The WBA Spring Career Series will feature women lawyers sharing how (and why) they have made important career moves. Whether you are considering a new job or an entirely different field, working to better succeed where you are, or thinking about your longer-term career options, these five sessions will feature tips and insights from lawyers who have been there and done that. Register for one event or for the whole series.
Each one-hour panel discussion will be followed by a 30-minute networking session exclusively for WBA members and panelists to continue the conversation and make connections. If you’re not a WBA member, now is a great time to join and take advantage of the extra networking during this series!
We have pricing options for the whole series as well as individual sessions. Click on the sessions below to register.
Session Cost:
Members $15
Non-Members $25
Student Members $5
5-Part Series Cost:
Members $60
Non-Members $100
Student Members $20
Marquee Series Sponsor
Monday, April 19
Making a Firm Exit – Transitioning to Government, In-house or Non-Profit Employment
Have you decided that law firm life is not for you and you’re ready to practice law in a different setting? Hear from a panel of practitioners who left their law firms and are now working in the government, in-house at a corporation, and in a non-profit organization. They will share how they made their exit from the firm and provide been-there-done-that tips for a job search targeting these types of organizations.
Panelists:
Meg Inomata, Legal Counsel, Waste Management, Inc.
Michelle Spatz, Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
Jennifer Lavalee, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia
Moderator:
Candace Beck, Counsel and Director of Client Relations, Tanenholz & Associates, PLLC
Wednesday, April 21
Change Your Firm, Change Your Life – Making Lateral Moves
Gone are the days when most attorneys spend their entire career at the same law firm. There are many reasons to move to a different law firm, and many factors to consider before doing so. This panel will feature lawyers from firms of various sizes who have made lateral moves between firms and relocated to different geographies. They will talk about the process involved in a lateral move, as well as how to evaluate lateral options available to you.
Panelists:
Ana Jara, Counsel, Lowenstein Sandler LLP
Laura Jeltema, Partner, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP
Sadina Montani, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP
Moderator:
Lauren Drake, Partner, Macrae, Inc.
Monday, April 26:
Defining your Success – Building Your Career Story
Figuring out your career path can be daunting. How do you know where do you want to be in five years, ten years or more? Sometimes it’s not about having a career plan, but rather about building a career story around the decisions and circumstances that have shaped your career path. Hear from a panel of lawyers who have built vibrant, interesting careers and what they have learned about what you can – and cannot – plan for.
Panelists:
Rebecca Bond, Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Julisa Edwards, General Counsel, Trout Unlimited
Consuela Pinto, Partner, Fortney & Scott LLC
Moderator:
Mary Blatch, Regulatory Counsel and Data Privacy Officer, CFA Institute
Tuesday, April 27:
The Road Less Traveled – Non-traditional Career Moves
Have you ever contemplated a role outside of typical legal practice? There are many “legal-adjacent” career paths open to lawyers, and this panel will assemble women who have transitioned from traditional legal practice to careers in policy, business and academia.
Panelists:
Sameena Kluck, Strategic Account Executive, LawGeex
Sherri Keene, Associate Professor of Law, Georgetown Law
Eve Runyon, President and CEO, Pro Bono Institute
Moderator:
Janine Herring, Co-Chair, Career Development and Mentoring Committee
Thursday April 29:
Leveraging Diversity in Your Career – Making the Most of Your Organization’s Diversity Program
Your organization has a diversity and inclusion program, but are you taking advantage of the program’s offerings to improve your career as a woman lawyer? Hear from a panel of diversity and inclusion professionals about the best ways to work with your firm’s program. Panelists will also discuss diversity and inclusion as a career area for lawyers and offer tips for transitioning to become a diversity and inclusion professional.
This session is sponsored by:
Panelists:
Courtney Dredden Carter, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Jenner & Block
Stephanie J. Gilliard, Vice President, Legal Affairs/General Counsel-Virginia, Colonial Downs Group, LLC and Chair of its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee; Co-Chair of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee for Association of Corporate Counsel – National Capital Region
Tonya Odom, Assistant Director, EEO and Former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Toya Gavin, Founder and CEO, Legally Bold
Moderator:
Amy Griggs, Account Director, Epiq
Spring Career Series Sponsorship Opportunities
The WBA Career Series is a package of five panel sessions focused on career development for women lawyers at various stages in their careers.
The series will feature women lawyers sharing how they have made moves in their careers. Whether it’s moving to a new job or building a longer-term career view, the five sessions will feature been-there-done-that tips as well as networking with panelists and session attendees. Register for one or the whole series.
Each one-hour panel discussion will be followed by a 30-minute networking session where WBA members and panelists can continue the conversation and make connections to others.
Marquee Series Sponsor | Investment: $3,000
- Full series event registration for 5 attendees
- Prominent placement for sponsor logo with link on event page
- Logo with link in all event promotion and announcement emails
- Three one-year memberships (any level except Sustaining Member)
- Verbal recognition during each session
- Logo on title slide during intro for each session
- Opportunity for sponsor representative to participate in networking sessions for all series sessions
- Opportunity for sponsor representative to moderate session of choice
- Recognition in follow-up blog article
- Banner ad in News & Events bi-weekly email (six-month run)
Individual Session Sponsor | Investment: $750
- Full series event registration for one attendee
- Session registration for three attendees
- Logo with link on event page
- Logo in event promotion and announcement emails
- Verbal recognition during specific session being sponsored
- Logo on title slide during intro for specific session being sponsored
- Banner ad in News & Events bi-weekly email (one-month run)
- Opportunity for sponsor representative to participate in networking session for specific session being sponsored
- Recognition in follow-up blog article