"Tell Your Stories!" Says Claudia Bushman at Phoenix WIL Lunch

On November 4, the Phoenix JRCLS Women in the Law group held its Fall Luncheon. In addition to enjoying good food and each others' great company, the group had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Claudia L. Bushman speak on the topic "Telling Our Stories."

Claudia Bushman is a scholar of American and Mormon history and a pioneer in studying and capturing Mormon women's voices. She is the author of a number of books, including her most recent, Contemporary Mormonism: Latter-day Saints in Modern America. She has spent the past few years teaching at Claremont Graduate University with her husband, historian Richard L. Bushman, and they will be teaching a course together on Contemporary Mormonism at Columbia University in the spring.

She was a recipient of the prestigious Leonard J. Arrington Award from the Mormon History Association in 2010, and her latest project is an oral history project called, "Mormon Women in the Twentieth Century." Her daughter, Phoenix lawyer Margaret LaBianca, gave the introductory remarks, and Dr. Bushman's granddaughter (also named Claudia) was also in attendance.

Dr. Bushman talked about the Mormon Women Oral History Project, which records and transcribes the words of contemporary Mormon women for scholarly use. The collection currently has over 100 completed histories with many others in the works. Dr. Bushman shared several heart-felt personal narrative excerpts from the project and encouraged all in attendance to believe that they have stories worth recording, and to take concrete and immediate steps to start (or continue) recording their own personal stories as well as the stories of loved ones.

As Dr. Bushman emphasized, when a person leaves this earth, he or she takes a personal library of information that should not go unrecorded while the opportunity exists. Sharing doable tips and suggestions for capturing our stories on an ongoing and consistent basis, those in attendance left enriched and inspired. As the author Ursula Le Guin put it: "There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories." Here's to telling our stories!

--Jessica Everett-Garcia is a partner in the Phoenix office of Perkins Coie and practices in the area of complex commercial litigation. Jessica is the current chair of the WIL Committee for the JRCLS Phoenix Chapter.

Twitter and JRCLS--Together at Last!

Newly installed international JRCLS chair, Doug Bush, has brought the JRCLS into the Twitter Age. To receive updates on what'a happening in JRCLS chapters around the world, including new events hosted by a chapter, members' achievements, national and international news items affecting JRCLS goals and work, go to www.jrcls.org and click "Follow" on the bottom left-hand side.

Or just click on this "follow" link: https://twitter.com/jrclschair

Father-Daughter "Dynamic Duos" at WIL Event

Jim Wright, Aubrey Wright, David Thomas, Susannah Thomas, Judge Milan Smith,

Tiffany Smith, event organizer WIL vice-chair Nan Barker,

and BYU WIL chair Brooke Edwards

Undergraduates, law students, and attorneys alike benefited from the experience of three father-daughter “Dynamic Duo” attorney teams at a Women-in-Law-sponsored event on September 28. Held in BYU’s Wilkinson Center on the evening prior to the JRCLS leadership conference, the event also attracted a number of JRCLS members and Board members.

Tracing their paths in the law were Aubrey Wright, second-year law student at BYU law school and her father, Jim Wright, Arizona attorney and LDS Church Area Seventy; Susannah Thomas, attorney with the federal government and an adjunct BYU law school professor, and her father, David Thomas, also a BYU law school professor; and Tiffany Smith, corporate attorney in Salt Lake City, and her father, U.S. 9^th Circuit Judge Milan Smith.

Aubrey Wright discussed the demands of attending law school, but also its rewards. Elder Wright reiterated the Church’s long-standing support of women attending law school by quoting Brigham Young: “We believe that women . . . should stand behind the counter, study law or physic, or become good book keepers and be able to do the business in any counting house, and all this to enlarge their sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society at large. In following these things they but answer the design of their creation.”

The Professors Thomas, discussing what law professors expect from their students, gave the following advice: prepare, attend and participate.

Noting that technology allows her to work part-time, Tiffany Smith, mother of three, advised prospective law students to “be joyful in their work” and to “go and intend to do well. Don’t bother if you don’t intend to do well.” Judge Smith praised the “felicitous blend of male and female” in his two-male, two-female law clerk configuration, and stated that there is a "genuine need for the perspective of both genders in the law."

Both formal and informal question and answer sessions, fueled by chocolate and lemon bars, followed the presentations.

Photos: Left--Tiffany Smith answers questions after the presentation. Center--BYU Law School Women in Law leaders for 2011-12. Right--International JRCLS past-chair Nancy Van Slooten, WIL vice-chair Nan Barker, WIL Committee liaison and BYU law school ass't dean Mary Hoagland, WIL chair Elizabeth Smith.

Los Angeles WIL Sponsor Day of Service

Members of the Los Angeles JRCLS chapter gathered on Saturday, June 11, for a day of service at the local Bishop's Storehouse. Sponsored by the Women in the Law Committee, the event was attended by over 20 chapter members, spouses and children.

The purpose of bishops' storehouses is to distribute commodities to the poor and needy as requested by bishops. The storehouses also provide service opportunities for those receiving assistance and for those desiring to serve missions or to volunteer.

Volunteers stocked shelves, broke down boxes and recycled them, weighed fresh product and put it in bags, helping out in the canning process, and other activities.

WIL chair Nancy Allred summed up the day as follows: "It was a really good experience, and I think humbling for many. A lot of lawyers live in a pretty rarefied world and getting up close and personal with some of these problems was a really good reminder."

