ABA Commission on Women

05/06/2021

21 Day About

The Commission is proud to unveil our newest tool for retaining women in the profession and helping them thrive: a 21-Day Grit & Growth Mindset Challenge. The 21-Days of Grit and Growth Mindset was created by the ABA Antitrust Law Section's Women.Connected committee and CWP's Grit committee. Sign up for the Challenge now! https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/women/initiatives_awards/grit-project/21-day-about/

The 21-Day Grit and Growth Mindset Challenge is composed of 21 short daily activities (typically 5-15 minutes) to build knowledge & acquire tools to develop grit and a growth mindset. Join us and develop two powerful traits that successful women lawyers have in common.

21 Day About

04/27/2021

Day of Conversation

Best wishes to all of the organizations hosting their Guided Conversations today, the national Day of Conversation on race, ethnicity & gender in the legal profession. If you have not signed in to your organization's virtual discussion, do not forget to do so! We also thank the organizations who have expressed interest in hosting a conversation, but were unable to do so today. Our toolkit's always available online at https://ambar.org/dayofconversation We hope the dialogue continues.

A peek inside the toolkit:
“This Talk Isn’t Cheap: Women of Color and White Women Attorneys Find Common Ground provides a guide to improving conversations about gender, race, and ethnicity, also referred to as intersectionality, so that all women can work together in combating the barriers to advancement in the legal profession.”

“The expectation that we listen to each other for the purpose of agreeing or disagreeing with each other is rife in our culture. By contrast, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession is calling for dialogues that will enable us to understand each other better.”

Hub of information for the Day of Conversation on race, ethnicity, and gender in the legal profession.

04/26/2021

Commission Chair Maureen Mulligan was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court on Friday.

Commission Chair Maureen Mulligan was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court on Friday.

04/23/2021

We are excited to introduce our slate of panelists for next Friday's program, GOOD Guys: Corporate Edition!

Presentation by Steven Velkei, Principal, Velkei Law
Moderated by Adwoa Seymour, Senior Legal Executive, In-house Business and Litigation Strategist, Cox Communications
Wade Davis, VP of Inclusion Strategy, Netflix
Matt Fawcett, Chief Strategy and Legal Officer, NetApp
Miguel Molina, Legal Counsel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Tommy Preston, Director, National Strategy and Engagement/Government Operations, the Boeing Company
George A. Thompson, Deputy General Counsel, Wells Fargo

Remember, the program is taking place on Friday, 30 April at 2pm CT. Reserve your spot here: https://form.jotform.com/210804629600146

We are excited to introduce our slate of panelists for next Friday's program, GOOD Guys: Corporate Edition!

Presentation by Steven Velkei, Principal, Velkei Law
Moderated by Adwoa Seymour, Senior Legal Executive, In-house Business and Litigation Strategist, Cox Communications
Wade Davis, VP of Inclusion Strategy, Netflix
Matt Fawcett, Chief Strategy and Legal Officer, NetApp
Miguel Molina, Legal Counsel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Tommy Preston, Director, National Strategy and Engagement/Government Operations, the Boeing Company
George A. Thompson, Deputy General Counsel, Wells Fargo

Remember, the program is taking place on Friday, 30 April at 2pm CT. Reserve your spot here: https://form.jotform.com/210804629600146

04/14/2021

Women in the Profession

The Commission on Women in the Profession is proud to announce our 2021 Brent honorees! They are:

Hon. Irma Gonzalez; United States District Judge, Retired; San Diego, CA.
Joan Haratani; Partner, Morgan Lewis; San Francisco, CA.
Joyce Hughes; Professor of Law; Northwestern University School of Law; Chicago, IL.
Pamela Karlan; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice; Co-Director, Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, Stanford Law School, Washington, DC.
Ellen Rosenblum; Oregon Attorney General, Oregon Department of Justice; Salem, OR.

These exceptional women will be recognized during the Brent awards ceremony which will be held virtually on Thursday, 8/5/21. We'd appreciate your support of the Commission and our honorees.

Link to Sponsorship Opportunities: www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/women/...

The mission of the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession is to secure full and equal participation of women in the ABA, the profession and the justice system.

04/12/2021

Day of Conversation

Looking for a great opportunity to promote allyship and break down barriers? Register your firm, organization, bar association, or ABA Section for the Commission on Women in the Profession's Day of Conversation on race, ethnicity, and gender in the legal profession.

The Day of Conversation, April 27, 2021, invites interested orgs to commit to hosting conversations to address equity within their work place by using the Commission on Women in the Profession’s This Talk Isn’t Cheap report and Guided Conversations toolkit.

