American Bar Association

A graduate, magna cum laude, of the University of Colorado, Roberta Cooper Ramo earned her law degree from the University of Chicago. She has received honorary degrees from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, the University of Colorado, the University of Denver, the University of South Carolina and Golden Gate University. Her diverse legal career has taken her from small-firm and solo practice to her current position as a partner with New Mexico's largest law firm--Modrall, Sperling, Roehl, Harris & Sisk, P.A. Mrs. Ramo concentrates her practice in the areas of mediation, arbitration, business law, real estate, health law and related matters, including professional corporation, probate and estate planning. She has particular expertise in working with large institutional and corporate entities in strategic planning and problem solving.

In 1995, Mrs. Ramo became President of the American Bar Association, the first woman in history to head the world's largest organization of attorneys. While serving as President of the ABA, she

Mrs. Ramo served as Chair of London 2000, the joint meeting of the American and British bars. She is co-Chair of the ABA Model Mediation Project, and Chair of the Asia Law Initiative Council. Mrs. Ramo serves on the Board of Directors of the American Arbitration Association and the Board of Trustees of the AAA Global Center for Dispute Resolution Research. Mrs. Ramo is also a member of the Council of the American Law Institute.

Mrs. Ramo was appointed by President Clinton to serve on the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women. Mrs. Ramo served on the five-member Commission appointed by the United States Olympic Committee, chaired by George Mitchell, which has made recommendations for reformation of the USOC and the International Olympic Committee. She also serves with Oprah Winfrey and Newton Minow on the Board of CIVITAS, a non-profit organization founded by Jeffrey Jacobs, President of Harpo Productions, whose mission is to give parents and care givers the best information for raising healthy, productive children. Mrs. Ramo is also on the Board of the Santa Fe Opera. Mrs. Ramo is Chair of the Board of Cooper's, Inc., a New Mexico headquartered western retailer with 29 stores in four states. She is an Independent Director of Merrill Lynch Asset Management Mutual Funds and a Director of Educational Credit Management Corporation.

Mrs. Ramo is a nationally recognized speaker. She has spoken at the White House, at national professional meetings, and at hundreds of national organizations and forums, including the Detroit Economic Club, the Cleveland City Club, and the Houston Club. She has been invited to speak throughout the world--in Paris, London and Beijing--and at many commencements, including Yale Law School and the University of Michigan Law School. In 1997 she was the Schwartz Visiting Scholar at the University of Chicago Law School. A number of her talks have been published. In November of 1998, she was invited by the Chinese government to lead a team to Beijing to demonstrate an American criminal jury trial and civil trial, and she returned to direct a trial in June 2001.

Mrs. Ramo is recognized in Who's Who in America. She served for six years on the University of New Mexico Board of Regents and was President of the Board for two years. UNM is a top 50 research University and during her tenure, she led the University in establishing a science and technology corporation, through major real estate management issues, and instituted new long range strategic planning. She has also served as President of the Board of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and is Vice President of the Albuquerque Community Foundation. In 1993, she received the Governor's Distinguished Public Service Award for community service in New Mexico. In 2000, Mrs. Ramo was made an honorary member of the Bar of England and Wales and of Gray's Inn, and was appointed to the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution's National Panel of Distinguished Neutrals.