After helping out for a few hours, the chapters members went to a local favorite restaurant, King Taco. This authentic and delicious Mexican food was discovered by the Los Angeles chapter president, Terry Higham, when he served his mission in Los Angeles. --Excerpted from "Los Angeles Chapter's Day of Service," by Spencer Waldron, in http://www.jrcls.org/news/item.php?num=2205.

Photos and captions by Nancy Allred. Photos: Top left-- Christopher Higham and Kanji Takahashi stock shelves with Sam Petty, USC 1L; middle left--Brad Allred and LA chapter secretary Heather Takahashi stock shelves; bottom left--LaDell Muhlstein weighs and bags produce; right--Brad Allred, Lea Allred (age 2), and Kanji Takahashi break down boxes.

“What I Did Last Summer”

Extern Appreciates Phoenix Mentor

The BYU externship program, similar to an internship program, is designed to provide a real-life "capstone" experience for students following their first year of law study. Externs work for free with mentoring lawyers who provide them with hands-on legal experience.

This last summer I contacted Debbie Hendrickson, a family lawyer in AZ who I met several times at BYU events, to see if she knew any family lawyers in the Phoenix area who would take an extern. I had heard great things about Debbie, and as I sent off the email I secretly hoped she would say, “Natalie, you should come be my extern!” As hoped, Debbie quickly responded saying she would love to have me shadow her in her office as her extern.

I showed up for the externship the first day expecting to learn all I could about family law. While I learned a great deal about the practice of law, I also learned about how to stay balanced as an attorney, show understanding and compassion to clients, and use my legal degree to serve others.

Debbie was a phenomenal example of how to stay balanced in the legal world. She has quite the schedule! She practices law, is on the board of SRP, one of the biggest public utility companies in the US, is a board member of the WIL, a wife and a mother. It was inspiring to see how she balanced all the areas of her life by setting realistic timelines and communicating well with her clients, board members, and her family.

I was impressed when she took the time to explain a complicated legal issue to a client. She would explain legal terms and theories to her clients without talking down to them or sugarcoating the situation. In response, many of her clients were grateful and trusted her with their problems because they felt she cared and would work hard for their benefit.

Her example of service, however, was the one that touched me the most, probably because she served me by teaching me on a daily basis. She spent time showing me how to research different areas of family law so that I could continue learning even when she wasn’t available, and after the externship ended. The legal world can be quite intimidating, and having someone who I felt comfortable going to with questions was invaluable.

The BYU externship is a valuable learning tool and I am grateful for that program. Debbie was not only an amazing mentor, but a great friend. I would definitely recommend the externship experience to other Women in the Law attorneys and law students. There is so much students can learn from experienced WIL attorneys, not only in the areas of legal practice, but also how to balance the demands of careers, studies, families, and faith. – Natalie Thorsen, 2L at BYU law school. Photo: Extern Natalie and mentoring attorney Deborah Hendrickson.

First-Ever Canadian JRCLS Conference

The Canada Calgary, Canada Edmonton and Canada Lethbridge Chapters of the JRCLS are hosting the first-ever JRCLS Canadian Conference. The Conference will be held on October 28-29, 2011 at the historic Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta. The Keynote Speaker is Elder Lance B. Wickman, General Counsel for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Emeritus General Authority.

Other speakers include The Honourable Justice William A. Tilleman (Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta), The Honourable Judge Eric W. Peterson (Assistant Chief Judge, Provincial Court of Alberta), The Honourable Judge Timothy G. Hironaka (Provincial Court of Alberta), The Honourable Judge Gregory S. Maxwell (Provincial Court of Alberta), The Honourable Judge Eric D. Brooks (Provincial Court of Alberta) and Stephen ZoBell, PhD, Registered Psychologist (Group Manager, Pacific Area - LDS Family Services).

Cost is $399/person or $599/couple if you register before September 28, 2011 and $450/person or $650/couple if you register after September 28, 2011. Cost covers all conference fees, a "Fairmont " style guestroom and two fully-catered meals (Friday evening and Saturday morning). Please contact Matt Sommerfeldt (mds@lowlaw.ca) for more information.

We know that there are followers of this blog in Western Canada. If you attend this conference, we would love to hear your report.

Why Women in the Law?

Is WIL Anachronistic? Is WIL "Affirmative Action"? What is WIL?

International JRCLS WIL vice-chair Nan Barker offers her perspective.

Recently I had a discussion with someone who wondered if having Women in Law (WIL) sections within JRCLS chapters was worth the effort. Without hesitation I responded, “YES!”

Why were my feelings so strong? It’s a simple answer, actually. It’s because WIL has changed my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s true. WIL has helped and strengthened me and made me feel good about the decisions I’ve made.

When we decided to start a WIL section in Phoenix we came up with the following goals: provide opportunities as far as support, camaraderie, and opening our eyes to various paths to be taken; be part of a group that shares many things in common; help women opt back into the practice if they so desire; receive strength and support in overcoming obstacles which are unique to women; and build a sense of unity and community.

We also decided at that meeting that we wanted to include "all women trained in the law to whom faith matters" that lived in Arizona. That phrase, "women trained in the law to whom faith matters" is intended to include women of any religious faith that have been to law school. In other words, legally trained women of faith that were (1) practicing law full time, (2) practicing law part time, (3) not practicing law with an intention to re-enter the practice, and (4) those not practicing law and with no intention of ever returning to the practice.

We realized the interests and needs of those various groups of women were diverse. However, we also realized that those various groups had insights and dimensions that would benefit us all.

