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Showing posts with label WIL events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WIL events. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Register Now for Annual Women in Law Event

Annual Women in Law Event--Speaker and Speed Networking
 
Jane Mitchell, CEO and Co-founder of The Reset Foundation

 
The Women in Law Committee will hold their annual event on Wednesday, September 28, 2016.  This year's keynote speaker will be Jane Mitchell, Co-founder and CEO of The Reset Foundation.  Ms. Mitchell has been awarded the Westly Prize for young innovators in California, and with her Reset partner, Jen Anderson, has been named on Forbes' list of 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs and as an Open Society Black Male Achievement Fellow.  The Reset Foundation has received numerous awards and grants, including a $500,000 grant from the Google Impact Challenge in 2015.  Ms. Mitchell's remarks, entitled "Unlocking Potential: How a Law Degree Amplifies Your Ability to Bless the World," will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Room 303 of the BYU Law School. We invite all attorneys, current law students, and prelaw students, male and female, to attend the keynote speaker session.  Subsequent to Ms. Mitchell's remarks, prelaw and current law students and female attorneys are invited to participate in a speed networking session.  An RSVP is requested for all who wish to participate in the speed networking.  Attorneys may register here, and students may register here.  Anyone interested in taking a tour of the BYU Law School can meet in front of Room 303 at 5:45 p.m., before the speaker session.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Save the Date! Women in Law Prelaw Event with Speed Networking

The Eighth Annual JRCLS Women in Law Prelaw Event will take place at the BYU Law School on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  Jane Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO of the award winning Reset Foundation, will be the keynote speaker.  This year's event will also include a video presentation and networking event for prelaw students.  The Women in Law Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the event.  If you are a female attorney interested in either submitting clips for the video presentation or attending the speed networking event please contact either Ann Metler (ametler@willamette.edu) or Megan Needham (megan.m.needham@gmail.com).

Friday, April 29, 2016

WIL Regional Conference: Introducing the Speakers Part 3

Lisa Watts Baskin 

Lisa Watts Baskin has practiced law in Utah for nearly 30 years, a J.D. graduate of J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU. For the past 15 years, she has been in solo practice, presently serves as an Administrative Law Judge, Utah Office of Inspector General and under contract with various municipalities to provide ordinance drafting and legal guidance. She possesses advanced skills in administrative and public law, including public policy formulation and analysis, legislative and initiative drafting, election law and related litigation, and Medicaid claims adjudication. 
Lisa Watts Baskin
Lisa has been a law clerk at the Utah Supreme Court, Associate General Counsel for the Utah State Legislature, and Executive Director to the Utah Constitutional Revision Commission. She is a civil litigator in private practice and board member and chair to numerous boards, including Real Women Run (Chair), Utah Foster Care Foundation (Chair, Exec. Board), and North Salt Lake Planning Commission. She served as North Salt Lake City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem and Second Vice-President of Utah League of Cities and Towns. She is licensed to practice law in Utah, District of Columbia, California and the United States Supreme Court.







Sara Dansie Jones

Sara Jones is currently President of IFINIDI, where she consults with C-level teams on building revenue growth and talent strategies. Prior, Sara was the CEO of ApplicantPro, one of Utah’s fastest-growing tech companies, and responsible for growing a management team during a period of intense expansion. She was also head of business development at School Improvement Network, another of Utah’s fastest-growing tech companies, where she gained deep experience on research-based educational research. She is passionate about building highly functioning organizations, having coached management teams as well as dozens of professionals and attorneys and helping them advance through various career opportunities.  
Sara started her career as a patent attorney at Workman Nydegger, Utah’s largest IP law firm, where she became a shareholder. She taught advanced patent law at BYU Law School. She has a J.D., cum laude, from Brigham Young University, and a degree in chemical engineering, with honors, from the University of Utah.
Sara Dansie Jones
Sara is a recognized technology business community leader. She co-founded the non-profit Women Tech Council in 2007, where she has developed deep connections within the Utah tech community and with executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. She is often asked to speak to high-level executives about how women positively impact the economic value of organizations. She helps executives to understand gender bias, overcome potential gender-related pitfalls within their organizations, and create opportunities for their organizations by engaging women as meaningful business partners.










