Every now and again as an organization grows, it is helpful to stop and reflect on the organization's mission statement to see if that mission is being accomplished. The mission of the NCWBA is to advocate for the equality of women in the legal profession and in society by mobilizing and uniting women's bar associations to effect change in gender-based processes and laws. Similarly, our vision is to assist in the creation of a society that practices equality for women in role, position, impact, education, and financial power by taking the strong, reasoned, and determined voice of the NCWBA into society's discourse about law and women's role in business, academia, politics, and society.

Let's consider what the NCWBA has done toward accomplishing these goals recently. In 2016, we launched the highly successful GOOD Guys program, a program designed to break the impasse in women's advancement by engaging people who have been missing from the conversation for too long - the guys. "GOOD Guys" stands for "Guys Overcoming Obstacles to Diversity." It is a model program designed for replication by member organizations. Acting in unison, we can make a bigger impact. On June 7, 2016, The National Diversity Council  held its first-ever GOOD Guys program as part of the organization's Southern California Diversity and Leadership Conference in Long Beach, which proved to be a highly successful event. In 2017, we co-hosted a GOOD Guys networking breakfast in Miami with Miami-Dade FAWL, and Miami-Dade FAWL later hosted additional GOOD Guys events.

In February 2017, we met during the ABA Midyear Meeting in Miami with the ABA Young Lawyers Division for lunch, a panel presentation, and discussion entitled Cross-Generational Collaboration to Conquer Implicit Bias. The program was moderated by an author and nationally-recognized authority on implicit bias, and featured expert panelists on diversity and inclusion. After lunch, we joined with the National Conference of Bar Presidents in a Diversity Forum. A past president of The Florida Bar spoke on the subject of implicit gender bias.

Our 2017 Women's Bar Leadership Summit, Succeeding with Strength and Savvy, was held in the heart of New York City on August 10 and 11.The Welcome Reception included a screening of the documentary Balancing the Scales, a film featuring candid interviews with a wide range of women attorneys and judges who shared 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. The filmmaker was on hand to answer questions about the documentary.  On August 11 we held a full day of Summit events, featuring extraordinary speakers and panels, and our annual Awards Luncheon where we presented our Public Service and Outstanding Member Program Awards. Our Outstanding Member Program Award was presented to South Carolina Women Lawyers Association for their Building Resilience Project. The award recognizes the programs and services offered by women's bar associations which focus on providing training and other benefits to their members. Our 2017 Public Service Award, Pay Equity Project, was presented to the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts. The award recognizes projects of women's bar associations that benefit women and children within the legal system. Receiving an honorable mention in the same category was the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York for their Voter Registration Project. 

A highlight of the afternoon's line-up at the 2017 Summit was GOOD Guys 101: Engaging Men in Our Success . The panel was moderated by and featured a veritable "who's who" in the legal and corporate community, including high-level leaders at Accenture LLP, Prudential Financial, and Morgan Stanley. 

On November 2, the NCWBA and the South Palm Beach County Florida Association of Women Lawyers (SPBC FAWL) held a joint networking reception at the Hyatt Place in Boca Raton and awarded Judge Kathleen J. Kroll with the SPBC FAWL Lifetime Achievement Award. 

On February 2, 2018, the NCWBA sponsored the Vancouver Luncheon along with the Canadian Bar Association British Columbia, Women Lawyers Forum, and the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession. The panel featured Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and former British Columbia Justice Minister and Attorney General Suzanne Anton, who discussed challenges and rewards for women in politics, and the importance of women serving in political office.

We have continued to give awards annually to organizations demonstrating innovations in advancing women in the legal profession. T he recipient of our 2018 Public Service Award is Florida Association for Women Lawyers for their program Nursing Rooms in Courthouses.  Receiving an honorable mention in the same category is New Hampshire Women's Bar Association for their Women to Women Project.   The recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Member Program Award is Tennessee Lawyers' Association for Women for their Empowerment Conference. Bexar County Women's Bar Association and Foundation is the recipient of an honorable mention in the same category for their LEAD Academy. This year we will also recognize Lawyers Club of San Diego and the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts with Special Advocacy Awards.

I am pleased about what NCWBA has done to advocate for the equality of women in the legal profession and in society by mobilizing and uniting women's bar associations to effect change in gender-based processes and laws. I know we will continue to move the profession forward with civility and grace.

It has been a privilege to serve as President of the NCWBA for 2017-2018. I look forward to joining you at our 2018 Women's Bar Leadership Summit: Sparking a '"Change" Reaction , which will be held in Chicago on Thursday, August 2, and Friday, August 3, 2018.

