December 2017 Newsletter

The Canadian Bar Association of British Columbia, Women Lawyers Forum and the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations are proud to present Challenges and Rewards for Women in Politics - Both Personal and Professional :

A Conversation with the Honorable Ellen Rosenblum, Attorney General of the State of Oregon, and the Honorable Suzanne Anton, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Province of British Columbia. The luncheon is co-sponsored by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.

Have you ever contemplated working on a political campaign or going into politics yourself? Lawyers from the United States will join with their Canadian counterparts to hear from two extraordinary women leaders about the rewards and challenges of working in the political arena, the skills needed to navigate the transition into politics, lessons learned from contested races, and the importance of women serving in high political office.

Early-bird pricing is available until January 22. The cost is $70 in Canadian dollars. For more information and to register, click here.

If you can be in Vancouver, do register for the ABA midyear meeting. There is no cost to do so, and you need not be a member of the American Bar Association. For more information, including preferred rates on hotel rooms, click here.

Ellen Rosenblum

Suzanne Anton

Nomination Deadline for 2018 Public Service Award and Outstanding Member Program Award is Friday, January 26

Does your women's bar organization have a program or service that deserves national attention? Nominating a program for the NCWBA Public Service or Outstanding Member Program Award is a great way to recognize the hard work of volunteers. Sharing information about your successful programs and services with other women's bar groups can inspire them with ideas that will help them to better serve their membership and the wider community. The awards will be presented on Friday, August 3 in Chicago as part of our annual Women's Bar Leadership Summit. All current member organizations of the NCWBA are eligible to nominate a program. For more information about past award recipients and a nomination form, click here.

Margaret Brent Nominations Deadline Extended to Wednesday, January 10

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession is seeking nominations for the 2018 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards, which will be presented on Sunday, August 5 in Chicago during the ABA Annual Meeting. Click here for more details and a nomination form.

It's Time to Renew Your NCWBA Dues

Our membership year runs with the calendar year, which means that this is the right time to send in your organization's membership dues for 2018. Dues for 2018 have not increased, and are based on your organization's membership numbers. We rely on your membership dues and active participation in order to strengthen women's bar groups throughout North America. Click here to download a membership form to send in with your dues check. If you prefer to pay by debit or credit card, click here .

Focus on Military Spouse JD Network

One of our newer members is the Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN). Formed in 2011, the organization now has over 700 members. The group was founded because lawyer spouses of active duty military members face special challenges if they want to continue in their chosen profession. Frequent moves can mean taking multiple bar exams. In addition to the stress involved, there are issues of timing (most exams are given just twice a year) and cost, which can be considerable, particularly for those who have practiced for a number of years. Even after admission, there is the problem of finding a job. Potential employers may be reluctant to hire an attorney who may be available only for a matter of months or a year. In the six years since their founding, MSJDN has successfully lobbied 26 states and the Virgin Islands to permit a military spouse who is in good standing in one jurisdiction to get a temporary license to practice law. Through their Homefront to Hired initiative, MSJDN works to identify firms and corporations who are committed to hiring military spouses, including for temporary or remote assignments. For an example of how a military spouse attorney, Vasiliki Filippakos, turned out to be a great fit in a small-town law practice, click here and turn to page 21. Another program of MSJDN is Homefront Rising, which encourages and trains members to get involved with the political process through advocacy and public service. In 2016, MSJDN received an honorable mention by NCWBA in the category of Outstanding Member Program Award for Justice for Military Families, which provides an important public service of legal assistance to military families while also providing an opportunity to MSJDN members to perform meaningful legal work which they might not otherwise have due to the barriers described above.

Click here for a podcast featuring current MSJDN president Libby Jamison as she describes the work of MSJDN and the many resources available via the American Bar Association for military members, veterans and attorneys who want to be of assistance to them.

Free Unconscious Bias Online Course

Beginning January 9, Catalyst is offering a free, self-paced course entitled Unconscious Bias: From Awareness to Action. To learn more and to enroll, click here.

Ready for FacebookLive?

Every women's bar organization struggles to bring programming to members who cannot attend in-person events for any number of reasons: geographic distance, limited time available to be away from home and office or just a conflict in a busy schedule. In 2017 Queen's Bench, the Multnomah County Chapter of Oregon Women Lawyers (not to be confused with the original Queen's Bench of the San Francisco Bay Area) has livestreamed its monthly lunch-and-learn events via FacebookLive, making them available to anyone at any time, either as they happen or at the viewer's convenience. Here's an example of one presentation regarding the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and subsequent trials.

Using any new technology for the first time can be challenging, but the relatively low cost (purchase of a tripod and microphone) is a good reason to try to make it work. To make things even easier, Queen's Bench board member Anne Milligan has created an outline of how to get it done. Here are her Steps to Going Live on a Nonprofit Facebook Page. According to Anne, the number one issue that they have to deal with is sound. This is something that people will complain about on the live feed. Anne says "Speakers and facilitators have to accept the fact that everyone talking needs to be on a microphone at all times, even in panel discussions. Questions from the audience should be repeated in a microphone. There is no 'I can talk loud enough for this room, everyone will hear me.' One, it may not be the case that everyone in the live audience can actually hear you and two, people can't hear you on FacebookLive no matter how close the camera (phone) is to the speakers, unless you're on a professional mic."

Consider making a New Year's resolution to test out FacebookLive for an event of your women's bar.

NAWL Meeting in South Beach

The National Conference of Women's Bar Associations is a partnering organization of the National Association of Women Lawyers' 2018 Midyear Meeting in South Beach, held February 28 through March 2, 2018 at the W Hotel in South Beach, Miami. Members of member organizations of the NCWBA receive a 10% discount on registration. To register, please click here and use the code MYMNCWBA2018 to get the discount.

This comprehensive program will offer both professional development opportunities and skills training to help women in all fields of legal practice to thrive in their careers. Attendees will have the opportunity to shape the future of NAWL and the legal profession, and to honor leading lawyers and business leaders who have made a significant impact on improving and diversifying the field. NAWL's 2018 honorees include:

Leadership Award - to Marlene Gordon, Vice President, General Counsel, North America, Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.
Challenge Award - to Brightstar Corp.
Public Service Award - to Hon. Patricia Seitz, Senior Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Registration is open to NAWL members and non-members. Scholarships are available for attorneys who wish to attend, but may not be able to do so due to cost considerations.

For additional information about NAWL and the 2018 Midyear Meeting, click here.

Are You on the NCWBA Listserv?

Are you a member of the NCWBA listserv? The listserv is an interactive resource for lawyer referrals and listings for unique jobs for lawyers and law faculty. It is a place to share questions about best practices for women's bar associations and announcements of possible interest to you and members of your associations. To join the NCWBA@yahoogroups.com list, send an email to Diane stating your name, interest in joining the list, and your affiliation with a women's bar association. You'll receive an automated invitation. When you click on "join mailing list," your list membership will be complete. Questions? Email us.

Women's Bar Leadership Summit

Chicago--August 2 and 3

Plan to be in Chicago for the annual Women's Bar Leadership Summit. This year's theme is Sparking a "Change" Reaction. On Thursday afternoon, August 2, we will begin with a GOOD Guys presentation, followed by a reception and film screening. On Friday, August 3, we will have a full day of programs and opportunities to connect with other women bar leaders. We'll have more details soon, but for now, mark your calendar!

National Conference of Women's Bar Associations | info@ncwba.org | http://www.ncwba.org
PO Box 82366
Portland, OR 97282

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