Barbara Melendez

Barbara Melendez
Barbara Melendez is a Shareholder with Richards Brandy Miller Nelson in Salt Lake City.  Her practice focuses primarily on immigration and employer/immigration compliance matters. She represents multi-national corporations, educational institutions, religious organizations, and employers on inter-company transfers, all temporary and permanent work visas, investment visas, including working with counsel around the world to help U.S. companies on cross-border employment issues.
Barbara also represents individuals and their families before the Department of Homeland Security's Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration Customs and Enforcement as well as the Department of Labor, Board of Immigration Appeals, and in Federal Court.  She has lectured and advised companies throughout Asia and Latin America on investor visas and employment-based visas.





Gayla Sorenson

Gayla Moss Sorenson is currently the Dean of Admissions at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark School of Law. Prior to assuming that role in the fall of 2014, her career spanned a variety of law firm and in-house experiences. After graduating from BYU Law in 1985, she spent four years with Lewis & Roca in Phoenix and then twenty years with Motorola--first as a litigator, followed by extensive experience as a commercial attorney supporting global transactions, and ending her time there as a Vice President and senior legal advisor. Most recently, she was the Director of Global Compliance Operations for Biomet, Inc., a global medical device company based in Warsaw, Indiana.
Gayla Sorenson
Gayla has been actively involved in the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, including having served as Chair of the Finance Committee. Her additional volunteer work has included serving as a Senior Fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies. Gayla is a member of the Arizona and Indiana bars. She is married to Ferril Sorenson and very much enjoys the roles of wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt. Her hobbies include reading, travel, and golf.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

WIL Regional Conference: Introducing the Speakers Part 2

The countdown has begun for the JRCLS Women in Law Regional Conference on April 30, 2016 at Utah Valley University.  Register here now!  We will be posting information about each of the speakers in the days leading up to the conference.  See below for information on Karen Clemes, General Counsel for Utah Valley University, and one of the plenary speakers at the event.  Stay tuned for details about the other speakers next week.

Karen Clemes

Karen Clemes joined Utah Valley University April 1, 2015 as its first General Counsel.  She earned her J.D. at California Western School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude, first in her class. She completed both her master’s degree in humanities and bachelor’s degree in comparative literature at BYU. After her law school graduation, she worked as a law clerk for Judge David Thompson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Karen has extensive legal experience, including as Associate General Counsel for Ancestry.com prior to her current appointment. She has also been Of Counsel with Ballard Spahr LLP, a national law firm, and was Director of the HR Legal Division and Chief Standards (Ethics) Officer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For nearly a decade, she was an associate and then partner at the California law firm Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP (now Dentons US), where she litigated employment and business cases and provided state and federal labor and employment law counsel to a variety of clients.

Karen Clemes
In addition to practicing law, Karen is an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School, where she teaches employment law.  Karen is currently the International Chair of the Women in the Law Committee for the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. In 2011 she received the Association of Corporate Counsel Mountain West Chapter’s “Outstanding New Corporate Counsel” Award.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

