WLALA Awards & Installation Dinner

September 13, 2024

• WLALA Awards & Installation Dinner - September 13, 2024
• President's Message by Jeannine Taylor
• WLALA Executive Committee 2024 - 2025
• Women Lawyers as Authors: How to Write and Publish a Book While Still Doing Your Day Job - July 11, 2024
• Photos: WLALApalooza: Celebrate Momentum
• Family Law Appeals Seminar - Recording Available
• Photo: Motion for Summary Judgment/Adjudication in Employment Cases
• Photos: Solo/Small Firm Mixer and Fundraiser at Fuego
• Photos: Young Lawyers Mixer
• Photos: Harriett Buhai CommUNITY Celebration
• Photos: 2024 LGBTQ+ Lawyers of LA Gala
• Announcement: WLALA Immediate Past President - Janet Hong
• APAWLA Annual Reception - September 19, 2024
• Announcement: WLALA Member - Nina Marino
• Welcome New Members!
• Local Bar Calendar
• Los Angeles County Unity Bar Inauguration - July 19, 2024
• BWL Installation Gala - September 28, 2024
• Power Lunch Program Sponsorships Available
• Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter - Deadline is July 31, 2024

The WLALA History Project is Back!

“Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History.”

-- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Pulitzer Prize winning Harvard historian

For over four decades, the WLALA History Project has recorded, archived, and preserved the oral histories of more than 100 leaders in the Los Angeles legal community. Thanks to the generosity of The Barnes Firm, the History Project has been reinvigorated with the recording of eight interviews featuring WLALA presidents, scholarship, and fellowship recipients on June 25, 2024. Special thanks to Mory Ahmadi, Co-Chair of the History Project Committee, for spearheading this effort.

WLALA maintains its historical archive at Southwestern School of Law, which houses a rich source of women’s legal history in Los Angeles. A collection of past videos can be viewed at the link below. To nominate an influential Los Angeles judge or lawyer for an interview with the History Project, please email info@wlala.org. If you are interested in learning more about the collection or participating in transforming the Project into a publication, please contact us! Aspiring authors will also want to join our WLALA panel on July 11th, where women lawyers will share their tips for balancing a law practice while authoring and publishing books.

In honor of the History Project, I would like to share a preview of my recorded interview.

What is your personal philosophy on leadership and management?

Listen first and talk last. My experience has been that people who lead without listening usually create more problems than solutions (and know less than they think they do).

The managers who I admire most surround themselves with gifted people, value their talent, and acknowledge their contributions. Also, many people, (particularly women), often struggle with taking credit for their own successes. Because of this, I’ve seen how meaningful it can be for managers to highlight a team member's accomplishments.

What accomplishment of your presidency are you most proud of?

Building on the WLALA roadmap for sister bar collaborations laid by my law school bestie and past president, Janet Hong. In law school, we were presidents of our respective minority student organizations and brought that collaborative energy to WLALA. We’ve proudly created a precedent of annual collaborations with our sister bars during HerStory month, extended free WLALA memberships to affiliate bars, and actively supported our sister bars' programming, public service efforts, and celebrations.

What do you hope for the next generation of female attorneys/professionals?



I hope they confidently promote their accomplishments, nominate themselves for recognition and awards, and advocate for resources to develop professionally; including seeking out mentors, coaches, and sponsors to learn from and grow with. It would be my pleasure to share my experiences from doing these things and to help others find a comfortable approach for doing the same.

In your service,

Jeannine Taylor



WLALA President

WLALA Executive Committee 2024 - 2025

 Noelle M. Natoli, President

Farah Tabibkhoei, President-Elect

Jennie Wang VonCannon, First Vice President

Brigit Greeson Alvarez, Second Vice President/Treasurer

Leana Serey Taing, Secretary

Vicky Ourfalian, Communications Officer

Women Lawyers as Authors: How to Write and Publish a Book While Still Doing Your Day Job

WLALApalooza: Celebrate Momentum

On June 25, 2024, The WLALA Foundation hosted its annual fundraiser, WLALApalooza, at the Bonaventure Brewing Company. Our goal was to sell 125 tickets and we sold 150 tickets! We wanted to host an event that was fun for our guests and that would bring in the revenue needed to continue supporting the Foundation’s contributions towards scholarships, fellowships, the Beverly Reid O’Connell Power Lunch, and other community organizations. We were able to achieve both objectives. This year WLALAPalooza brought in over $24,000. The success of this event would not be possible without the support of each member who donated, purchased a ticket, purchased a sponsorship, and vigorously participated in our silent auction. The success of WLALAPalooza was a reflection of our ability to come together as an organization to support those who are in need of our assistance. Thank you to the Co-Chairs of the Financial Development Committee, Anabel Sanchez and Karla Waymire, for their creativity and vision for the event! Please see the links below for the photos and videos taken at the event.