I wish the incoming President, Angel Zimmerman, a wonderful year leading the NCWBA into an amazing future where women continue to be a powerful voice for change and advancement.

It's no secret that bar associations are grappling with an aging lawyer population. Here are some thoughts on the topic from a past president of the Connecticut Bar. For women's bar groups, whose membership demographics often skew towards newer lawyers, that issue can be a particular challenge.  On Wednesday, September 26 at 4:00 pm ET, we'll hear from bar guru Elizabeth Derrico  about practical steps we can take to "Engage Members Who Have Already Been There and Done That." 

Mark your calendar now for this half-hour free teleconference exclusively for our members. Not sure your group is a member? Look for a link here. Questions? Email us.

Congratulations to the Women Lawyers of Michigan which has been selected as the winner of the State Bar of Michigan 2018 Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award. The award is presented to a local or affinity bar association, program, or leader for excellence in promoting the ideal of professionalism or equal justice for all, or in responding to a compelling legal need within the community during the past year or on an ongoing basis. The award was established in memory of Kimberly M. Cahill who was an indefatigable volunteer on behalf of bar associations, serving as president of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan and the State Bar of Michigan, among others. The award will be presented in a banquet on September 26 in Grand Rapids. Click here for more details.

At a time when issues of immigration and asylum are much in the news, it is good to read the memoir of a woman lawyer who, because of a combination of advocacy by her brother and good fortune, was able to escape Nazi Germany at age 5, first to Belgium and than to the United States. Sonia Pressman Fuentes had a long and distinguished legal career. Notable achievements were serving as the first woman lawyer in the General Counsel's office at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and co-founding the National Organization of Women. Her book Eat First--You Don't Know What They'll Give You: The Adventures of an Immigrant Family and Their Feminist Daughter is not about those achievements, however. Instead, it is a highly readable and often humorous account of the challenges of growing up as a refugee in America and embarking on a legal career when women lawyers or, indeed "career women," were very much the exception. It's a reminder that those who make great contributions to America sometimes are fleeing difficult circumstances without wealth, English skills, or important family connections, yet they do bring determination, resilience, and new perspectives. Sonia Pressman Fuentes now lives in Saratoga, Florida and continues to write and speak about women's issues.

• Kristin Meister, litigation counsel, Credit Agricole CIB
• Erika Engelson, Americas head of litigation, Deutsche Bank
• Anastasia Danias, SVP & chief litigation officer, NFL
• Lisa Kistler, associate GC, litigation, Astellas US
• Jordan Razza, director of litigation and antitrust,  Diageo North America
• Madhu Southworth, SVP, legal & business affairs, AMC Entertainment and Sundance TV, AMC Networks
• Madhu Southworth, SVP, legal & business affairs, AMC Entertainment and Sundance TV, AMC Networks
• Allison Cambria, VP & counsel, litigation & regulatory investigations, Deutsche Bank

This year's Ms. JD annual conference will be held at the Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa on October 18-19. The retreat is designed for women law firm associates in the earlier stages of their careers to engage with women general counsel. For more information, click here.

In 1869, Arabella Babb Mansfield was admitted to the Iowa Bar after passing the bar exam with high marks and successfully challenging Iowa's restriction that only males over the age of 21 were eligible for bar admission, making her the first woman to be admitted to a state bar. This means that in 2019, we will celebrate 150 years of women lawyers in the United States! To commemorate this landmark, the NCWBA is joining with Faircount Media Group to create a publication that our member organizations will be able to share with their own membership in hard copy or by electronic link. We hope to have articles recounting the history and significant milestones of your women's bar group, information about important women lawyer "firsts" from your region, and other articles which capture and preserve the significant history of women lawyers in the United States and Canada. The publication will be introduced at our 2019 Women's Bar Leadership Summit in San Francisco, with a submission deadline in Spring 2019. Articles may be up to a maximum of about 3000 words in length. High-quality photos are also welcome. Submissions are subject to editing and space limitations. Many groups have history committees or have already written their histories, so they have a good starting point for creating articles that explain their histories to a national audience. If you don't already have these resources, now would be a great time to start gathering materials! Let us know what questions you have. We look forward to learning more about the history of women lawyers, both individually and collectively. For research materials, see our history pages.

Remember to check  Women Lawyers News  for articles and unique tools to make practicing law just that much easier.          

Our membership year runs with the calendar year, but it is not too late to show your support of women's bar associations by joining your voice with ours. Dues 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 . Questions? Ask us.