4th Annual Women in Law Regional Conference



Join us for Women, Leadership, and Law, the 4th Annual Women in Law Regional Conference at Utah Valley University on April 30, 2016.  Register now!  This conference immediately follows BYU Women's Conference that same week.  We have an excellent lineup of speakers and topics that you won't want to miss!
Angelina Tsu, Utah State Bar President
"Lemonade 101: Making the Most of Bias"
Implicit bias is the bias in judgment or behavior that results from subtle cognitive processes, and, like it or not, it is a reality in the workforce.  Ms. Tsu's presentation will discuss the issue of implicit bias: what it is, how it affects both men and women, and most importantly, what we can do about it.  Is it possible for us to outsmart biology and use implicit bias to our advantage?
Karen Clemes, General Counsel of Utah Valley University
"The Joyful Lawyer"
Lawyers are notorious for being unhappy and stressed out.  Benjamin Franklin said, “The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”  This session will provide insights on how to take charge of “catching” your own happiness, including by being mindful of your level of happiness, learning to say no better, discovering what activities make you feel the most joyful, and even changing jobs if needed. 
Lisa Watts Baskin, Founder of Real Women Run
"Power Up, Sisters"
Women serve a unique and invaluable role in their communities, and can use their talents to participate more fully in public life and civic leadership. This session will focus on empowering women to embrace these roles by getting involved, whether that means running for political office, participating in local boards and commissions, or simply engaging more fully in the political system.
Sara Dansie Jones, Co-Founder of the Women Tech Council and President of IFINIDI
"Make Rain While the Sun Shines: Leveraging the Power of Networks in Your Career"
For those who may not currently be practicing law, this presentation will focus on “crafting” a career from a legal foundation and allowing that career to grow and thrive. Ms. Jones has coached dozens of lawyers and executives over the years on growing their business and career transitions.
Barbara Melendez, Immigration Practice Chair at Richards Brandt Miller Nelson
"Women Mentoring Women"
This session will discuss the role of a mentor, the importance of women supporting and empowering one another, and practical ways that seasoned practitioners can prepare themselves to serve as mentors, develop leadership traits, and build long-lasting relationships with those they mentor.
Gayla Sorenson, Dean of Admissions at the J. Reuben Clark Law School
"In Defense of Our First Freedom"
Religious freedom is our first freedom and one that is being attacked on many fronts.  This presentation will provide a high-level look at some of the critical, interesting issues that currently exist in this area of law, and discuss ways to get personally involved in defending this key right.


Date: Saturday, April 30, 2016
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.)
Location: Centre Stage, Sorenson Student Center, Utah Valley University
Cost: $40, which includes 4 credits of CLE, breakfast, and lunch ($20 for students)
(Please contact Emily Adams at eadams@adamslegalllc.com if you just want the CLE credits and no meals, or if you have any questions)
We hope you can join us for this spectacular event.  Register here now!


Monday, December 14, 2015

JRCLS International Women in Law Committee Hosts the Third Annual WIL Regional Conference

The JRCLS International Women in Law Committee hosted its 3rd Annual WIL Regional Conference. This fall, the Conference was held at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law in Orange County, California. In years past, it was held in Phoenix, Arizona (2013) and Washington D.C. (2014). Next year’s Conference is planned to take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 


Participants of this year’s Conference were rewarded for their early morning rise with quality addresses from top-notch speakers.  The opening session was titled The Joyful Lawyer,” by Karen Clemes, General Counsel at Utah Valley University and JRCLS Women in Law Committee Chair. Ms. Clemes urged those in attendance to make joy a focal point of their goals and lives.
 

Karen Clemes, JRCLS Women in Law Committee Chair
Attendees then had a variety of break-out sessions from which to choose. Orange County Superior Court Judge Francisco Firmat (Ret.), a respected negotiator, taught how peace-making skills can improve relationships at home and in the office.  Gayla Sorenson, Senior Fellow for the International Center for Law & Religion Studies and Assistant Dean of Admissions at BYU Law, delineated three ways in which religious freedom has come under attack, and provided instruction as to how attendees could protect it.  Other break-out sessions addressed gender bias; balancing part-time, full-time, and working from home; and exploring careers outside the traditional law firm practice.
 
Conference Co-Chair, Jenny Wilson and Gayla Sorenson, Religious Liberties Speaker
 
The Conference concluded with “It’s all Gift:  Stumbling Along the Path of Grace,” by Honorable Nancy Wieben Stock (Ret.) of the Orange County Superior Court. Judge Stock related her story regarding a near death experience, in which a stranger saved her life. That experience allowed for her life perspective to be centered in the fact that life is a gift and that what we are given is through grace. Through that grace, we must be of good to others.
 
