April 2024 NCWBA Women Bar Leaders Newsletter

Message from the NCWBA President

Spring has Sprung. Spring Cleaning. Spring Forward. Spring into Action. So many idioms for this time of year. Each referencing a new beginning, or at least preparation for a new time in our lives. For NCWBA, these idioms, in this particular Spring, resonate so well. As we reflect on our 40th Anniversary and the next 40 years (and more!) – we reflect on what has sprung from our ranks. Women lawyers from all across the country who lead bar associations, firms, families, and everything in between. We focus on ensuring we have a clean “house” – updating policies, procedures, systems, and our website so that we can better serve our members. As we look forward to our next 40 years, our actions will be guided by serving our members, listening to our members, and providing resources and networks for women bar leaders across the country. We are excited to showcase our spring forward and into action at our Annual Leadership Summit. Please save the date for an exciting event featuring dynamic content and fantastic networking opportunities. Be on the look out for registration opportunities soon. We know there’s no place like your home in the NCWBA.

I hope you’ve had the opportunity to attend some of the dynamic programming we have had in the first part of 2024. We heard engaging presentations from some of our award-winning member programs and had a compelling discussion regarding increasing diversity in women’s bar associations. We also launched a toolkit, designed to provide resources for increasing diversity in your organization. Special thanks to our task force who sprung into action and worked tirelessly to put this vital resource together.

We also recognize the wisdom from the great poet and philosopher, Semisonic — “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” This quarter, we recognize a beginning coming to an end as we bid adieu to our dear Christina Simpson, who has been such a wonderful asset to our organization during her tenure. We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. As her time with NCWBA comes to an end, we celebrate a new beginning by welcoming Jill Pokorny to our ranks. Jill has hit the ground running and we are excited to have her join us.

Spring is a time for rejuvenation and regeneration. I hope you’ll spend this time doing just that. And, as we look forward to a busy and bustling summer, I hope you’ll do it with a “spring” in your step!

Sheila M. Abron NCWBA President, ‘23-24

JOIN NCWBA

AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 40th ANNIVERSARY!

It's been 40 years since the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations began its mission to represent and serve our members: women's bar associations and advocacy groups, women lawyers' affinity groups, women in the legal profession, and those starting their careers.

NCWBA elected and installed its very first Board of Directors in 1983-1984, and we are so proud to be celebrating NCWBA's 40th Anniversary with all of you! We hope many of you will join in our "ruby anniversary" and participate in our celebratory events, including a "Gala" during our Annual Leadership Summit in Chicago in August and our "40th Reunion" in Washington, D.C. in October! NCWBA's legacy includes extraordinary diversity within NCWBA over the years, and our agenda encompasses and benefits from our extraordinary member organizations and their leaders and members.