We wanted to create a place where "all women trained in the law to whom faith matters" can feel accepted, supported, safe, and not judged. As women trained in the law, we so often believe others are judging us for the decisions we’ve made or are making. If we decide not to work we feel like those women working think we’ve wasted our training. If we decide to work we feel like women who have decided not to work are judging us for being away from home. I think women, particularly LDS women, are always feeling like they are being judged for their decisions.

WIL has provided a place for me not to feel that judgment. I have been accepted simply as a woman trained in the law to whom faith matters. My choices have been respected even though they may be different from others. I have felt and continue to feel safe in WIL. That is rare. I am truly grateful for it.

The following quote by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin has been our mantra in the Phoenix WIL section:

“[Some] feel they don’t belong. Perhaps because they are different. . . . They may look, act, think, and speak differently than those around them and that sometimes causes them to assume they don’t fit in. They conclude that they are not needed.

“Tied to this misconception is the erroneous belief that all should look, talk, and be alike. The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.”

WIL recognizes that each of us “has [our] own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.”

Are WIL sections worth the effort? Once again I say YES. I know what WIL has done for me. I hope this organization will do the same for each one of you.

Pregnant and in Law School

I started law school at age 25. I had been married for about 2 years, but having kids was not in the plans for the near future.

At the end of my second year I had some surgery done for endometriosis. In my post-op appointment my doctor recommended that I stay off birth control for a little while, but he also assured me that pregnancy was unlikely given the endometriosis.

A week after finals, I found out I was pregnant. I had just started my summer classes.

Luckily, I never got sick, really. Just very tired, but I allowed myself to sleep when my body needed to.

Now, I’m five months along and starting my last year of law school. I’ve decided to take it easy and not to push it with a lot of credits. I will be in law school when I deliver. But I’ve talked with those who will be my professors at that time and planned ahead. And really, that is my advice to anyone who is pregnant in law school.

Here are more tidbits of advice:

· Let your study group know early on, or students you are working with on a project. That way they can prepare for any fatigue or hormonal effects.

· Let your professors know, if they need to know. Some professors feel like telling them you’re pregnant is a cop-out. Others will understand and work with you. You need to gauge who needs to know.

· Let the administration know. I often ask my dean’s secretary for help, advice, or a bottle of water. Letting her know really helped when I was stuck at the law school for long periods of studying.

· Bring snacks with you and stay hydrated.

· Ask your doctor for a handicap parking permit. Since you can’t lie on the couch all day, take the easy route to class. Parking at my school means that you walk about a football field’s length into the building for classes. I asked my doctor if I could have a handicap pass for going to class and he wrote me a prescription, which I turned in to get a temporary handicap pass. It has made a huge difference in avoiding the heat and making sure I reserve my energy for what is more important.

· Stop carrying a backpack. No really. The extra strain on your body is killer. As nerdy as they seem, take a wheelie cart to class.

· Be thankful. If someone is kind to you, make sure you acknowledge their kindness.

----Charmaine Wilde is a 3L at Baylor Law School in Texas. She received her B.A. from Southern Utah University, where she studied Political Science and Dance. Besides studying law, Charmaine runs a non-profit ballet program and is a yoga instructor. She has been married to Russell Wilde, an Austin-area news reporter, for the past five years, and they are expecting their first child in January 2012. She is a vice-president for the JRCLS student chapters board and previously served as the Texas regional representative for JRCLS.

WIL Hosts "Dynamic Duos: Fathers and Daughters in the Law" Sept 28, BYU

Attorneys, law students, undergraduates, or others contemplating law school are invited to the annual pre-law event of the JRCLS Women in Law Committee on September 28, 2011, at Brigham Young University. Featured this year are three father-daughter “dynamic duos” who will trace their paths in law--Ninth U.S. Circuit Federal Judge Milan Smith and daughter Tiffany, a corporate lawyer; BYU Law School professors David Thomas and daughter Susannah; and Jim Wright, Arizona attorney and LDS Church Area Seventy and daughter Aubrey, second-year law student at BYU Law School. Come hear stories of law school, law practice, gender roles, family life, and other timely topics from the voices of experience. Opportunities to talk with current law students and various BYU Law School admission officers and faculty will also be provided. The event will be begin at 7:00 pm, room 3280, Wilkinson Center, BYU.

WIL Leaders Invited to Sept 30 Leadership Conference

All Women in the Law leaders (one from each chapter) are invited to attend the annual JRCLS Leadership Conference, to be held Sept. 30 at the BYU alumni camp at Aspen Grove, just above the Sundance Ski Resort in Provo Canyon, Utah. The conference is a great opportunity to meet other JRCLS leaders from around the world, learn about Law Society activities and accomplishments, and train and be trained by other leaders. Friday's activities start with an 8:00 am breakfast (6 am if you're a hiker) and end at 4:00 pm. For more information, contact Elizabeth Smith at jrclswomen@gmail.com.

Pearls of Wisdom from Trailblazing Lawyers

A recently completed survey has compiled a list of the first one hundred women to be members of the Utah Bar. The list, with brief bios of most, is an interesting insight into the history of the state and the state of women lawyers. The list includes the current Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, Christine Meaders Durham.

