COMMITTEES
Serving on a NAWL Committee is a fantastic way to get engaged and involved with NAWL, expand your network, and develop leadership skills. If you are interested in joining a committee, please email nawl@nawl.org.
Advocacy | Amicus | Diversity & Inclusion | Marketing & Communications
Membership Growth & Engagement | Planning & Development | Regional Expansion Task Force
Supreme Court | Survey | Women Lawyers Journal Editorial Board | Host Committee
Advocacy Committee
The Advocacy Committee reviews public policy matters of interest to NAWL members and recommends appropriate action for the Board's consideration. The Committee may recommend, for example, a Board resolution, an official statement, targeted programming, and/or increased marketing efforts to advance NAWL's interests in a public policy area. Examples of recent advocacy initiatives include NAWL's support of certification and publication of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution through a Board resolution, webinar programming, and amicus support.
CHAIR
Allison Stevenson
Hill Ward Henderson
Tampa, FL
BOARD LIAISON
Carol Anderson
Microsoft
Redmond, WA
Amicus Committee
The Amicus Committee reviews cases and amicus briefs, as well as drafting their own briefs, that are of interest to NAWL members and advance NAWL's mission. This committee has provided amicus support on issues such as Title IX, employment discrimination and equal opportunity, women’s health, and domestic violence issues.
CHAIR
Joanne Simboli Hodge
UIC Law School
Chicago, IL
BOARD LIAISON
Lindsay Carlson
Latham & Watkins
Los Angeles, CA
Diversity & Inclusion Committee
The Diversity & Inclusion Committee examines and enhances NAWL’s diversity practices and procedures, seeking to increase outreach, recruitment, retention, and substantive programming to attract and retain members of diverse communities nationwide, including women of color, disabled lawyers, and LGBTQ+ lawyers. The Committee also works to establish strong collaborations with other diversity organizations, research diversity best practices, and assist in the creation and execution of programming that supports the Committee’s mission. As such, the D&I Committee interacts with the Program, Membership, and other NAWL committees to provide guidance on diversity issues.
CO-CHAIR
Helen Mosothoane
McGlinchey Stafford
Dallas, TX
CO-CHAIR
Lizbeth Ochoa
Fisher Phillips
Irvine, CA
BOARD LIAISON
Connie Montoya
Hinshaw & Culbertson
New York, NY
Marketing & Communications Committee
The Marketing & Communications Committee creates and develops all marketing for NAWL, including social media posts, marketing initiatives, developing NAWL style and brand guides, and best practices. The mission of the committee is to strengthen and develop the NAWL brand and expand NAWL's following and members. This committee also supports and develops content for the NAWLTalks podcast.
Membership Growth & Engagement Committee
The Membership Growth & Engagement Committee is responsible for maintaining and increasing NAWL membership. As the oldest national women's bar association, NAWL has a history of outstanding women leaders within its membership, and the Membership Committee continues to recruit new members who will work to advance women in the profession and advocate for equality for women under the law.
CO-CHAIR
Jacqueline Rogers
Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
Wilmington, DE
CO-CHAIR
Nicole Smithson
Michigan Indigent Defense Commission
Detroit, MI
BOARD LIAISON
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mary Card Mina
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, D.C.
Planning & Development Committee
This committee is responsible for promoting and preserving NAWL development work through annual Sustaining Sponsorship, event Sponsorships, and other initiatives. Development funds provide the financial foundation for NAWL’s efforts while enhancing our ability to fulfill our mission to advance and serve women in the law. The Committee monitors sponsor benefits to ensure sponsors’ return on their investment in NAWL is both rewarding and meaningful in the ever-changing legal environment and consistent with their contribution to the organization.
Regional Expansion Task Force Committee
Regional Expansion Committee will investigate various avenues to expand NAWL’s reach across the country as well as enhance NAWL members’ experience and opportunities for involvement with NAWL and its mission.
