NEW YORK, CMC – Guyanese-born attorney, Michelle R. DeSouza-Forte, is seeking a seat on the Kings County (Brooklyn) Civil Court bench.
“I want to become a judge not only because of my legal experience but also because I am guided by a deep sense of fairness and representation and a desire to serve my community,” DeSouza-Forte, who is currently on leave from her position as an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
“This is evident in my work as a solo practitioner, where I provided not only legal services but also conducted seminars to educate my community on the importance of estate planning,” said DeSouza-Forte, who migrated from Guyana in 1985, and is facing Janice Purvis for a judgeship in the 6th Municipal District. J
“Additionally, as a defense attorney, I have not encountered many judges or attorneys who look like me in the courtroom. I am often one of the few women or the only minority attorney in the courtroom.
“As a judge of Caribbean descent, I would bring diversity to a legal system where people of color are disproportionately represented on the bench. As a wife and mother, I would apply the law through the prism of compassionate integrity, treating all litigants fairly in every decision I make,” she added.
With the support of community leaders and the voters in the 6th Municipal District, DeSouza-Forte “strongly” believes that she will be elected a civil court judge on Primary Election Day, Tuesday, Jun. 23.
Early voting for the Democratic Primary runs from June 13 to June. 21 and DeSouza-Forte said she is seeking judicial office as “a unique opportunity” to continue serving her community.
“As a solo practitioner, I saw a need to empower my community by educating them on the importance of estate planning. Many members of my community were unaware of the significance of preparing advance directives, including a power of attorney.
“They did not know what it was, when it was required, or the duration of its power until it was too late. After assisting a close family friend, whose family lacked access to her accounts while she was hospitalized, I began conducting estate planning seminars in churches, libraries, and homes. I saw a need and aimed to fill it.”
As a Caribbean woman, she said she knows firsthand the struggles marginalized groups face and that her background has instilled in her “patience, perspective, and a deep respect for the power of education and representation.”
She said her presence on the bench would demonstrate not only that representation matters, but also inspire others in her community.
DeSouza-Forte said she migrated from Guyana at 15, and that her background and life experiences continue to shape her deep commitment to service, fairness, and community.
DeSouza-Forte, one of nine children, said she learned from an early age the values of responsibility, perseverance, and sacrifice.
DeSouza-Forte earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science, with a minor in Japanese Studies, from the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY). She went on to receive her Juris Doctorate (law degree) from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where she earned certificates of merit in business organizations/corporations and international law, and served as a Student Bar Association Senator on the Budget and Finance Committee.
DeSouza-Forte said her legal career spans 14 years of practice, covering private practice and public service. Since May 2022, DeSouza-Forte has served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the New York City Law Department.
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