In the 2011-2012 bar year, the WBA – like every legal organization – will find itself looking out over a changed legal landscape. These changes impact all women in the profession, whether in law firms, in-house law departments, government agencies, or small/solo practitioners, and whether still in law school, just starting out, or 25 years into a legal career. Yet, for every challenge created by the changes of the past few years, there are new opportunities for re-invention and re-envisioning – and new opportunities and paths forward to consider.
Against this backdrop, in 2011-2012, the WBA will continue the groundbreaking work of the WBA Initiative on the Advancement and Retention of Women, with a fourth phase that focuses on what it means to be a woman lawyer in the 21st century. We’ll be exploring different paths, some direct and some not so direct, taken by leaders in the profession, starting with a series of high-level programs focusing on some of the broadest changes to the profession and how we as women navigate these changes so that we not just professionally “survive,” but thrive. These broad changes include the possibility, if not probability, that:
• Our career paths may no longer be straight lines
• Our career paths may wind outside the U.S.
• Our career paths may not involve the actual practice of law
• Our career paths may not necessarily become “straighter” with seniority
We’ll look at these major themes, holding a showcase program for each, at which we’ll discuss the nature and impact of these changes, strategies for success, and lessons learned from lawyers who have followed each.
The WBA’s look at “the new normal” in the legal profession won’t be limited to the Initiative. Our committees and forums will be looking at these changes as well. Each will put on programming the reflects the changed landscape of the legal professional and special issues facing women in that changed landscape, and will pose creative and fruitful solutions.
We’ll also continue our focus on expanding our membership. The WBA’s membership is extraordinarily diverse. Yet, we want to continue to expand and broaden our membership, with a particular focus on making the WBA more inclusive generationally and in terms of the practice and professional settings of our members. In so doing, the WBA can bring broader perspectives to the table, and offer an even wider breadth of programming, professional development, and leadership opportunities.
So to all of you – whether you are law students, young lawyers just starting out, mid-career lawyers facing the proverbial fork in the road, or more seasoned lawyers who still have many acts in your professional play to write – I encourage you to join us. We need your thoughts, your perspectives and your energy. We are only as strong as our members, and we need your ongoing support. Please contact me, any Board member, or any committee or forum co-chair if you would like more information about how you can become more involved with the WBA.
Join me and the rest of the WBA community in continuing the important work of this great organization!
Monica G. Parham
2011-2012 President