Newsletter Highlights

2023-2024 Board Roster……………............................................6

Women’s Bar Leadership Annual Summit……..….….…………….7

Summit 40th Anniversary Events …………………..…….….…….....8

Membership Programing………..…………………….……….…..…....10

New Board Member Spotlight ……….………………..……..….…....12

ABA Mid-Year 40th Anniversary Event………………………....….15

ABA Mid-Year Report…………………………………..……………......16

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Toolkit …….………...19

Upcoming Events………….…………………………………..….….........21

Thank You to Our Supporters! ………………………..……………….22

NCWBA Member Organizations ………….…….……………..……..24

NCWBA 40th Anniversary Reunion…………………………….……27

2023-2024 Board of Directors and Officers

Officers

President

Sheila M. Willis, Columbia, SC

President-Elect

Lindsey B. W. Savage, New York, NY

Vice President-Fundraising and Strategic Partnering

Jessie Pellant, Denver, CO

Vice President-Membership

Nancy Reynolds, Roanoke, VA

Vice President-Finance

Celia J. Collins, Mobile, AL

Secretary

Jamison Hall Cooper, Bridgeport, WV

Treasurer

Kyleen Hinkle, Tampa, FL

Immediate Past President

Teresa M. Beck, San Diego, CA

ABA Commission on Women in the Profession Liaison

Manisha P. Patel, Greensboro, NC

ABA Delegate

Jeanne Marie Clavere, Seattle, WA

Administrator

Jill Pokorny, San Antonio, TX

Board

F. Danielle Allison, Auburn, AL

Elizabeth A. Bryson, New York, NY

Chris Chambers Goodman, Malibu, CA

Jeanne Marie Clavere, Seattle, WA

Deborah Cordova, Edinburg, TX

Jennifer Crompton, St. Louis, MO

Kimberly Burroughs Debrow, Newnan, GA

Tanya Grillo, Mt. Clemens, MI

Hon. Kellie Hogan, Wichita, KS

Kristy Lavigne, Quincy, MA

Christine M. Meadows, Portland, OR

Brit Merrill, Salt Lake City, UT

Myra Morris, Corpus Christi, TX

Tami L. Munsch, Kiln, MS

Noelle M. Natoli, North Hollywood, CA

Manisha P. Patel, Greensboro, NC

Nikki Marie Sherwood, Boston, MA

Angel Zimmerman, Topeka, KS

You belong at the 2024 NCWBA Women’s Bar Leadership Summit!

Join your fellow women's bar leaders in Chicago on August 1, 2024, for two days of camaraderie, education, mentorship, and leadership development. The Agenda includes a panel of notable trailblazing women, discussion of successful "tried and true" member programs from across the country, tips and tricks to leverage technology to your advantage, and more. We’ll lift each other up and celebrate our collective accomplishments while we gather strategies to support our home organizations. Come and find your community with the NCWBA.

You will want to arrive on August 1, 2024, in time for our 5 p.m. Welcome Reception, Awards Presentation and 40th Anniversary Gala. The Summit begins Friday August 2, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. check-in. Lunch is included and will feature keynote speaker, Vanessa Otero of Ad Fontes Media, discussing How Leadership and Legal Skills can Positively Impact our Polarized Society. The Summit will conclude at 4 p.m. with a celebratory toast to our 40-year anniversary. Attendees will have the option to sign-up for a post-summit “dine- around.”

Summit registration is now open. Register here today!

We have chosen Hotel Chicago Downtown, Autograph Collection, 333 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654 as our hotel of choice. The NCWBA block hotel rate is currently set at $249/night (plus a $15 destination fee) with a booking window of Sunday, July 28 through Wednesday, August 7 based on availability. Booking must be made by 7/10.

To access the reservation link please click here.

2024 Leadership Summit 40th Anniversary Events

In conjunction with the events being planned for NCWBA's Annual Leadership Summit, we have two special events during Summit that are specific to our 40th Anniversary - a Gala on Thursday, August 1, and a special panel presentation during the Leadership Summit on Friday, August 2 featuring four extraordinary Past Presidents of NCWBA.

Evening of August 1st - Our Anniversary Gala will be held at Polsinelli's Chicago offices. In addition to tributes, music, and food, we will feature a special cocktail called the "Ruby Slipper." After all, "There's No Place Like Home," and NCWBA has been a wonderful and supportive home for women's bar associations and an advocate for equal rights for 40+ years! The event will also feature music, onsite photos, anniversary swag, and a slide show backdrop featuring photos of our movers & shakers at past events.

Afternoon of August 2nd - At the Summit, to be held at Jenner & Block, a select panel of NCWBA leaders will amplify our history and discuss the importance and impact of leaders who "keep the ladder down" for junior women attorneys - to help them rise in the profession and into their own leadership roles. This event will be moderated by Sheila Abron (2023-2024 NCWBA President) and feature Pauline Weaver (a co-founder of NCWBA, member of its inaugural Board of Directors, 1989-1990 NCWBA President, and past ABA Officer), Amanda Green Alexander (2016-2017 NCWBA President), and Angel Zimmerman (2018-2019 NCWBA President).

Further details and invitations to these August events will be coming soon!

Your Firm Can Support Diversity in Law with a Summit Sponsorship

Summit is around the corner! It is our 40th anniversary and that means celebrate! If your firm is interested in supporting your attendance at our Summit for leadership training, networking, mentorship and uplifting motivation, please reach out to see if they will sponsor your attendance. We offer the following options here.

And if your organization or law firm is interested in sponsoring our Gala- it is on August 1st and is a toast to our past, and celebration of our promising future, complete with a comedian and DJ… Bring your ruby slippers! What a way to highlight your firm and get the most out of your sponsorship.

