Law School Recipients
Howard B. Eisenberg Service Award
HON. DEREK C. MOSLEY, LAW '95
Milwaukee
For Derek, each case that comes before him in court represents an opportunity.
“The interaction with all segments of society is the best part of my job,” he says. “I see all races, religions, genders, socioeconomic status — you name it. I love the interaction. I do my job because I love helping people and solving problems, and that’s what I do every day.”
Derek worked as a prosecutor for the city of Milwaukee before he became a judge at age 31, making him the youngest African-American judge in state history. He also has made his mark away from the bench.
Derek volunteers his time with a wide variety of community organizations, including the YMCA; the Transcenter for Youth, which helps students who have struggled in traditional school settings obtain diplomas; the Lad Lake Adolescent Residential Treatment Center, which helps kids aging out of the foster care system with lodging, jobs and licenses; and the St. Rose Youth and Family Center, which helps victims of sex trafficking. He also serves on the Law School’s minority recruitment and diversity committee.
He credits his parents for the sacrifices they made on his behalf and still remembers the expressions on their faces at his investiture. “They have both since passed away but are with me today and every day,” he says.
And he’s just getting started.
“My short-term goal is to continue making a difference on the bench in Milwaukee,” he says. “In the long term, I would love to run for mayor of Milwaukee.”