The attorneys on the list were invited to give advice to newly minted women lawyers. Below is a sampling of their wisdom:

“I think it’s a great career for women – better than in the 60s and 70s: but I’d counsel both women and men strongly to make sure there’s a fit with the practice. It’s changed so much and it’s a much harder, more hostile place for those interested in a balanced life with children and community service (men and women).” --Kristine Strachan, admitted to Utah Bar in 1973

“I am enthusiastic about legal training for women. The major problem occurs for those who choose to take time off from practice. They fall behind in experience and then when they resume practice may run into hard-to-prove age barriers.” --Barbara P. Heaney, Admitted to Utah Bar in 1954

“Get yourself an experienced mentor. Your legal education is not totally complete just because you graduated from law school and were admitted to the Bar. Your mentor can be a man, or a woman, or a series of older lawyers who can teach you.”-- Elaine D. Larson, Admitted to Utah Bar in 1963

“Over prepare.”--Constance K. Lundberg Erickson, Admitted to Utah Bar in 1972

“Never assume malice. Recognize that fatuousness and inexperience explain a lot of behavior.”--Carolyn Nichols, Admitted to Utah Bar in 1976

"Work hard, strive for excellence and invest in yourself. Make friends all along the way and build networks. Give back by service to your community and pay kindness back by paying it forward.

"You don’t have to be all things at the same time, for there really are seasons to life. The challenge is figuring what is most important for you to be doing in the season of life you are in, prioritizing and then balancing all of the desires of your heart with the demands on your heart and time. AND, 5 things you didn’t learn in law school: keep your license current; dress to inspire confidence; learn how to pick up/divide the check graciously; don’t take yourself too seriously, learn how to tell a story or joke; treat others with respect and kindness; and high ground is always safer and better in the long term.”--Judy Lever, Admitted to Utah Bar in 1975

For inspiring stories and more sage advice, the link to the publication is:

http://utahwomenlawyers.org/wp-content/uploads/First_100.pdf

WIL Panel at Africa West JRCLS Conference

The Africa West Chapter of the JRCLS will hold its second annual conference on July 29-31, 2011, in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. The program includes a panel presentation by LDS women attorneys. We note with interest that issues facing women in West Africa are not dissimilar to those facing women in the USA. The panel is entitled “Law is a valid career for an LDS woman, married or not, but how do you balance all the competing demands on your time and soul?” Panelists include Ms Amede Oputa, Managing Partner of De Splendor Solicitors, Lagos; Mrs. Joy Nwawe, Principal Partner, Nwawe J. N. & Co., Lagos; Miss Weyinmi R. Winifred Pratt, Associate, Principles Law Partnership, Port Harcourt.

We invite the panelists or any in the audience to send us a report following the conference, and wish our colleagues the best in their endeavors.

The Africa West Conference will also include a judges' panel entitled, "Personal insights into life as a Judge: the Sacrifices, the Opportunities, and the Privileges”; presentations by LDS Church areal legal counsel for the Africa West area; and a Skyped address by Nancy Van Slooten, JRCLS president on "The State of the JRCLS."

Attorney Death Prompts Awareness Reminder

The need to be aware of your surroundings has become particularly pressing this week as our community woke up to the newspaper article of a female attorney who was shot and killed between her garage and the back of her house upon arriving home from her 40th birthday celebration. It does not appear that there is probably anything she could have done to protect herself but again reminded me of self-defense training and many internet sources and police departments that agree that awareness makes up 90% of self-defense and 10% is actual techniques.

As with topics in the gospel – repetition is how we learn. I think we all know that we are to be mentally aware of our surroundings, but we get busy with who are with or often the thoughts in our own head.

We can remind ourselves, spouses and kids to pay attention by simple reminders. I am often reminded that I am in “code white” by my kids. It means that mom is not paying attention and has no idea of her surroundings. The color code of awareness has been a helpful strategy – even a “game” in our home.

It is said that we should try to stay in “code yellow” most of the time. This is just normal routine living – you are not paranoid but paying attention so you have the ability to notice something odd – such as the trashcans have moved or there is a person in the crowd that is acting odd. “Code yellow” does many helpful things for us. It helps us take in the absolutely breathe taking beauty in this world that the Savior has created for us. It also keeps us alert and paying attention, so we avoid the, “mom, mom, mom, mom, are you listening” issue when the kids catch us not paying attention and it helps us be in a position to notice when others need help – it is our charge to be good Samaritans and be Heavenly Father’s “relief” society.

The next level is “code orange.” This is where you know something is not right and you are now paying very close attention to every detail that you can take in and are trying to plan escape routes and what you can do to protect yourself and those around you. This may be a surprise person in the parking garage with you as you spend a late night at the office. There may be nothing wrong and the gentleman in the garage with you was also working late and is trying to hurry to get home to his family. This is often called the ready position and helps you prepare for “code red” or allow you to gracefully move back to “code yellow” and say a prayer of gratitude that all is well and also that you didn’t act in a way that you would regret.

“Code red” is when you are in danger. You need to carry out what you decided to do when you were in “code orange.” You are in conflict and you must decide fight or flight. Any opportunity you are given, even if it is split seconds to get to go from yellow, to orange, to red protects your opportunity to be successful and may also give us just the amount of time to request heavenly help.

This simple technique is easy to use and easy to practice. Take the time to ask yourself, “What code was I in?” As I always tell my kids, “Go out there and do great things.” But I think behind that statement is a charge to be aware of what is happening around you so you can do great things.

Have an awesome week. --Angel Zimmerman, WIL Committee member, seminary teacher, mother, president-elect of the Kansas Women Attorneys Association

Angel Zimmerman Joins WIL Committee

The International JRCLS Women in the Law Committee is pleased to welcome Angel Zimmerman, Kansas City Missouri chapter, to its ranks. Angel has been active in JRCLS activities for a number of years, serving as chapter WIL chair. She is managing partner in the firm of Valentine, Zimmerman & Zimmerman in Topeka, Kansas and has just begun a term as president of the Women Attorneys Association of Topeka. She has also just been installed as president-elect for the Kansas Women Attorneys Association.