Come join this powerful group of women breaking the glass ceiling in our industry, making change and building the ladder for those to rise behind us. Sign up here if you are ready to sponsor & attend this powerful event.

NCWBA Membership Programming

NCWBA has continued to provide valuable programming to its members. In February, the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York presented on its award-winning program Buy a Gift for a Domestic Violence Survivor. Deborah Rosenthal and Margaret Farmer spoke on how WBASNY created this program to help domestic violence survivors in need, and to bring public awareness to the prevalence of gender violence. Buy a Gift also educates victims on resources available to them. The program links donors with support organizations and vendors to create a flow of donations of needed items to domestic violence survivors through their support organizations.

NCWBA also hosted a quarterly membership program entitled How to Increase Membership Diversity. Dr. Rosanna Koppelmann, McGuire Woods D&I Director, and Dallas attorney Kandace Walter, of Walter Legal PLLC, spoke on what women of color look for when joining bar associations. They conducted a survey of affinity bar association members and learned that the most prevalent criteria for memberships are common connections with others and finding a safe space where you can be yourself. The discussion was very candid and enlightening. Members present were given much to consider in their initiatives to enhance diversity in their bar associations.

The Dallas Women Lawyers Association presented on their award-winning program, The Pitch, a three-tiered mentoring module teaching women attorneys how to self-promote. Dallas attorneys Jasmin Tobias, Jennifer Ryback, Marisa O’Sullivan, and Stephanie Almeter spoke on the program’s origin, development, logistics and success. The Pitch was developed to address the chronic absence of women attorneys in higher tiers of law practices and attrition based on book of business. The program recruits in-house corporate counsel to instruct on what a strong pitch looks like and to evaluate elevator and formal pitches. The goal is to promote women in the practice of law.

On June 11 and 12, NCWBA will host a quarterly membership program entitled How to Revive the Spark: An Introduction to Fun. Our member bar associations will present their programs designed to enhance camaraderie, bonding and networking. We will hear from the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Kansas Women Attorneys Association, Virginia Women Attorneys Association, and Association for Women Attorneys, New Orleans.

On September 10 and 11, the final quarterly membership program for the 2023-24 year will cover the topic, How to Accomplish Officer and Director Best Practices. Sheila Abron, current NCWBA President, will discuss the roles and requirements of serving as an officer and a director.

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming programs.

Please register for the following upcoming quarterly membership programs:

How to Revive the Spark: An Introduction to Fun

● June 11, 12:00 p.m. ET

● June 12, 4:00 p.m. ET

How to Accomplish Officer and Director Best Practices

● September 10, 12:00 pm ET

● September 11, 4:00 p.m. ET

New Board Member Spotlight

Interview with Nikki Marie Sherwood, of Boston, Massachusetts

How did you decide to accept a nomination to the NCWBA Board?

When I first found out about my nomination, I was surprised and excited! I did not know much about the NCWBA at that point and was really impressed by the organization after I researched it. I was delighted and honored to be nominated and continue to feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve on the board.

What are three highlights of your work in women's bar organizations?

The top highlight for me is the opportunity to get to know all of the extraordinary women attorneys in my network. At every meeting and event, I learn something new about one of my peers and am often blown away by things they have accomplished – the trailblazers among us! When I was at the NCWBA Midyear in February 2024, I was speaking with one of my fellow board members and she was sharing with me about her professional commitments outside of the NCWBA. I was truly inspired not only by the volume of organizations that she is able to help, but that she is able to do so effectively.

Secondly, I have learned a great deal being a part of the NCWBA board. One of my favorite parts of being on the board is that the board members are all from different states, practice areas, stages of their career and life, and come to the table with unique experiences and ideas to share.

Third, last year I was a member of the Summit Committee and really enjoyed working closely with some of the board members and getting to know them. It was a wonderful opportunity to understand everything that needs to happen “behind the scenes” for such an important event to be a spectacular success!

Please give us three or four adjectives that describe you or your work.

Compassionate – as a trusts and estates attorney, I am often assisting clients at a time in their life when they have lost a loved one and my role is not only to assist with the technical legal aspects, but also to support the clients during one of the most challenging times in their lives.

Strategic – part of my practice also involves helping clients mitigate their ultimate estate tax liability, so I assist with strategic planning to meet their goals.

