As president of the NAWJ, Neville is in constant demand for appearances at national seminars, conferences, and even network television programs. In the first few months alone, she taught a one-week trial skills class at Harvard University, moderated a panel on bio-medical issues for the Minnesota District Judges Association, participated on a panel on legal ethics in Annapolis, Maryland, appeared on both a local TV show and a network news program in Chicago, and participated in a conference on violence in Kansas City. She lectures frequently at CLE programs nationwide, mostly for the American Bar Association.

Neville is refreshingly candid and outspoken about her views regarding legal and societal issues of the day. When asked about ways in which the legal system could improve its response to domestic violence and sexual abuse against women and children, she remarked that there is a considerable problem with the number of cases that end up dismissed without a trial on the merits. She commented that "women who are caught in the battered woman syndrome have a very difficult time getting out of it, and offenders often do not receive the treatment or education they need at an early age. We need to tak ie the issues of family violence more seriously. We need to better educate and sensitize the public and the professionals that work with victims and alleged offenders while zealously guarding the constitutional rights of each." On a national level, Neville feels that we need better support services for women and better treatment programs for offenders. The problem, says Neville, is that there is not enough money available to do the job. Referring to a newspaper article quote from the American Medical Association that, because of domestic violence, "the home has become more dangerous for women than city streets," Neville advocates for greater emphasis on counseling of children who are exposed to family violence in an effort to hold down the eruption of violent behavior in later years, manifested for example, in date rape, battering of girlfriends, and intrafamily violence, including elder abuse. Earlier intervention suggests Neville, might help foster healthier marriages, families, and child-rearing practices.

On the issue of sexual harassment, Neville believes that progress has been made. When asked her opinion about the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and the testimony of Anita Hill, Neville observed that "the positive that came out of it was that it gave the nation an opportunity to focus on the issue of sexual harassment and discuss it openly. The unfortunate part was that it occurred in the context of a United States Supreme Court appointment." Is there a balanced representation of women in the legal profession? "That depends on the area," noted Neville. "In the public sector, I would say yes, but in private practice, no." The NAWJ is continuing its work to eliminate gender bias in the courts through gender bias task forces, nationally, and Neville notes, with pride, that Minnesota lawyers serving on gender bias task forces are leading the way to better conditions throughout the country, not only in areas of bias against women, but against men as well.

While serving her one-year term as president of the NAWJ, Neville maintains her normal schedule as a trial judge in Hennepin County. Appointed to the municipal court in 1983 and the district court in 1986, Neville finds that the most enjoyable part of her work as a judge are trials, both civil and criminal. From a procedural point of view, the part of the job she dislikes most is civil case settlement conferences and inadequate chamber time to read or write. On a personal level, Neville cites isolation from lawyers as a difficult aspect of being a trial judge. "Lawyers act differently toward judges, and you feel the distance," she says. However, this comes with the territory because a judge must maintain impartiality in discharging her duties, she notes.

To stay in touch with lawyers and current issues, Neville has always been active in bar association activities and teaching. The list of her involvements is a lengthy one, to say the least, but a sampling would include the following: first woman president of the Student Bar Association at William Mitchell College of Law; executive director of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1974-75; Outstanding Young Woman in Minnesota, 1977; president of MTLA prior to her appointment to the bench; MSBA delegate to the ABA House of Delegates; Fellow, American Bar Foundation; past director, Minnesota Bar Foundation; Board of Governors of the ABA; Criminal Justice Section, National Task Force on Drugs; International Criminal Law Committee (ABA); Board of Governors, Minnesota State Bar Association; Board of Directors, Women Judges’ Fund for Justice; and the HCBA. The list could go on. She also recently completed a term as chair of the Hennepin County District Bench Civil Law and Civil Case Flow Management Committees.

Neville is the mother of two sons—Michael, 14, who is in 8th grade, and Joshua, 11, a 4th grader. An avid equestrienne in her "leisure" time, the judge and her sons raise, buy and sell show horses.

When asked if she had any special message that she would like to share with the Hennepin County bar, Neville did not hesitate—"Civility among attorneys. I am concerned about the lack of courtesy between counsel, agreements that are not kept, and accusations of unethical conduct by attorneys against their colleagues. It would also be nice to see some support for the bench. The judiciary is trying very hard to make the system work. We really are working hard."