Nominee: Trisha Newman

(Qumaru Nisa)

Chief Legal Officer
Women’s Flat Track Derby, Inc. (WFTDI)
Southwestern Law School

Trish Newman began her legal career as a Los Angeles County Public Defender. During these years she discovered and embraced the sport of roller derby as a way to stay fit. The league she joined experienced significant growth and had some contracts to review for television and film projects. She left the Public Defender’s office to pursue a solo practice of appellate and small business practice and became the general counsel for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls and later the international governing body of women’s roller derby, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), which represents more than 400 member leagues on six continents.

Newman handles legal matters for the WFTDA as it sets international standards for rankings, rules, and competition each year, providing guidance and resources to the sport. She is also of counsel at the firm of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester, LLP.