In her spare time, Angel teaches early morning seminary. This fall will mark her 13th year. She hosts 18 students in her home every morning during the school year.

We are honored to work with Angel and to introduce her to Blog readers and JRCLS attorneys.

The Internet, Pornography, and Women in the Law

Phoenix JRCLS Women in the Law Spring Luncheon

The Phoenix JRCLS Women in the Law section recently held its Spring Luncheon which was well attended and well received. A delicious lunch was served at the offices of Perkins Coie Brown & Bain. Besides enthusiastic networking and visiting, the attendees listened to a sobering but very relevant presentation by guest speaker and BYU Law School Professor Cheryl Preston.

Professor Preston has researched and published extensively on a number of topics of interest, including making the internet safer for children and negative images and stereotypes of women portrayed through the media. Her topic at the WIL Luncheon was “Internet Pornified: Where is the Law in This Mess?” As women, we can play a significant role in our homes and communities by addressing some of the negative concerns and consequences associated with the internet and pornography.

Professor Preston’s presentation was definitely a “wake up call” to many and a “call to action” as well.

For additional information on Professor Preston's research and publications, see The Misunderstood First Amendment and Our Lives Online, 49 No.1 BYU Studies 50-83 (2010); available at http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=8517.

Photos: Top: Professor Preston speaks with Jill Rencher, member of Phoenix WIL committee. Bottom: Luncheon attendees

--Deborah Hendrickson practices Family Law in Phoenix, AZ, and is a member of the WIL Committee of the international JRCLS, where she serves as Mountain area liaison.

LDS Woman Presiding Judge Talks to Orange County JRCLS

Sponsored by the Orange County WIL section, Judge Sherrill Ellsworth, Riverside County Superior Court Presiding Judge, addressed the OC JRCLS chapter at a lunch in April. Approximately 80 people attended the event, held for all members of the chapter. Judge Ellsworth, as far we have have been able to discern, is the sole LDS woman presiding judge in California and one of only a very few LDS woman currently serving as a judge in California. (See Comment, below.)

Judge Ellsworth shared her journey as a lawyer and a judge, noting that she had three children when she went to law school and felt some disapproval from members in her ward. That has ameliorated as she continued to progress in her profession, raise her family, and serve in the church, serving both as a Relief Society and Young Women president in her ward.

As Relief Society president and prosecutor, she said she sometimes made "home visits" in the morning and jail visits in the afternoon. Both situations entailed treating others with empathy, respect, and dignity.

Judge Ellsworth's advice: "We need a legion of LDS women, whether stay-at-home moms or working, who are strong and capable of leading and standing up for our principles and who have opinions." Have opinions about politics, drugs, drunk drivers, etc., and act on those opinions, says Judge Ellsworth.

Judge Ellsworth's presentation was bracing, humorous, and honest.

In the photos: Top: Debbie Gubernick, a member of the Executive Committee of the Orange County JRCLS, and Judge Sherrill Ellsworth, Riverside CA Superior Court Presiding Judge. Bottom: OC JRCLS lunch attendees.

Family Fun with Law

Does your family have any idea what you do in your legal practice? If not, invite them in. It's always fun for them to visit your office or watch you in the courtroom. However, what I'm talking about here is getting them involved in a more personal way. Let me share a couple of things we have tried in our family.

At one point our son, about 8 years old, told us he had not eaten several candy bars that were now missing. He said this with chocolate smeared on his face and the candy wrappers on the floor of his bedroom. We mentioned those facts to him, but he still insisted he had not eaten the candy bars. My husband, who is a judge, asked him if he would like to have a trial. Our son responded with a loud yes.

We allowed him to pick his own defense attorney (a sister). We used other family members as a prosecutor, judge, and jurors. After a lengthy trial of about 10 minutes, he was found guilty. We had a leftover piece of pool fencing that we used to put him "behind bars" for his crime. He was sentenced to 5 minutes.

This mock trial was funny, and it gave our children a feel for what is involved in a trial: fact finding, arguing before a judge, etc.

Other times we have helped our children enter into contracts. For example, our oldest daughter decided she wanted to charge our youngest daughter a fee every time she slept in her bedroom. For some strange reason our youngest daughter agreed to this arrangement (probably because she was afraid of the dark). In order to make sure everyone was clear on the commitments of both parties, we helped them draw up a contract which they both signed. Then later when they disagreed about the arrangement, all we had to do was bring out the signed contract.

Once again, this little experience with contracts helped them understand what their parents did and helped prepare them for future contract negotiations.

Have you had any enlightening family legal experiences you'd like to share? I am sure many of us would love to read them, smile over them, and maybe try them in our own families. Please share!

--Nan Barker, vice-chair of the international JRCLS Women in the Law Committee, has served as chair of the Phoenix WIL section. She is the recipient of the Phoenix chapter's Jesse Udall Award for 2010 for outstanding community service.

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Networking: A Professional Survival Skill

I recently held a new event for prelaw students at my school. However, it occurred to me that I was teaching my students a skill that many practicing lawyers have not mastered. The event was "100 x JD: Connected Lawyers Are Happy Lawyers!" The goal: for every prelaw student to know 100 lawyers by the time she graduates from law school. Wow! A big goal, right?