CO-CHAIR
Amber Adair
McDermott Will & Emery
Dallas, TX
CO-CHAIR
Cheryl Johnson-Hartwell
Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP
Los Angeles, CA
CO-CHAIR
Kimberley D. Neilio
Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Denver, CO
BOARD LIAISON
Deborah Wright
Prudential Financial
Dallas, TX
Supreme Court Committee
**invitation only**
The Supreme Court Committee reviews and evaluates the qualifications of each Presidential nominee to the United States Supreme Court with an emphasis on laws and decisions regarding women’s rights or that have a special impact on women. The Committee is chaired by the President of NAWL or her designee. Members of the Committee are appointed by the President of NAWL and consist of lawyers who are diverse with respect to the nature of their practice and jurisdiction. All fact-finding and deliberations of the Committee are confidential to the Committee. Learn more>>
Survey Committee
The Survey Committee directs the National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms, an annual survey of AmLaw 200 law firms that tracks the progress of women’s careers in private practice, their leadership roles in firms, and the policies and practices used by firms to enhance career opportunities for women lawyers. NAWL publishes its findings in a report each fall. The Survey Committee also oversees requests from other organizations who may wish to use the NAWL Survey instrument to conduct similar studies at the regional, state, or local level.
CO-CHAIR
Kim Hughes
Microsoft
Redmond, WA
CO-CHAIR
Elizabeth Manno
Venable LLP
Denver, CO
BOARD LIAISON
Su Suh
Intel Corporation
Portland, OR
Women Lawyers Journal Editorial Board
This committee is chaired by the Co-Executive Editors of the Women Lawyers Journal. The Editorial Board is charged with selecting WLJ articles, shaping issue themes, and copyediting. The Editorial Board serves as a forum to celebrate and showcase the achievements of NAWL members and ensures that the publication continues as a historical record for NAWL in writing on the most pressing issues focused on advancing women and equality in the legal field. The Editorial Board also oversees the annual Selma Moidel Smith Student Writing Competition, which rewards excellence in law student writing on a topic concerning women and the law.
CO-EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Kirtana Kalavapudi
Social Security Administration
Pasadena, MD
CO-EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Courtney Worcester
Holland & Knight LLP
Boston, MA
BOARD LIAISON
Tamela Merriweather
Northern Trust Corporation
Chicago, IL
Event Host Committees
Serving on the planning committee is a great way to get to know other attorneys and take a professional leadership role beyond your own office or company. Committee members help plan and execute NAWL conferences – different roles are available based on interest and time availability. NAWL needs your input, ideas, and connections to make our events successful.
Mid-Year Meeting
NAWL’s Mid-Year Meeting is held in early Spring (February or March) virtually or in varied cities across the US. This event includes comprehensive programming on professional development and skills training to help women in all fields of legal practice. In addition to a luncheon where the NAWL Challenge Award, Public Service Award, Leadership Award, and 40 under 40 Awards are presented, NAWL members elect officers and board member and vote on changes to NAWL’s bylaws. Lawyers from major corporations as well as law firms, government, law schools, the non-profit sector, and the judiciary are among the speakers and attendees.
NEXT EVENT: March 2023
Annual Meeting
Since 1923, the Annual Meeting has celebrated NAWL’s achievements and has honored the recipients of its highest honors – Arabella Babb Mansfield Award, President’s Award, M. Ashley Dickerson Diversity Award, Lead by Example Award, and the Virginia S. Mueller Outstanding Member Award. NAWL also installs its new officers and board members at the Annual Meeting and hosts CLE programming.
NEXT EVENT: July 20-21, 2022
General Counsel Institute
GCI provides a uniquely supportive and interactive environment in which women corporate counsel can network, share the highs and lows of working as an in-house lawyer and learn from leading experts and experienced legal colleagues. Participation is limited to in-house attorneys.
NEXT EVENT: November 10-11, 2022