The intention of the Day of Conversation is to build allyship and ultimately help to reduce bias in the legal profession. We hope you’ll join us virtually and start needed conversations within your communities, increase unity, and help people create next steps in order to commit to race, ethnicity, and gender equity. For more info & to register, please visit at ambar.org/dayofconversation.

Hub of information for the Day of Conversation on race, ethnicity, and gender in the legal profession.

04/09/2021

Co-sponsorship of “GOOD Guys: Judicial Edition” Program at Midyear Meeting with NCWBA

How can women lawyers and male allies better collaborate to bring about the change we seek? Learn about the thoughtful program we cosponsored at the ABA Midyear Meeting, GOOD Guys: Judicial Edition, moderated by CWP Commissioner Judge Peter Reyes, in #Perspectives : https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/women/publications/perspectives/2021/april/cosponsorship-good-guys-judicial-edition-program-midyear-meeting-ncwba?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=21wpaprnews&promo=apr21gg

At the 2021 ABA Midyear Meeting, the CWP co-sponsored the virtual program “GOOD Guys: Judicial Edition—Calling All GOOD Guys: Male Leaders Are Key to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion” with the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA).

04/08/2021

Men in the Mix Report and Toolkit Released

Engage allies to help #WomenLawyers rise! Read about the Commission's Men in the Mix project in #Perspectives : https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/women/publications/perspectives/2021/april/men-the-mix-report-and-toolkit-released?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=21wpaprnews&promo=apr21mix

The recently-released Men in the Mix report and toolkit is the result of focus group research where men and women discussed obstacles that men face when becoming allies for gender equity.

04/07/2021

How We Lift as We Climb

Read Lelia Mooney's inspiring column on how to lift as we climb in #Perspectives : https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/women/publications/perspectives/2021/april/how-we-lift-we-climb?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=21wpaprnews&promo=apr21lift

Lelia Mooney stresses the importance of adding permanency to the recent trend of making institutions and organizations more inclusive and equitable.

04/06/2021

Join CWP, the ABA Litigation Section Woman Advocate Committee, & NCWBA for "GOOD Guys: Corporate Edition"! Learn best practices for advancing gender equity in the corporate counsel space from our expert presenters and a panel of male allies. 4/30, 2pm CT. Register here: https://form.jotform.com/210804629600146

Join CWP, the ABA Litigation Section Woman Advocate Committee, & NCWBA for "GOOD Guys: Corporate Edition"! Learn best practices for advancing gender equity in the corporate counsel space from our expert presenters and a panel of male allies. 4/30, 2pm CT. Register here: https://form.jotform.com/210804629600146

03/31/2021

Lydia Maria Child (Feb. 11, 1802-Oct. 20, 1880) advocated for the rights of marginalized groups. Influenced by her friend and fellow abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, Child's popular novels challenged social and cultural paradigms of male dominance and white supremacy, something that often drew controversy and damaged her literary career. Her acclaimed anti-slavery tract, Correspondence between Lydia Maria Child and Gov. Wise and Mrs. Mason of Virginia, argued that compromise over the slavery issue wasn't possible between the North and South. #womenshistorymonth

03/30/2021

Elizabeth Cady Stanton formulated an agenda for the women's rights movement that continues to be relevant today. Her Declaration of Sentiments demanded a complete revision of women's status in society, including access to education, legal standing, political power, and economic autonomy. Women's right to vote was fundamental to her vision. Her intellectual and organizational partnership with Susan B. Anthony dominated the women's movement for over half a century. #womenshistorymonth

03/29/2021

Lucretia Mott, who was a Quaker, believed slavery was evil, and she travelled the country to preach against it. Her transition into a women's rights advocate was complete after she was refused a seat at the 1840 World's Anti-Slavery Convention because of her gender. Undaunted by injustice, she and Elizabeth Cady Stanton formed a decades-long collaboration that established a direction & tone for the fight for women's suffrage. #WomensHistoryMonth

03/26/2021

What I Wish I Knew: Learning from Women Lawyers of Color about Their Law School Experiences - ABA for Law Students

Don't miss out! “What I Wish I Knew: Learning from Women Lawyers of Color about Their Law School Experiences”: This is a webinar that is set to take place on March 29, from 2-3pm CT. It will include women of color attorneys sharing their experiences about what they wish they knew while in law school.

Register here: https://abaforlawstudents.com/event/what-i-wish-i-knew-learning-from-lawyers-of-color-about-their-law-school-experiences/

The speakers are as follows:
1. Tamara Nash, Assistant Attorney General of South Dakota
2. Fe LopezGaetke, Director of DEI at Law School Admissions Council
3. Shenique Moss, Deputy Legal Counsel for the Executive Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and YLD (and Pipeline Council) member
4. Esther Hyun, YLD Diversity Director
5. Moderator: Jireh Davis, Law Student Division Delegate for Diversity and Inclusion

Navigating through law school can be a challenging experience for everyone; often, advice about how best to navigate law school is not uniquely tailored to students of color. This program will include personal stories and advice for law students of color, learning from attorneys of color currently p...