To help the students not feel overwhelmed by this large number, I invited 25 lawyers to come. A panel of three attorneys (one in practice a long time, one a short time, and one working in career services after practicing) spoke about the role of networking in their careers, how they meet and greet other lawyers, and the role others have played in obtaining their current positions. Then each of the other lawyers in the room was invited to share what networking had done for his/her career. Almost all reported being mentored by someone in law and getting jobs because someone they knew was interested in helping them progress professionally. Afterwards, the students had an hour to speak to each of the 25 attorneys in a law-fair-like setting, ask questions, collect business cards, and make appointments to meet at a later date. I intend to hold this event annually, so that at the end of four years, a person could have met 100 different attorneys just by coming to this event.

"100 x JD" is not a job-seeking program. It is designed to create a personal and professional safety net for the professional. It is designed to decrease the depression, divorce, suicide, and even malpractice that may occur in law when attorneys are isolated and unable to call upon friends and colleagues to help solve problems. Happy lawyers--lawyers who are mentored and able to thrive in their chosen legal setting--would be a great boon to our profession.

How to start? I asked my students to contact one attorney, invite that attorney to breakfast, lunch, or a meeting at the attorney's office, and ask several questions that would deepen a student's understanding of our profession. Then the students needs to ask, "Do you know two other attorneys who, based on today's conversation, would be good for me to meet?" Everyone knows two other attorneys to whom to refer students. Then I instructed the students to repeat the steps above, asking each of the two attorneys for the names of two other attorneys, while reporting back to the first attorney how enjoyable it was or what they learned from the second set of attorneys. If a person does this consistently, depending on where she is in her preparation for law school, she should be able to know many attorneys before graduation!

If you have networked or had a mentor who introduced you to her colleagues, and that experience enriched your professional life, would you comment here and tell us how that happened and how it has affected your career? Happy networking!

--Eileen Doyle Crane, Utah Valley University prelaw advisor, is liaison to the WIL Committee from the JRCLS Student Chapters Board

It's Here! Don't Miss This Video

Forget YouTube. The cool spot to view the latest hot video is the Law Society's website.

"Spectacular." "Important." "Ground-breaking." "Should be seen by all LDS attorneys." These are a few of the comments heard in the hall after the Women in the Law panel at the annual Dallas conference in February, now posted online.

The panel, entitled "Women and Men Working Together in the Law," featured three women and two men attorneys, experienced and less-experienced, from New York City, Boston, Denver, Dallas, and Salt Lake City. Among the issues addressed forthrightly, sometimes humorously, were:

Why is this an issue for LDS lawyers?

Can a male attorney mentor or network with a female attorney?

How can a female attorney help a male attorney with client development (and vice versa)?

Can a male and a female attorney effectively co-manage a case together?

What are the concerns and sensitivities of the non-lawyer spouse?

To view the video of the panel, go to http://www.jrcls.org/wil and then on the right side of the page click on the link "View the proceedings of the conference here. Men and Women Working Together in Law."

Thanks to the Dallas conference committee and the JRCLS executive committee for making this video possible.

Let us know what you think.

To Golf or Not To Golf

One time, on yet another Delta flight, I opened up Sky Magazine to an article about women leaders in business suggesting that if women want to progress professionally it is important to learn to golf. After I suppressed a laugh, I thought of the mounds of laundry, hours of homework, and dozens of meals women deal with daily and wondered out loud, "When?" let alone, "How?"

So the opportunity to write about the subject of golf gave me the chance to email many of our friends and colleagues in the law about their golfing experiences and the role golf plays in their professional lives. I wrote to women and men, practicing lawyers and non-practitioners, members and non-members of the JRCLS, and several golf addicts I know, as well. Almost to a person, minus my golf-addicted college president friend, whose golfing has decreased in proportion to his increased responsibilities, and Charles Roberts, no one plays golf.

It was amazing! People explained that there were times that they had golfed but that golf does not play a large part in their networking strategy, rainmaking strategy (except for two firms), or social life. Writers of Sky Magazine haven't met us!

I asked the group four questions:

1) How often do you play golf with clients/colleagues/alums/potential clients?
2) Do you ever invite other attorneys in your office to join you on the golf course in anticipation of making business deals?
3) Do you ever invite women attorneys to join you on the golf course as a client development strategy?
4) Does golf figure centrally in your recruiting/marketing/deal-making strategy for your firm/office/place of business?

Bottom line of all the responses: You can be a successful woman lawyer (if this non-scientific survey has any validity) without playing golf. Phew! Do you feel relieved?

BUT if you WANT to play golf, do it! Exercise, networking, and rainmaking may work for you.

Let us know how golf, or any sport for that matter, helps you in your practice, networking, or life, whether or not you are practicing law. And for heaven's sake, don't worry about being a successful woman lawyer!

If golf isn't your thing, but you have developed some activity to network, develop professionally, do rainmaking, please share it with us, so we can talk about what methods women lawyers are using to accomplish these important professional relationships.

--Eileen Doyle Crane, UVU pre-law advisor, is liaison to the WIL from the Student Chapters Board, international JRCLS

Dear Reader

THANKS!

WHO YOU ARE
It's been four months since this blog was midwifed into being by Heather Takahashi (Los Angeles), attended by hopeful WIL Committee members. Since then, we've been happily astonished to discover that the blog has been sampled by readers in Moscow, London, Sydney, West Africa, South Africa, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Japan, Peru, France, Tasmania, and all across the United States. We feel kinship with you. We share some interests, some worries, some hopes.

Just knowing you are out there feeds our store of energy to carry on.