Hon. Nancy Wieben Stock (Ret.)
Those in attendance commented that the conference was “Inspiring!” Many noted that they had “Ah-ha moments!” and that certain presentations “spoke to my soul.” 

By:  Julie Smith

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Less Than Two Weeks Until the WIL Regional Conference!


 

The 3rd Annual JRCLS Women in Law Regional Conference is happening on Saturday, September 19, 2015! Please join us in Orange, California.

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Where:
Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
1 University Drive
Orange, CA 92866

 

Who: All Attorneys, law students, and anyone considering law school, both male and female.


Hear from plenary speakers, Karen M. Clemes (The Joyful Lawyer) and Hon. Nancy Weiben-Stock (It’s All Gift: Stumbling Along the Path of Grace.)

 

Breakout Sessions include:

 

·         Negotiations 201: Peace-Making Skills for the Home and Law Office by Hon. Francisco F. Firmat.

·         Lawyers Unleashed: Careers Outside the Traditional Law Firm Practice with panelists: Gisselle M. Amini (Professor at Trinity Law School and Solo Practitioner), Elizabeth Shill Heiner (Leasing Manager at Core Development Services), and Allison G. Belnap (Assistant Dean of Career Services at BYU Law School.)

 

·         Gender Bias: Does it Still Exist and How to Overcome? Panelists include: Teresa Cépedes Alarcon (Partner at KAEDIAN LLP), Deborah A. Gubernick (Associate at Call & Jensen), and Michele D. Johnson (Partner at Latham & Watkins.)

·         In Defense of Our First Freedom-An Overview of Current Religious Freedom Issues and What We Can Do by Gayla Sorenson (Senior Fellow for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies, Assistant Dean of Admissions at BYU Law School.)

 

·         The Balancing Act: Part-time, Full-time and Working from Home with panelists Sherri Fanger McInnes (Partner at Scott & Whitehead), Richard A. McFarlane (Owner of Law Office of Richard A. McFarlane) and Marin Bradshaw (Associate at Matsen Voorhees Mintz LLP.)

·         The Power and Influence That Comes From a Law Degree with panelists Rick Richmond (Managing Partner at Jenner & Block), Melissa Richmond (Vice President at Running Start), and Catherine Richmond (Associate at Jones Day.)

 

Register for the conference and find out more information here.

 

Monday, August 24, 2015

7th Annual WIL Prelaw Event at BYU

Join the JRCLS Women in Law Committee on Wednesday, September 30th for "Women's Perspectives in the Law: Is Law School Right for Me?" The event will be held at BYU Law School and will feature Justice Christine Durham of the Utah Supreme Court as the keynote speaker.  See the flyer below for more information, and please tell your friends!  (Particularly undergraduate women with an interest in law school!)

Friday, August 14, 2015

Upcoming WIL Event in Salt Lake City


The Women in the Law Section Proudly Presents:

 

Developing the Courage and Skills to Take on Leadership Opportunities





Date: Thursday, September 24, 2015
Time: 6:30–8:00pm
Place: Joseph Smith Memorial Building (15 East South Temple, Salt Lake City)
 
Networking: 6:30pm
Presentation: 7:00pm
 
Dr. Susan Madsen is a Professor of Management in the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University and the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics. In August of 2013, she founded the Utah Women and Leadership Project that she continues to direct today.
 
Developing the courage and skills to be a more effective woman of influence takes continuous learning and growth. Dr. Susan Madsen will share current statistics on how Utah’s compares to the nation in terms of the representation of women in top positions of influence, and she will then provide insights into how we can develop more confidence, courage, and skills to lead. Based on her indepth research with high profile leaders, Susan will integrate her findings, perspectives, and personal experiences in this insightful presentation on how you can take your leadership to the next level. This address will challenge you to reflect upon your own developmental journey and then provide you with ideas about what you can do to develop your own leadership capabilities and prepare to become more influential within your workplaces, communities, and beyond! All (men and women) are invited!
 