Diligent – clients sometimes come to me with urgent requests – whether they are leaving for a big trip and never put an estate plan in place, or they have a more dire and serious request –such as if they are terminally ill and need to get a plan in place while they are still able to do so.

A lawyer is always expected to be diligent, but in times like these, it requires the utmost diligence and efficiency.

Collaborative – one of the most important parts of establishing and maintaining an estate plan for a client is to ensure all of their advisors are informed and participating. I always refer to this group of people (the attorney, financial advisor, CPA, etc.) as the client’s “team” and the plan works best for the client when everyone is involved.

Who is one of your favorite legal storytellers?

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always been one of my heroes – and one of the best legal storytellers. When my law school celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008, Justice Ginsburg came to speak at our Barristers’ Ball. I am sure it would come as no surprise to anyone reading this that she commanded the room! She shared a wonderful story about her life – from her childhood days to meeting her husband, to her experience in law school, and all the way to her journey on the Supreme Court of the United States. The entire room was captivated by every word she said – we were in awe, laughing and crying. I will never forget the story she shared and still cannot believe I was lucky enough to be in the audience that evening.

Help Us Preserve NCWBA’s History

Do you or your organization have great photographs of NCWBA events, other key documents, or insights on how NCWBA has grown over time?

As part of our "ruby" activities, we are updating NCWBA's history, its founding, and its expansion and influence over the decades. We are also reaching out to alumni of the NCWBA Board and its members' Boards.

If you or your organization has a great photo, story, or details about how your group joined & contributed to NCWBA and our joint cause, let us know! (Send content and/or questions to 40th Anniversary Chair Elizabeth A. Bryson at ebryson.ncwba@gmail.com.)

Sponsorship Opportunities available for the 40th Anniversary!

In tribute to our ruby anniversary, we have special sponsorship levels this year. We hope you, your employers, or your organizations will consider becoming sponsors or providing leads for potential sponsors, so we can have great events while keeping costs for our 40th Anniversary events as modest as possible. For more information on NCWBA sponsorship opportunities, please review our 2024 Sponsorship Packet. Ready to become a NCWBA Sponsor? Complete the 2024 Sponsorship Sign-Up Form!

Thank you all for your support of NCWBA and women in the profession!

If you have any ideas or suggestions for our celebrations, have historic materials, or if you (or your member organization) would like to be a featured sponsor for any of these events or to provide items for our goodie bags or "swag" gifts, please contact Ms. Bryson!

NCWBA Past, Present and Prosecco 40th Anniversary Celebration in Louisville

The kickoff event for the 40th Anniversary was held in February 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky, during the ABA & NCWBA annual Midyear Meetings. This NCWBA Past, Present, and Prosecco event, which was announced to members via email, social media, and other avenues, was held in a local underground "speakeasy," and it was a blast! Present and past Board members and representatives of member organizations attended as we toasted our celebratory year. In addition to bubbly beverages, hors d'oeuvres, and other goodies, we enjoyed custom sugar cookies featuring our special 40th Anniversary logo! Many thanks to our sponsors and attendees!

We hope that everyone will also consider attending our fabulous upcoming events to celebrate NCWBA's achievements and the deep friendships that have grown over the past 40 years!

ABA Mid-Year Report

The 85th Midyear Meeting of the ABA House of Delegates took place on Monday, February 5, 2024. As your ABA NCWBA delegate, this was my inaugural meeting and I noted that the major focus of the ABA year has been the creation of a strategic plan for the ABA. President Smith also addressed challenges to our country, and that our system requires all of us, especially lawyers, to put the constitution above all else.

A brief highlight report on a few resolutions voted on by the House of Delegates:

Resolution 505 opposed all federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal legislation and policies that restrict the teaching and prohibit access to instructional materials based on sex, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, culture, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status.

Resolution 300 established a new standard requiring schools to adopt a policy that would allow faculty, students, and staff to “communicate ideas that may be controversial or unpopular, including through robust debate, demonstrations or protests.”

Resolution 508 urged all educational authorities to establish and implement policies that recognize that all students, including transgender, gender-nonconforming and non-binary students, have a reasonable and protected expectation of privacy.