Family Law Appeals Seminar - Recording Available

On June 20, 2024, Judge Maria Byrum and Erin Reed of the Family Law Committee, and Jill Piano of the WLALA Sojourn Legal Clinic Committee co-hosted the Family Law Appeals webinar. 

Panelists included Justice Gregory J. Weingart of the Second District Court of Appeal, Claudia Ribet of the Complex Appellate Litigation Group and Ribet & Silver, and Arati Vasan of Family Violence Appellate Project. Drawing on their extensive experience in family law and appeals, the panel discussed preservation of issues for appeal, appealable orders/judgments, standards of review, effective briefing, oral argument tips, and appellate court decision making in family law cases. Ms. Ribet provided invaluable insights on creating a record for appellate review and addressing procedural obstacles in family court.  Ms. Vasan offered practical considerations for pursuing appeals, particularly in domestic violence cases.  Justice Weingart shed light on how the Court of Appeal reviews cases and provided tips on oral arguments.  

For an overview of the essentials needed to file a family law appeal, please watch the presentation recording. The recording is free to attorneys who work for nonprofit legal services organizations. Please email info@wlala.org for free access to the program.

WLALA Sojourn Legal clinic, which is held on Mondays from 5:15 to 6:45 on Zoom, is looking for volunteers! Staffed by volunteer attorneys from various disciplines, the clinic empowers victims of domestic violence to change their lives. The commitment is minimal (just 90 minutes per month) but the impact is big.  No experience in family or domestic violence law is required; volunteers answer questions on a wide range of issues, e.g. landlord-tenant law, bankruptcy, immigration, criminal matters, employment, and more. Please contact Jill Piano at jillpianoesq@gmail.com to find out more details.

Karen Suri, Deputy Director of Legal Services of the Harriett Buhai Family Law Center provided information about the volunteer opportunities at their organization. Please contact Karen Suri at KSuri@hbcfl.org for further details.

Motion for Summary Judgment/Adjudication in Employment Cases

On June 17, WLALA’s Labor and Employment Committee put on a panel about winning and defeating motions for summary judgment and adjudication in employment cases. The panel featured speakers from the defense bar (Vanessa Hooker), plaintiff bar (Twila White and Allison Schulman), and appellate bar (Janet Gussdorf). Moderator Ramit Mizrahi (a mediator specializing in employment matters) facilitated the robust discussion of strategies and tactics on this important aspect of employment litigation. Thank you to our panelists and moderator for a successful program!

Solo/Small Firm Mixer and Fundraiser at Fuego

Join us in celebrating a remarkable achievement! On June 6, 2024, we hosted our 2nd Annual Solo and Small Firm Mixer and Fundraiser at Fuego in Long Beach. WLALA, LACBA Immigration Section and the HNBA (Hispanic National Bar) LGBT Division came together to support a cause close to our hearts, queer youth. Through a heartfelt fundraiser, we rallied support for the LGBTQ Center Long Beach (the Center of Long Beach), an organization dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. With unwavering generosity, we surpassed all expectations, raising nearly $12,000 to foster inclusivity and provide vital resources to queer youth. Together, we’ve made a profound impact on the lives of young individuals, ensuring they thrive in an environment of acceptance and support. Thank you for making this event an extraordinary success and for championing equality in our community! Special thank you to Maribel Reynoso Blunt, Chair of the Solo and Small Firm Committee, for spearheading this fantastic event!

Young Lawyers Mixer

On June 11, 2024, the Young Lawyers Mixer organized by the Co-Chairs of the Young Lawyers Committee, Tatevik “Vicki” Gasparyan and Christine Cheung, was an intimate and fun way to meet other practitioners. Thank you to all the event sponsors, including Jones Day for hosting the event at their DTLA office.

Harriett Buhai CommUNITY Celebration

As proud co-founders of the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, WLALA and BWL members joined the Buhai Center for a special evening celebrating the Buhai Center's legacy of leadership, community and family law justice! Thank you for service Betty Nordwind! WLALA is excited to continue to support the Buhai Center by funding a new summer student fellowship focused on helping victims of domestic violence, improve the well-being of children and empower individuals in Los Angeles. This year's WLALA and Harriett Buhai Law Student Fellow is Stephanie Diaz.

2024 LGBTQ+ Lawyers of LA Gala

Happy Pride Month! Congratulations to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence as the recipient of the Co-President’s Award at the LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Gala!

WLALA Member - Nina Marino

WLALA Member - Nina Marino

WLALA applauds Nina Marino for her victory in obtaining the full acquittal of her client in a federal bribery trial after less than 12 hours of jury deliberation following a ten-week trial where the USAO called over 40 witnesses to the stand. 