The blog has had about 2,000 visits, and almost 5,000 page views.

Thank you for reading.

INVITATION
We would like to know a little more about you, but resonate to the low-pressure pull of anonymity, too. If you have something to say, please feel free to send us an email at jrclswomen@gmail.com or leave a comment on one of the blog articles.

HOW TO LEAVE A COMMENT
We've discovered that the Comment process can be confusing. Here's how to do it: (1) At the end of the article, click on the blue Comments link. A box will come up. Write your comment in the box. (2) Below the box is a drop-down menu labeled "Comment as." From that drop-down menu, select either "Name/URL" or "Anonymous." (3) If you select "Name/URL" another box pops up. Enter your name--first name, last name, made-up name, etc. Ignore the URL box. (4) Next, click the "Preview" button. If the comment is ok, then type in the coded word underneath and click on "Post Comment." Your comment will then go to the jrclswomen mailbox and, if you didn't swear at us, will be posted, usually within 24 hours.

Balanced Hours Policy: A Solution to the Part-Time Dilemma

What is a Balanced Hour Policy ("BHP")? "Prominent, successful law firms have discovered that the new operating paradigm of balanced hours creates satisfied clients, attracts new business, and draws the best recruits like a magnet." (fn.1) A BHP allows law firm attorneys to choose a reduced work schedule without the traditional stigma of being a "part-time" lawyer. Law firms that adopt BHPs create an environment in which any attorney at the firm may elect to reduce his or her workload and receive proportionately reduced pay, benefits, and shareholder track tenure.

For example, an attorney who makes $100,000 per year at a firm with a six-year shareholder track may elect to work a 75% schedule from the outset, thus receiving $75,000, 3/4 of paid benefits, and a 3/4 shareholder status at six years or full shareholder status at eight years.

Law firms create BHPs using two fundamental principles: proportionality and flexibility. (fn.2) BHPs "differ from traditional part-time programs in a number of ways." (fn.3) First, a firm's business needs drive the BHP; an individual attorney's needs do not. (fn.4) Those business needs are: (1) increasing attorney retention, (2) reducing costs associated with attrition, and (3) improving client satisfaction and retention. (fn.5) Second, BHPs disavow the concept that an attorney's worth is based on the hours s/he spends at the office. (fn.6) Third, BHPs do not carry the stigma or schedule creep attached to traditional part-time policies. (fn.7) Lawyers receive proportionate pay, benefits, and shareholder track tenure. (fn.8) Law firms using BHPs support them for business reasons, making BHP schedules available to all attorneys so there is no stigmatizing or marginalizing of a few. (fn.9)

Law firms with BHPs also use a Balanced Hours Coordinator to ensure the balanced hours attorneys continue to receive their fair share of meaningful assignments, client interaction, and legal training without increasing their hours, except during a true emergency, after which the firm grants compensation time. (fn.10) Finally, BHP-using law firms create a firm-wide atmosphere of support for their balanced-hour attorneys and hold each section leader accountable for his or her BHP implementation results via section leader bonuses. (fn.11)

____________
1. Joan C. Williams & Cynthia Thomas Calvert, Solving the Part-Time Puzzle: The Law Firm's Guide to Balanced Hours, 11 (NALP 2004); see also id. at 15 (listing prominent law firms as of 2004 who had implemented "non-stigmatized reduced-hours programs" - Alston Bird LLP, Arnold & Porter LLP, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Debevoise & Plimpton, Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP, Goodwin Procter LLP, Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe LLP, Morrison & Foerster LLP, Pillsbury Winthrop LLP, Piper Rudnick LLP, Shearman & Sterling, and Vinson & Elkins LLP).
2. Williams & Calvert, supra note 1, at 71-72.
3. Id. at 37.
4. Id.
5. Sheila Wellington, Women in Law: Making the Case, 88 Women Law. J. 2, 13 (2003).
6. William & Calvert, supra note 1, at 37.
7. Id. at 38.
8. Id.
9. Id.
10. Id.
11. Id. at 112-13.

--Tiffany Smith participates in the Balanced Hours Policy at Kirton & McConkie in Salt Lake City, UT. She balances work with her responsibilities as a wife, a mother of three, and a member of the international JRCLS WIL Committee.

Lively WIL Panel at Dallas Conference

Can a female partner mentor a male associate? How can a male partner build a client's trust in a female associate? How do a man and a woman handling a case together manage the logistics of travel, late-night work, meals? What are the concerns of a spouse of an attorney?

These and other issues sparked a lively, sometimes intense, interchange among panelists at the Women-in-the-Law-sponsored session at the Dallas JRCLS conference, Feb 17-19, 2011. Although the session was well-attended, many urged that such sessions be plenary in the future, as the issues raised are confronted by virtually all practicing attorneys.

Panelists were Rebekah Clark, who spent four years as an associate at Foley Hoag in Boston; Alyssa Englund, Of Counsel with the Orrick firm in NYC; Mike Jensen, international law and employment lawyer with Kirton & McConkie, SLC; Carol Wright, estate and wealth transfer lawyer with Holland & Hart's Denver office; and Gordon Wright, litigator with the Dallas firm of Cooper & Scully. Moderator was Elizabeth Smith, JRCLS WIL chair.

The Economy of God: A non-practicing attorney on the value of her law degree

Hi. My name is Nan Barker. I graduated from law school 26 years ago. After graduating and passing the bar, I worked full time for a year and then part-time for 1 1/2 years. After that, I left the practice of law and never returned. I stayed home and raised our 5 children.