Resolution 507 opposed limitations on providing patient care, including abortion, on any health care provider or hospital that receives Medicare funding to address a patient’s emergency medical condition.

Please note this is a summary of a few of the resolutions that flagged our attention. For more information on these or all the resolutions approved at the 2024 Midyear meeting, please visit the ABA House of Delegates webpages at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/house_of_delegates/

Prior to the House of Delegates meeting the NCWBA hosted a delegate and board dinner at local restaurant Proof On Main, on the evening of February 3, 2024 in Louisville. It was my pleasure to meet interested member leadership representatives and listen to their thoughts and comments on the meeting coming up.

Mid-Year Fun

Women’s History Month Leadership Panel

NWCBA President Sheila Abron appeared on a Women’s History Month panel sponsored by the National Conference of Bar Presidents, to discuss the challenges and triumphs of being in national leadership roles. NCBP President Robin Wolpert, and ABA President Mary Smith also presented on this nationwide panel. Thank you all for sharing your insights and inspiring the next generation of women’s bar leaders!

ABA praises GOOD Guys, promoting diversity in Law Firms

During the ABA MidYear 2024, NCWBA and the ABA Young Lawyers Division co-sponsored an event, Calling All GOOD Guys: Maximizing the Incredible Financial and Intangible Benefits of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). The event was well-attended and well-received.

Read more about it here: https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2024/02/good-guys-fig ht-for-diversity/

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Toolkit

We're excited to announce the launch of NCWBA's new toolkit: Practical Steps to Strengthen Your Diversity Profile. Our toolkit is designed to assist bar organizations in increasing the involvement of women of color within their membership. It offers practical strategies, tools for facilitating discussions on race and diversity, and guidance on implementing Diversity Programs. By prioritizing the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, we aim to strengthen our organizations and advance the legal profession as a whole.

ELVIRACORTEZ NCWBADiversityTask Force Co-Chair

GENEVIÉVE JONES-WRIGHT NCWBADiversityTask Force Co-Chair

TERESAM. BECK NCWBAPast President

A Fond Farewell, with Gratitude

NCWBA extends bittersweet warm wishes to our departing Executive Director Christina Simpson, Esq. who has faithfully served our board and our members for over four years. We toasted her at our MidYear meeting, and ask you too, to raise and glass and say a word of appreciation. Christina leaves NCWBA to give additional focus to her own law practice. NCWBA benefited so much from having an attorney as ED, and we’ll build on the groundwork Christina has helped us lay, as we spring forward.

Meet Our New Administrator

Jill Pokorny, of San Antonio, TX

Scheduled. Organized. Loves lists. These are just a few words to describe our new administrator, Jill Pokorny. She thrives on working with a purpose-- helping people to see and meet their potentials. Many of her previous positions involved promoting community, and finding places and spaces for volunteers.

Jill began her career with a Master’s degree in education, and with her background in history, taught in middle schools and high schools, before shifting her focus to non-profit enterprises like equine rescue, community outreach, and providing education-related resources to secondary and college students. She’s worked in schools with students of privilege, as well as

those without, including an alternative school for girls whose parents were currently incarcerated. Learning to meet the needs that enabled students to be able to learn--given the trying circumstances in which they found themselves, was a purpose that Jill was proud to work for. As a military spouse, whose husband is a Navy physician, she has developed a wide range of skills from moving frequently, and finding purposeful work in each new place. She has 3 children and 2 Doodles, and is fond of traveling, particularly on family cruises. Please join NCWBA in welcoming Jill to our organization!

CHRISTINASIMPSON The Law Office of Christina Simpson, Esq.

UPCOMING NCWBA EVENTS

June 11

June 12

August 1

August 2

September 10

September 11

October 17-19

How to Revive the Spark: An Introduction to Fun

How to Revive the Spark: An Introduction to Fun

Women’s Bar Leadership Summit Welcome Reception

NCWBA Awards Presentation

40th Anniversary Gala

Women’s Bar Leadership Summit

NCWBA Dine Around Chicago

How to Accomplish Officer and Director Best Practices

How to Accomplish Officer and Director Best Practices

NCWBA Reunion: 40th Anniversary Celebration

Washington, D.C.

