'll explain what I mean tomorrow.