Welcome to Our New Members

Nashla Abdala

Francesca Allegra-Garofalo

Nancy Avila Villatoro

Danielle Bell

Sosie Boyadjian

Anna Burbank

Maggie Burtoft

Joanna Calderon

Natasha Carogioiello

Sandra Carter

Sherylee Caruth

Gina Catania

Jessica Corpuz

Kassandra Cuellar

Stephanie Davidson

Zhanna Dutpayeva

Bridget Gehan

Ashley Geilim

Sarah Gerdes

Kaitlyn Hanes

Cindy Hickox

Piper Hinson

Kailin Ho

Katherine Howard - Fudge

Amy Hung

Maya Jones

Layla Khamoushian

Lara Kuyumjian 

Meagan Koontz

Gina Le

Satkirtan McLafferty

Shanjida Milon

Ayda Mirafshar

Eva Mooradian

Karlie Morales

Estefani Munive

Rana Nader

Melissa Ogunnubi

Ronni Paer

Anne Palmer

Betsayda Puerta

Maria Radsa

Sarah Salinger-Mullen

Christina Sorfazian

Nicole Summer

Jennifer Villar

Cheryl Wei

Ericka Wiley

Tamara Yeritsyan

Apply for Judicate West's

D&I Scholarship Program

Judicate West’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee is excited to share an initiative we believe will make a significant impact on fostering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession broadly and the ADR sector specifically. We are offering a full scholarship for two individuals from underrepresented communities to attend the internationally top-ranked Mediation Training Program at Straus Institute at Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Application deadline:

September 1, 2024

Selection notification:

October 30, 2024

Program participation:

Scholarship recipients can attend either of the biannual training dates, within three years of being selected.

Why Now?

In the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) community, there is an overall need to represent and reflect the people we serve. As a leading firm in this space, we want to positively impact this gap.

This scholarship award was created with the vision of fostering a more inclusive legal community of ADR practitioners. Our scholarship program aims to provide financial support to professionals who have demonstrated a passion for litigation, a dedication to inclusiveness, a strong interest in developing a career as an ADR practitioner, and a consistent commitment to excellence.

What's Covered?

The scholarship covers registration to the internationally top-ranked Mediation Training Program at the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in Malibu, as well as lodging and meals for the duration of the five-day course. Recipients will receive world-class instruction and also gain access to invaluable mentorship and networking opportunities within their educational cohort as well as within our organization.

Who is Eligible?

Civil litigators who are active members of bar associations serving underrepresented communities, which include but are not limited to, individuals from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and others who have faced unique challenges in their pursuit of higher education. Please visit the scholarship web page, to view complete eligibility criteria.

Check Eligibility

Applications

Applicants should prepare a resume; a personal statement of up to 1,000 words that showcases their motivation for pursuing this scholarship, provides an overview of their career goals, and discusses how this scholarship will help them make a positive impact on society; and a letter of recommendation from an officer or board member in the bar group in which they serve.

Apply Now

Selection Process

A selection committee, comprised of accomplished ADR professionals from various backgrounds, will meticulously review applications and select the winning candidate. The 2024 scholarship awardee will be notified by October 30, 2024.

Questions?

Rosemarie Drohan

Executive Vice President of Business Development

Judicate West

rosemarie@judicatewest.com

800-488-8805

WLALA Needs Mentors for Law Students

WLALA needs attorney mentor volunteers since our increased presence in the legal community has led to increased participation among local law schools. WLALA's Law Student Mentoring Program pairs law student members with lawyer members to encourage and facilitate the development of women law students. Mentors and mentees are matched based on interests and background where possible. The program is flexible; mentors and mentees choose when and how to stay connected with one another, whether through e-mail, telephone, in-person meet ups, or a combination. Many participants find that the one-on-one mentoring relationship becomes a long-term friendship.

WLALA Needs Volunteers For Committees, Sections and Liaisons

Did you know that WLALA is run almost entirely by volunteers? If you're interested in participating in WLALA Committees, Sections or acting as a Liaison, visit our website to find out more and sign up now!

Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter

If you are interested in contributing an article or sharing member news, please reach out to Communications Officer Leana Taing at WLALA.communications@gmail.com Everyone loves to read about accomplishments, appointments, and promotions! Also, please do not forget to share photos or videos taken at WLALA events. We would love to share them in the newsletter and on our social media! The submission deadline for next month's newsletter is July 31, 2024.

The Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles ("WLALA") promotes the full participation in the legal profession of women lawyers and judges from diverse perspectives and racial and ethnic backgrounds, maintains the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, and improves the status of women by supporting their exercise of equal rights, equal representation, and reproductive choice.

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