03/25/2021

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Judicial Milestones in the Quest for Women’s Equality. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Don't forget: tomorrow we will learn about Judicial Milestones in the Quest for Women's Equality! The American Bar Association Judicial Division is proud to host a diverse panel of renowned female judges to discuss the challenges that women encounter on the bench, offer insights on their personal achievements and endeavors & consider the advances gained in the judiciary. Come celebrate Women's History Month and join us for this complimentary program.

Featuring:

The Hon. Barbara M. Lynn, Chief Judge, United States District Court, Northern District of Texas

The Hon. Bernadette D’Souza, Chief Judge, Civil District of New Orleans

Col. Tara Osborn, (Ret.) Former Chief Trial Judge, U.S. Army

The Hon. Jacqueline Nguyen, Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Paulette Brown, Former President of the National Bar Association & the American Bar Association
Mar 26, 2021 11:00 AM CT / 12:00 p.m. Eastern
Register: https://americanbar.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oyK8W0w1Qkm_kgqVXOdM2w

The American Bar Association Judicial Division is proud to host a diverse panel of renowned female judges to discuss the challenges that women encounter on the bench, offer insights on their personal achievements and endeavors, and consider the advances gained in the judiciary. Come celebrate Women'...

03/25/2021

"Many women have run for president, and many more will. As each woman's gone a little bit further than the last in securing funding, campaign recognition, or primary votes, she has built a foundation for the next. Their strategic campaign initiatives--even when they knew that they would not win--highlighted issues of importance. They changed politics. They changed the relationship of government to the people, demanding that government be more responsive and inclusive. Someday a woman will be elected, and though she will be the first, she will not be the last." -National Women's History Museum #WomensHistoryMonth

03/24/2021

"It wasn’t enough to have millionaire white males over the age of 50 representing all the people in the country.” -Carol Moseley-Braun #womenshistorymonth

03/23/2021

What I Wish I Knew: Learning from Women Lawyers of Color about Their Law School Experiences - ABA for Law Students

We are proud to cosponsor the following event:

“What I Wish I Knew: Learning from Women Lawyers of Color about Their Law School Experiences”: This is a webinar that is set to take place on March 29, from 2-3pm CT. It will include women of color attorneys sharing their experiences about what they wish they knew while in law school. It is being marketed to law students and the panel will be moderated by the Law Student Division’s Delegate for Diversity. Please spread the word to your entities.

https://abaforlawstudents.com/event/what-i-wish-i-knew-learning-from-lawyers-of-color-about-their-law-school-experiences/

The speakers are as follows:
1. Tamara Nash, Assistant Attorney General of South Dakota
2. Fe LopezGaetke, Director of DEI at LSAC
3. Shenique Moss, Deputy Legal Counsel for the Executive Office of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and YLD (and Pipeline Council) member
4. Esther Hyun, YLD Diversity Director
5. Moderator: Jireh Davis, Law Student Division Delegate for D&I

Navigating through law school can be a challenging experience for everyone; often, advice about how best to navigate law school is not uniquely tailored to students of color. This program will include personal stories and advice for law students of color, learning from attorneys of color currently p...

03/23/2021

The Financial Future is Female: Women Lawyers and Wealth Creation
“Empowering Your Own Financial Future: An Overview” - April 20th, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. CT/1:00p.m. ET.

"Empowering Your Own Financial Future: An Overview" is the first webinar of a series “The Financial Future is Female: Women Lawyers and Wealth Creation.” This webinar will show that at any stage in your career you can begin to focus on creating your own wealth and provide some practical tips to consider in setting your own path. Not everyone’s path is the same. A panel of three women lawyers from different demographics and career stages will share their experience with wealth creation, the barriers they may have faced, and overcoming those barriers. A representative from ABA Retirement Funds Program will present the common issues that often interfere with a woman’s opportunity to create wealth and offer financial wellness solutions based on current industry research and experience. This overview is the first in a series of more detailed webinars intended to encourage and remind women lawyers that we have the power to create wealth. The first webinar will set the stage for the next three webinars that will focus more in depth on financial management issues facing young lawyers, financial management issues facing more senior lawyers, and maximizing and protecting your wealth creation.

Register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/16bbf65e-2b78-4151-b019-70b5fb7b559f/summary

*This presentation is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

03/23/2021

Try this exercise: Write down the first 5 important historical figures that come to mind—as quickly as you can, without thinking too much. How many names are men vs. women?
If your list is mostly men, it might be because men often got credit for women’s work.
#WomensHistoryMonth