Judge Esther Salas was already a trailblazer when she became the first Latina to ascend to the federal bench in New Jersey, and in more than a decade as a jurist, she has taken on a sprawling docket that includes everything from a drug cartel prosecution to a securities class action to a bank fraud case involving reality television stars.

But in 2020, she became a household name after an unthinkable tragedy. Her home was attacked by an armed attorney — a self-avowed “anti-feminist” who’d previously appeared before Judge Salas. He critically wounded her husband, Mark, and fatally shot their only son, Daniel, who was 20 years old. 

Since then, Judge Salas has become a national figure, advocating for improved judicial security. She spoke to us a few weeks after the three-year anniversary of the shooting.

What do judges think about? What’s going through their mind as they sit on the bench and what advice might they have for anyone who argues before them? Those are some of the questions we aim to answer with Law360’s new monthly podcast series Approach The Bench, where each month we interview a sitting judge about the work of judging and the issues the judiciary faces. Each episode offers a peek inside the chambers and personalities of some of the country’s leading jurists. Our series kicks off on Aug. 22 when we interview New Jersey District Judge Esther Salas, hope you join us!