Anniversary Souvenir Program
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Fall Conference and 35th Anniversary Celebration The Long & Winding Road: Progress in the Law ANNIVERSARY SOUVENIR PROGRAM The Boar’s Head Inn ‐ Charlottesville, Virginia October 7 & 8, 2016 ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM Table of Contents Introduction Our Keynote Speaker Steering Committee Presidents of the VWAA Secretaries of the VWAA Treasurers of the VWAA Major Conferences, CLEs and Programs of the VWAA Lex Claudia Regions/Chapters of the VWAA Northern Virginia Tidewater – South Hampton Roads – Hampton Roads Southwest – New River Valley - Roanoke Richmond Loudon Prince William Fredericksburg Milestones of the VWAA 1981 - 1996 October 7, 2016 Dear VWAA members and friends, As part of the Virginia Women Attorneys Association’s 35th Anniversary, we should celebrate the progress we have made, honor those who led the way, and ensure that our rich heritage is preserved for the young women attorneys of today and tomorrow. For my contribution to our 35th anniversary celebration, my goal was to update the identification of our past Board leadership, recognize the integral role that chapters have come to play, and highlight the VWAA’s major achievements in the areas of judicial appointments, legislation, legal scholarship and educational programs. It seemed to me that I was uniquely positioned to take on this task as I have been actively involved in the VWAA since its creation and had previously written a chronological summary of our first 20 years which is on our website (www.vwaa.org). Achieving this goal turned out to be a greater challenge than I expected. I learned that there were minimal historical records at the state level, and scattered records at the chapter level. The task was further complicated by health issues disabling me for a good part of the summer. Thus, this is not a finished product. What is compiled here is just a snapshot, and does not cover our achievements in the area of judicial appointments or legislative advocacy. My hope is that others will embrace the idea that preserving our organizational records is important. We have a compelling story to tell. It would be wonderful, for example, if some of our recent Chapter Presidents would reach out to now identified earlier Chapter Presidents, and interview them about their period of service, memorializing in notes some of the achievements that have not been listed here. Not surprisingly, many Chapter Presidents have gone on to become President of the state-wide organization, and they would have much to contribute. While I have done my best to be accurate, undoubtedly there are mistakes and omissions. I would love to hear from you with your comments and corrections. [email protected]. I will make the appropriate changes, and if there is sufficient interest, I will ask that the information in this souvenir program be added to our website. It has been an honor to be a part of the VWAA. Please enjoy our “herstory.” Darrel Tillar Mason VWAA Member Since 1981 VWAA Past President OUR 35th ANNIVERSARY KEYNOTE SPEAKER Janis L. McDonald is a Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Cold Case Justice Initiative (“CCJI”) at Syracuse University College of Law. Professor McDonald received an LL.M. from Yale Law School, a J.D. with distinction from Hofstra University School of Law, and a B.A. from George Washington University Institute of Sino-Soviet Studies. She is the editor and co-author of Employment Discrimination: Problems, Cases and Critical Perspectives. She has published numerous law review articles on race, civil rights and legal history. She is a 2014 recipient of the National Civil Rights Social Justice Award, the 2015 Emmet Till Legacy Foundation, “Women of Courage” Award, the 2015 CNY ACLU Kharas Award, and the 2009 Northeast People of Color Haywood Burns & Shanara Gilbert Award. She was a Ford Foundation Fellow in Public and International Law while at Yale. Several federal courts have cited her civil rights articles. Professor McDonald served as the second president of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, a national organization representing more than 80,000 women attorneys. She was a co-founder of the 1981 Virginia Women Attorneys Association. Before joining the law faculty, Professor McDonald was a member of the law firm of Hirschkop & Grad, P.C. in Alexandria, Virginia where she litigated cases in the federal and local courts throughout the U.S. Several of her cases established new sexual harassment and medical malpractice laws. She taught at Ohio Northern University College of Law and Yale Law School. She was a Ford Foundation Fellow in Public and International Law while at Yale. Several federal courts have cited her civil rights articles. Professor McDonald served as the second president of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, a national organization representing more than 80,000 women attorneys. She was a co-founder of the 1981 Virginia Women Attorneys Association. Janis’ remarks tonight are titled: “Where the Boys Were and How We Got There: 35 Years of Grit, Struggle and Success” 1 To further appreciate her comments, please review the following reprint from Volume I Number 1 of the Lex Claudia, June 1981. 