CLE credit is being applied for. Light appetizers will be provided. The cost is $30.00.
 
You can pay with cash, credit card, or check at the door or by credit card by contacting Paul Morton at 801-870-9383 or paulmorton.jrcls@gmail.com.
 
Please RSVP by Monday, September 21, to Emily Adams at eadams@adamslegalllc.com.
 
 
 
 

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Registration Now Open for WIL Conference in Orange County, California!



 
Registration is now open for the JRCLS Women in Law Regional Conference in Orange County, California this September!

When: Saturday, September 19, 2015

Time: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Where:
Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
1 University Drive
Orange,
CA 92866

Details: Please look at the attached flyer for details. Also, explore details on the conference, fun things to do and other events occurring the same weekend in Southern California by clicking here.

Who: All Attorneys, law students, and anyone considering law school, both male and female.

What: An opportunity to network with other attorneys and be inspired by excellent speakers.  4.25 CLE credits (pending approval.) Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration cost.

Hotel: A block of rooms are reserved at the Irvine Marriott for $119.00/room/night. (Must book by Aug. 22, 2015.) You can reserve rooms
here. There are also many hotels within a few miles of the conference. Information on hotels can be found on the conference website, here.

Questions: Please contact Desiree Nordstrom at 
desiree@overflowlegalnetwork.com.

Register 
here!

 


 

Monday, June 15, 2015

Orange County WIL Lunch



On June 11, 2015, the Orange County, California Chapter of the JRCLS held its annual Women in Law luncheon. The group met at Olive Garden in Irvine, California and had great food and even better conversation. Those in attendance included full-time and part-time attorneys, stay-at-home moms, business owners, law firm owners and more. Discussions included bar exams, church callings, schedules, children and much more. Although our paths differ greatly, it was great to hear insight and experience from those that came! We got to know each other better and did a bit of networking as well. Women in attendance included, Deborah Dickson, Nicole Jacobsen, Charlynn Lavran, Colleen Tye, Marin Bradshaw, Jennifer Wilson, Desiree Nordstrom, Melinda Hunsaker, Breanne Salmond, and Winnie Ng (pictured from left to right.)

submitted by Desiree Nordstrom

Monday, May 18, 2015

Save the Date! 3rd Annual Women in Law Regional Conference

 
The conference is scheduled for September 19, 2015 at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law in Orange County, California.
Registration and breakfast will begin at 8 am. There will be two plenary sessions and three break-out sessions. Break-out topics include: Alternate Legal Careers; Overcoming Gender Bias; Negotiations; Part-time, Full-time and Working from Home; and The Powerful Influence of a Law Degree. Stay tuned for more detailed announcements on speakers and panelist. This will be a great event to attend! Continuing Legal Education credits will be offered for a minimal fee. Hope to see you there!
For more information, contact Desiree Nordstrom at desiree at overflowlegalnetwork dot com

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Spotlight on the WIL Section of the Salt Lake City Chapter

The WIL Section of the Salt Lake City Chapter has had an excellent year.  Section Chair, Emily Adams, sent us this report.  These are some great ideas of WIL events that can be replicated in other chapters.  Thank you, Emily, for sending us this post!
 

Justice Christine Durham
In September 2014, we had a kick-off luncheon where Justice Christine Durham of the Utah Supreme Court spoke on "Women in the Law: The 21st Century Version." Justice Durham cited multiple statistics about the number of women in the legal profession and spoke about her own impressions of the status of women in the profession. The event was a great start to the revitalization of the WIL section here in Salt Lake.
 
