You can still register--but don't wait--for our 2017 Women's Bar Leadership Summit:Succeeding with Strength and Savvy, which will be held in the heart of New York City on August 10 and 11. Some of the highlights:

Events will be kicked off on Thursday, August 10 hosted by Fordham Law School at Lincoln Center, beginning at 5:30 pm with a Welcome Reception, which will include a screening of the documentary Balancing the Scales, a film featuring candid interviews with a wide range of women attorneys and judges who will share their career perspectives--from young lawyers facing challenges as they start their careers, to mid-level associates striving to achieve professional success, to senior attorneys and judges who have become leaders in the profession. After the screening, Charlotte Rushton, Managing Director, Large and Midsize Law Firms,Thomson Reuters, will lead a panel to discuss the film and ways we can all work to further advance equality in the profession. Panelists will include attorney/filmmaker Sharon Rowen and  Aracely Munoz, former executive with the Minority Corporate Counsel Association and current Special Counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights. No separate registration is required for this event.

 

On Friday, August 11 we will hold a full day of Summit events in the 30th-floor offices of Thomson Reuters at 3 Times Square, with spectacular views from the Hudson River to Times Square's New Year's Eve Crystal Ball, and featuring extraordinary speakers and panels, our annual Awards Luncheon and a celebratory reception. After opening remarks,  our first program on Friday will be Women in the White House - A Conversation with Kathy and Kim . This will feature  Kathryn Ruemmler , now a partner at Latham & Watkins and former Chief Counsel to President Obama, and Kimberley Harris , former Deputy Counsel to President Obama, who now serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for NBCUniversal. The moderator will be Jessica Brown , Gibson Dunn partner and past president of the Colorado Women's Bar Association. 

Keynoting our Awards Luncheon will be Roberta Kaplan, founding partner of Kaplan & Company LLP. A former partner at Paul, Weiss, Robbie is a nationally renowned litigator, who has been described as a "powerhouse corporate litigator" and a "litigation superstar." In addition to her work on behalf of clients like J.P. Morgan Chase, Fitch Ratings, and Columbia University, Robbie is perhaps best known for successfully representing Edith Windsor in her historic challenge to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which she describes in her book Then Comes Marriage: United States v. Windsor and the Defeat of DOMA. Robbie will present on the critical importance of the rule of law, her experience in the Windsor case, and the importance of diversity in the field of law. 

 

The NCWBA Public Service Award and Outstanding Member Program Award will be presented at the luncheon. The recipient of our 2017 Public Service Award is the  Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts , for the  Pay Equity Project . Receiving an honorable mention in the same category is the  Women's Bar Association of the State of New York  for the Voter Registration Project . The recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Member Program Award is South Carolina Women Lawyers Association for the  Building Resilience Project .

 

Strategies for inspiring and supporting men in overcoming obstacles to diversity in the legal community will be the theme of  GOOD Guys 101: Engaging Men in Our Success. Facilitating the program will be Teresa Beck, Lincoln, Gustafson & Cercos partner and NCWBA GOOD Guys co-chair. Sheryl Axelrod, president of The Axelrod Firm; consultant on equality, diversity and inclusion, and Pennsylvania Bar Diversity Team Ambassador, will serve as moderator. Panel members include Michael J. Cammarota, Managing Director and Senior Director of Legal Services, Global Transactions, for Accenture LLP;  Richard Meade, Chief Legal Officer of Prudential International; and Nate Saint-Victor, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley.

There will be plenty of time for networking and sharing ideas about effective programs and services for women's bar associations. Attendees will receive a flash drive with written resources as well as a copy of Lauren Stiller Rikleen's most recent book, entitled Ladder Down: Success Strategies for Lawyers from Women Who Will be Hiring, Reviewing and Promoting You.

Who should attend the Summit? Anyone seeking ideas to energize their women's bar associations, sections or committees, and anyone who wants to stay on top of the latest trends and issues facing women lawyers. This will be a terrific event, in an amazing venue, and we hope you will join us. Cost of registration is $250 and includes all Summit events: the Welcome Reception and Film Screening, Awards Luncheon, and an end-of-Summit reception, where we will be able to enjoy wine and refreshments and mingle with Summit participants as the sun sets and the lights come on in Times Square.

To register, click here.

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.

Applications are due by Friday, August 4 for the Ms. JD National Women's Law Student Organization's Leadership Academy at Harvard Law School. The Leadership Academy will build a national network of women's law association leaders empowered to lead their law student organizations, leveraging ideas and inspiration from their new connections with other law student leaders. Additionally, the leadership academy class will provide participants with tools to develop professional skills to help them succeed and serve in leadership positions beyond law school.

The Leadership Academy will take place on Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 8:00am-5:00pm, with an opening reception on the evening of Friday, September 22nd. 
Applicants will be chosen based on their demonstrated commitment to elevating the standing of women in the legal profession.

Ms. JD will select approximately thirty applicants to join the NWLSO Leadership Academy Class. To be eligible, the applicant must: (1) be entering her second or third year of law school; and (2) have served or desires to serve in a leadership role in her law school community. Those selected will be responsible for all expenses related to travel and lodging, as well as a $75 Program Tuition. For more information, click here.