AWL was established as a resource for networking, sharing information, and camaraderie. At the beginning, AWL members gathered in other members’ homes to share experiences, frustrations, and give each other moral support.
AWLF In 2008, the AWL Foundation (AWLF) was formed as a charitable arm of the association. AWL Past President Denise Henning conceived the idea in 2007, with other board members, to increase past board member involvement with AWL. Their discussions morphed into the idea of supporting the creation of a foundation to further AWL’s charitable mission. The AWLF has a two-pronged mission: to help women in law develop and advance and to help improve the lives of women and girls in the Kansas City community. AWLF is led by AWL past presidents and board members who want to continue to be involved after their terms of service. They provide leadership and energy for charitable activities and relationship-building. One of the organization’s primary activities is the AWL Foundation Scholarship Program, which helps women cover the cost of educational and professional opportunities. The AWLF also hosts an annual 5K called Women on the Move to benefit the AWLF Denise Henning Connections program. AWLF Denise Henning Connections Program The Denise Henning Connections program is a mentoring program that pairs five older members with five younger members every year in “classes.” Each class is committed to five years, allowing each mentor and mentee to rotate within the class. With the goals to help each other and lift each other up in the profession, Connections has been a very successful and popular program. Deep friendships and career support have been established among the participants. Beginning with the class of 2009, the program just celebrated its 10th anniversary. The program’s goals are to develop meaningful relationships among women in the law; bridge the gap between women in leadership positions and new women attorneys; enhance and extend each woman’s professional network; foster the success of program members; and cultivate leaders for our community, bar associations, and profession. Community Support of Women, Children, and Others In 2007, AWL sponsored the Step Up program for women who were victims of domestic abuse, living in
shelters, and had outstanding warrants or infractions. Step Up was held in Missouri’s Kansas City Municipal Court. The court would close for a day to hear only these matters. Prior to handling the various cases, those volunteering with Step Up took a training class to learn how to represent these women, what to do once they were in court, and then they represented the women in court. This was collaboration between the court and prosecutors to give the women a chance for diversion, probation, and performing community service to pay their debts. Women’s Trial Institute AWL, in sponsorship with Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association (KCMBA), presents the women-only Trial Institute, which takes place over two days in Kansas City every other year. The Women’s Trial Institute (WTI) is open to female litigators who want to develop and practice trial litigation skills in a safe, women-only environment, with seasoned litigators providing tips, tricks, war stories, and hands-on pointers on critical components of trial and trial prep. We’ve Come a Long Way, and We’re Still Going AWL is constantly working toward meeting its goals in new ways. Through its nearly 45-year history, AWL has had signature CLE events over the years, such as “CLE in the City.” AWL honors its past presidents every fall with the AWL Past Presidents’ Reception. Recently, AWL has teamed up with the Women’s Foundation to encourage women to participate in the Women’s Foundation Appointments Project® “to empower women and strengthen communities by increasing the gender diversity of public boards and commissions.” Now, AWL members represent all facets of the legal profession: private firms, corporate, government, judiciary, academia, and law students. We started out with fewer than 20 members and are proud that we have grown to more than 500 members. AWL members have held leadership positions in mainstream bar associations and have been recognized as recipients of significant awards in the legal community. And recently, we have embarked on an ongoing effort to document our history to preserve it as well as enable members to grow from our experiences. Stay tuned …
NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW HAMPSHIRE WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION By Michaila Oliveira
T
he New Hampshire Bar’s first members, Henry Dow and John Pickering, were sworn in on Oct. 8, 1686, but New Hampshire would have to wait more than 200 National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations
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