Many people, including family, have asked me if I felt as though I had wasted my education. I didn't feel like that, but after years and years of being asked that question, I started to doubt my original answer. Had I wasted my education? I wasn't practicing law, so I guess the answer had to be yes. Wrong.

Last Fall I was asked to address a group of law students at Arizona State University on the subject, "How Have You Used Your Legal Education While Not Practicing?" Tough assignment, right?

That tough assignment took me on an interesting journey. A phrase, I believe coined by Joseph Smith (at least used by Joseph Smith with regard to receiving relvelation), had a huge impact on me. The phrase was "the economy of God." As I pondered that phrase, it became remarkably clear to me that God does not waste anything that has been learned; whether it was knowledge obtained while taking forced piano lessons at the age of 8, calculus classes in hgh school, or skills obtained during 3 years of law school.

As I thought about the skills I had learned in law school, and discussed these things with the ASU law students, we came up with a list of skills that were law-school-learned and life- applicable. Here is a partial list: thinking logically, reading critically, writing coherently, organizing for survival, studying with purpose, recognizing there are two sides to every story, providing an advantage when entering into personal contracts, persuading effectively, acquiring the ability to think on your feet, to respond to questions, and to spot issues.

I have used all of those skills over the past years in dealing with family, friends, neighbors, and Church assignments. Turns out I didn't waste a thing. The economy of God . . . it's wonderful!

--Nan Barker, vice-chair of the international JRCLS Women in the Law Committee, has served as chair of the Phoenix WIL section and as secretary of the international JRCLS Executive Committee. She was recently awarded the Phoenix chapter's Jesse Udall Award for 2010 for outstanding community service.

"Jill of All Trades" or Specialist?

Being "Jill of all trades" in law is risky. The practice of law now is more competitive and demanding than ever before. The attempt to be competent and efficient in too many different areas can be a huge burden on a female attorney trying to juggle all of life's balls.

So how can one focus her law practice and avoid this dilemma? If you intend to work in a medium to large firm, obviously, make your preferences or interests known and work toward being assigned to that department. Choose a firm with a good reputation in your area of interest. If you are going solo or working in a small firm, you will have more control over your caseload and selection of cases. Either way, here are some suggestions:

1. Choose an area where your interest or experience will give you a bit of a head start. For example, I began my legal career in Family Law after having gone through a divorce. I am not suggesting that getting a divorce qualifies you as a Family Law specialist. However, it did give me insight into the process and issues in Family Law. I found that area intriguing and never boring. I have now practiced Family Law for sixteen years; it is still intriguing and not boring. Likewise, you may have had experience with a family probate, or have a background in tax, accounting, or business that will give you a platform from which to grow your legal skills.

2. Remember that focusing your practice takes time--as in years. Particularly if financial demands on you or your family require a steady income, you may not be able to choose only cases in your chosen field. Hopefully, however, the ratio of cases in your preferred field to cases in other areas will gradually increase.

3. To accelerate the process, advertise. In addition, join the section of your local bar association for your focus area, attend those section meetings and functions, as well as seminars, and network with other attorneys in your field. Your knowledge and comfort in the field will grow more rapidly.

4. Most state bar associations offer a specialization in particular fields of law. After you have been practicing in a particular area long enough to meet your jurisdiction's requirements, the "Specialist" designation on your letterhead, business card, and advertising will boost your appeal to potential clients.

I have found that focusing in one particular area is more fulfilling, interesting, and efficient than trying to be proficient in all areas of the law. It is worth the additional time and effort required. Limiting your practice to your preferred area(s) also promotes satisfying and respectful relationships with clients and peers. Good luck! --Deborah Hendrickson practices Family Law in Phoenix, AZ, and is a member of the WIL Committee of the international JRCLS, where she serves as Mountain area liaison.

Anybody Out There? Student-Attorney Links Needed

Warning: This post is written to female law students, but if you're a female attorney, don't stop reading. We need your advice, your help, and your comments.

Like the rest of law, networking among female attorneys and students takes initiative. Taking the first step to connect with a female attorney can be a bit daunting, but the effort is worth it. When I have taken the initiative to approach them, I have found female attorneys in the JRCLS willing and helpful. Three things have helped me build these relationships.

First, attend JRCLS events and conferences. I have attended two JRCLS conferences, and both gave me many opportunities to meet attorneys. Each conference had specific programs geared to female attorneys and to students, which helped me fit in and start a dialogue. Even outside the programs for females, I had many opportunities to talk to and meet female attorneys from all over.

Second, take the iniative to find a female attorney guide. (In my case, I was related to one.) My step-mother, Gayla Moss Sorenson, helped guide me through the JRCLS network and seems to know everyone at JRCLS events. She always takes the time to introduce me and that helped me overcome the initial awkward stage at my first event when I didn't know a single person. She's a great example of someone who introduces herself to many people she does not know, student and attorney alike. This blog is a good place to find willing attorney mentors in various geographical areas. Use it!

Third, get involved and serve in the JRCLS. Local chapters and some international JRCLS committees are always looking for people to help. In the process, you will meet great attorneys who want to help you. One example is the upcoming JRCLS International Week of Service. Find out what your school's plans are and get involved. See if there are ways to link your event with a local attorney chapter's activities. Find out the name of your local attorney chapter's Women in the Law representative. If they don't have one, ask for one!

That's my take on this. Attorneys and students, what has worked for you?

-Lori Sorenson, 3-L at Northwestern University Law School in Chicago, serves on the WIL Committee as law-student liaison.