In December 2014, we had a luncheon where Neylan McBaine spoke on "Football, Primary Songs and Elections: Examining Gender Relations in the Church Today." Ms. McBaine had recently published her book Women at Church and spoke thoughtfully about gender relations in the Church and how those relations could be improved. This luncheon drew quite a bit of attention and considerate conversation. 
Neylan McBaine

 
In April 2015, the WIL section hosted another luncheon: "Increasing Women's Influence in Corporate Governance and the Legislature: A Panel Discussion." We had an exemplary panel: Dr. Ann Millner, former president of Weber State University and a Utah State Senator; Ashlee Burt of springBoard Utah; Gretta Spendlove of Durham Jones & Pinegar; and Emilee Wagner, who is a member of the Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities and whose bill was recently passed by the Utah Legislature. The moderator was Lisa Watts Baskin, an administrative law judge and a member of the organizing committee for Real Women Run, an organization that encourages women to be more involved in civic leadership. The panelists spoke about challenges they faced in their respective fields; the benefits of networking and being in leadership in organizations outside of their profession; and the practicalities of running for office, getting a bill through the legislature, or getting on a corporate board. The discussion was wide-ranging and exemplary, drawing from the vast and diverse experiences of the panelists. 
 

April 2015 WIL Panel

The final event for this year will be June 23, 2015, at 6:30pm at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, and the speaker will be Dr. Susan Madsen of the Utah Women & Leadership Project. It has been an exciting year for the Women in the Law section in Salt Lake, and we hope that it continues!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

William & Mary JRCLS WIL Section Hosts Ethics Lecture


On Monday, February 23, 2015, the Women in Law section of the William & Mary JRCLS Chapter hosted a wonderful lunchtime event with Virginia Supreme Court Senior Justice Elizabeth Lacy, who delivered an insightful lecture on maintaining high ethical standards while practicing law. The William & Mary Women’s Law Society co-hosted, and W&M professor Jayne Barnard graciously provided faculty support.

Justice Lacy has had an extraordinary career. Amongst her many accomplishments, in 2009, she participated in the Commission on Ethics 20/20, a committee appointed by the American Bar Association with the purpose of determining what recommendations should be made to update the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct in light of modern technological advances. In addition to being a successful professional, she and her husband have raised four children.

First, five students had the opportunity to enjoy a delicious lunch and talk with Justice Lacy in a smaller group setting. Immediately afterwards, she addressed approximately 40 students for a lecture on her experience in ethics. One key takeaway that she emphasized was the importance of all lawyers learning to be a fair counselor within the rules of ethics – not an overly zealous advocate who fights to the death for every client with the mindset of winning no matter what. A zealous, but ethical and courteous, advocate knows when it is appropriate to strongly advocate, but will also counsel the client on the pros and cons of settling at the mediation level. Judges will remember an attorney who crosses the line between a legal counselor who advocates respectfully for a client and one who argues overzealously and inappropriately.

Justice Lacy’s counsel on ethics is sure to prove invaluable for us students as we pursue our individual career paths in the practice of law.

Article written and submitted by Courtney Hagge, student at William & Mary.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

WIL Presents Award to Nancy Van Slooten at Annual Conference Reception


JRCLS WIL Chair, Karen Clemes, presents award at Reception

Nancy Van Slooten, Award Recipient, Former International Chair of JRCLS
 During JRCLS’s recent annual conference, the International Women in Law Committee (WIL) hosted a reception for all attendees.   WIL was pleased to present its first annual WIL Service Award to Nancy Van Slooten for her many years of service to JRCLS, including previously serving as the first female International Chair of the JRCLS. During the reception, WIL Chair Karen Clemes reminded attendees of WIL’s mission:  “We affirm the strength and contributions that women lawyers bring to their legal practices, communities, and families. We strive to promote fairness and equal opportunities for these women.” A major goal of WIL is to encourage full participation of women lawyers in JRCLS – whether they are practicing full-time or part-time, working in a non-legal role, or not practicing at this time – and to help them feel welcome and safe in such participation.
Conference attendees enjoy reception hosted by WIL
Delicious food served at the reception
All are invited to read about ways to promote WIL in local chapters in our previous post.