2 3 While it indeed has been “a long and winding road,” women have made significant progress in our profession since 1981. A few comparisons: THEN NOW Virginia State Bar Council Virginia State Bar Council 64 members – no women 81 members – 26 women Note: In the past 35 years we have had three women VSB Presidents, Kathleen O’Brien, Jeanne Dahnk, and Sharon Nelson and we currently have a woman President-Elect, Doris Causey. We also have a woman Executive Director of the Virginia State Bar – Karen Gould. Virginia State Bar Conferences Virginia State Bar Conferences 4 conference chairs - no women 4 conference chairs – 2 women Note: While men currently chair the Senior Lawyers Conference and the Young Lawyers Conference, women have chaired both of those conferences during the time period in question. Virginia State Bar Standing Committees Virginia State Bar Standing Committees 5 Standing Committee Chairs – no women 4 Standing Committee Chairs – 2 women Note: While men currently Chair the Committee on Lawyer Discipline and the Committee on Legal Ethics, women have chaired both of those standing committees during the time period in question. Deans of Virginia Law Schools Deans of Virginia Law Schools 5 law school deans – no women 8 law school deans – 3 women Virginia Law Foundation Virginia Law Foundation 10 Board Members – no women 21 Board Members – 6 women Including the President-Elect Supreme Court of Virginia Supreme Court of Virginia 7 Justices – no women 7 Justices – 2 women Note: During this time we have also had one woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. 4 THE BIRTH OF THE VWAA VWAA’S STEERING COMMITTEE In January 1981, the first meeting was held of a group of women who had come together to form a state wide association of women attorneys. This group was denominated as the “Steering Committee.” Dulcey Fowler and Janis McDonald were selected as co-chairs in recognition of their having generated the idea of such an association and of having brought together the members of the Steering Committee. Dulcey, in her capacity as Chief Counsel for the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, knew a number of women attorneys around the Commonwealth. Since the Virginia State Bar did not maintain a list of women attorneys, she searched for likely names of women attorneys in its membership lists. She then called many of these women to persuade them to join in forming a state-wide women’s bar. Janis invited Northern Virginia women attorneys to attend meetings in her office held to discuss a women’s bar group. Ultimately a letter and membership applications were sent to approximately 1000 women attorneys to determine interest in a state-wide organization. Women attorneys were invited to come to Virginia Beach in June 1981 at the same time as the Virginia State Bar gathering, and attend a meeting to pursue this goal. U.S. Tax Court Judge Edna Parker was the featured speaker and addressed the need for women’s professional organizations. Throughout 1981, the Steering Committee met monthly, at first in Richmond and then in other localities around the state. Steering Committee members were Tracy Dunham, Pam Sargeant, Kim Fauss, and Diane Schettini, worked to draft the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. First Bessida White, and later Eliza Hoover, served as Secretary, and Karen Geary served as Treasurer for the Steering Committee. Diana Evans, and Betty Molchany were responsible for publishing the newsletter, dubbed Lex Claudia. Joan Gibson assumed responsibility for organizing the first annual conference. Lengthy discussions centered on whether the organization’s purpose should be to work for issues affecting all women or restricted to advancing the cause of women attorneys. The choice of a broader purpose resulted in a number of women attorneys not continuing with the organization. During that period, the question was raised as to the reason for forming an organization of women attorneys. Dulcey Fowler and Janis McDonald answered that question in an article published in the first issue of the Lex Claudia, dated June 1981. The answer still applies. It should go without saying that our organization has been led by some extraordinary and visionary women from diverse backgrounds and with a variety of legal practices. All have served selflessly and made us proud. PRESIDENTS OF THE VIRGINIA WOMEN ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION YEAR ELECTED LOCATION AND PRACTICE AT ELECTION Dulcey Fowler 1981 October Richmond Senior Staff Counsel, Died February 1996 U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Karen L. Geary 1982 October Harrisonburg Karen L. Geary, Attorney Lives in Ashland, Oregon, serving as a mediator, not practicing law Joan Gibson 1983 October Virginia Beach Joan Gibson, Attorney Died June 1997 Randy Parris (Kendrick) 1984 October Alexandria Randy l.