NCWBA Women's Bar Wednesdays

The NCWBA wants to celebrate and highlight our membership organizations by posting information about our membership on social media and special Wednesdays. Please fill out the following link, and we will randomly select members throughout the year to feature on our social media. Let us help you amplify your work and connect you to other members throughout the country!

NCWBA Women’s Bar Wednesdays Submission Form

2024 NCWBABronze Strategic Partner

2024 NCWBABronze Strategic Partner

2024 NCWBAPlatinum Strategic Partner

OUR SUPPORTERS

Alabama

NCWBA Member Organizations

Alabama State Bar Women's Section

Birmingham Bar Association Women Lawyers Section

Dorbin Association, University of Alabama School of Law

Arizona

Arizona Women Lawyers Association

Women Law Students Association - Arizona State University

California

California Women Lawyers

Lawyers Club of San Diego

Queen's Bench Association of the San Francisco Bay Area

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

Colorado

Colorado Women's Bar Association

Women's Law Caucus - University of Colorado School of Law

Connecticut

Connecticut Bar Association

District of Columbia

Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia

Georgia

Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys

Hawaii

Hawaii Women Lawyers

Idaho

Idaho Women Lawyers

Illinois

Black Women Lawyers Association of Greater Chicago

Kansas Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City

Kansas Women Attorneys Association

Wichita Women Attorneys Association

Women Attorneys Association of Topeka

Louisiana

Women Law Student Association - Loyola University College of Law (New Orleans)

Maine

Maine State Bar Association

Maryland

Women's Bar Association of Maryland

Massachusetts

Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts

Women’s Law Association - Western New England School of Law

Michigan

Women Lawyers Association of Michigan

Minnesota

Minnesota Women Lawyers

Mississippi

Mississippi Women Lawyers Association

Missouri

Women Lawyers' Association of Greater St Louis

Nevada

Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Women's Bar Association

New Jersey

New Jersey Women Lawyers Association

New York

New York Women's Bar Association

Women's Bar Association of the State of New York

North Carolina

North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys

Oregon

Oregon Women Lawyers

Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association

South Carolina

South Carolina Women Lawyers Association

Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women–Marion Griffin Chapter

Texas

Dallas Women Lawyers Association

Texas Women Lawyers

Utah

Women Lawyers of Utah

Virginia

Virginia Women Attorneys Association

Washington

Washington Women Lawyers

West Virginia

West Virginia Women Attorneys

Wisconsin Association for Women Lawyers

National

Military Spouse JD Network

Ms. JD

Navy Judge Advocate Women’s Association

Women Lawyers on Guard ACTION Network, Inc.

Law Firms

Burns White

2024 NCWBA Membership Map

Have Something You Want to Share?

Do you have an event, program or any other information related to your organization that you want us to share with our members? Please send an email to info@ncwba.org so that we can include it in our next newsletter or publicize on social media!

THANK YOU to our GOOD Guys Sponsors

GOOD Guys is 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

And One Last Thing: NCWBA Reunion

October 2024 - Washington, D.C.

It is particularly appropriate that our 40th celebrations include events in the Washington, D.C. area, as the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia (WBADC) was instrumental in the founding of NCWBA!

In 1981, under the leadership of its Past Presidents Susan Low and Judy McCaffrey, WBADC compiled a list of women's bar groups across the nation, and letters were sent inviting them to send a representative to the 1981 ABA meeting in New Orleans. Participants from across the country attended and were very enthusiastic about starting a national organization. Thanks to WBADC, other founding women's bar associations, and a lot of work and discussion, NCWBA was born.

Since then, NCWBA's membership has expanded to include scores of additional women's bar associations, plus women law school student's groups, and women attorney's affinity groups at corporations and in government.

Join us for a special NCWBA 40th Anniversary Reunion Weekend October 17-19, 2024

NCWBA invites you to spend a fun time in the Washington, DC area! Planning is underway for several events - some free and some at a modest cost, including:

● October 17 - Reunion - celebratory event on Thursday evening at Akin Gump's D.C. offices for alumni of NCWBA and its member organizations + open invitation for prospective members to get to know their wonderful "sisters-in-law!"

● October 18 - NCWBA will provide lists of self-guided tourist activities in DC, including sites that are significant to the history of women; feel free to visit these venues during the day and to participate in our "women's history scavenger hunt" with colleagues and/or family members! Fun prizes!