Highlighting a Year to Remember
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OHIO WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION NETWORK NEWSLETTER Volume XXVI Issue No. 2 Spring 2017 Our purpose is to promote the leadership, advancement and interests of women attorneys through professional education, networking and the exchange of ideas between our members, local bar associations, business and the community. President’s Message Highlighting a Year to Remember: Looking to the Bright Future Ahead By Marilyn McClure-Demers, Associate General Counsel, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company The Ohio Women’s move forward, we remain mindful that and contributions. None of them Bar Association there is great hope and that indeed … would have been possible without the celebrated its 25th the best is yet to come. investment of outstanding women and Anniversary this To recap briefly, the year kicked off men in the law across the state. These year, and oh, what with an invigorating start at our Annual illustrate and underscore that there truly a remarkable year it Conference in May 2016, where we is unity in diversity. We also enjoyed has been for women heard from powerful national and joint OWBA/OWBF Board meetings, in the law! For the state leaders on issues, which included engagement and even underwent first time in our country’s history, a women’s leadership and important Continued on page 2 woman attorney rose to the top of diversity and inclusion topics. The the National ticket as a candidate Annual Conference and Luncheon for President of the United States. A enjoyed record-breaking attendance Inside this issue number of our members ran for office, and featured keynote speaker Paulette The OWBA and OWBF Annual Meeting and joined the bench, made partner and/or Brown, President of the American Conference .........................................................4 assumed new and different roles in their Bar Association. Our newly created Encouraging Diversity in the Law: Women in respective practices or professional Diversity and Inclusion Committee STEM and IP ....................................................5 journeys, ranging from admission to was busy with development of new Celebrating Women in Law ...............................7 practice to increased leadership roles, mission critical initiatives such as to retirements. We gathered frequently our inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Highlighting Members of the OWBA Leadership to focus on important topics and to Sponsor and Champion Awards. It Institute - Meghan Hill ......................................8 honor and recognize each other and was our privilege as a bar association OWBF Leadership Institue 2016-2017 .............9 those who sponsor and mentor us. We to honor Nationwide with the OWBA also welcomed many new members Diversity and Inclusion Champion Calling for 2017-2018 Leadership Institute and saw the largest OWBF Leadership Award; Anthony Sharett, Partner, Baker Member Applications! .....................................10 Institute Class to date with 22 of the & Hostetler, LLP with the OWBA Private Movie Showing: Hidden Figures .........10 best and brightest selected from across Diversity and Inclusion Sponsor Award; Ohio. The OWBA and OWBF worked and Carpenter Lipps & Leland with Taft Announces Industry Leading Policy for closely together as we partnered with the OWBA Family Friendly Award. Attorney Parental Leave ...................................10 other diverse bar associations across We are very proud of these recipients Leading With Style: Cincinnati & Cleveland, the state and reached across public and and their varied contributions to the June 15, 2017 ...................................................11 private sectors. legal profession and our association in In this year, we have also seen our mission to promote the leadership, Ashley L. Johns Joins Columbus Office of Reminger, Co., LPA .........................................12 unprecedented opportunity and advancement and interests of women mandate for each of us to lead, engage attorneys. Finding Balance ...............................................13 and influence relationships to help Many wonderful, impactful and bring people together for an improved well-attended events also took place Shirley J. Christian Joins Youngstown Office of Reminger Co., LPA ..........................................14 profession, country and community. As this year, all of which were the result we contemplate this and recalibrate to of your engagement, commitment Sustaining/New Members ...............................15 News Award recipients and friends of our association gathered to celebrate each other and recognize Yvette McGee Brown for her many contributions to OWBA and the profession with our highest award for excellence - our prestigious OWBA Founders’ Award. Despite having broken many barriers’ herself in roles ranging from in-house to private practice from Supreme Court Justice to partner, Yvette always finds time to answer our calls and to develop others in the profession. We were delighted to spend precious time with so many of you honoring Yvette and each other at our Celebrating Women in the Law event and are most grateful leadership and diversity training with thought-provoking content and for your continued support of our together where we were challenged talent. All without leaving the state. association and foundation. to embrace new ideas and focus and These included not only the Annual Another highlight this year was commit to two action items for the Conference but also our Statewide the work of our Ohio Women’s Bar coming year. My heartfelt appreciation CLE Event organized by our stellar Foundation which hosted several events goes out to the members of both Boards Government Subcommittee where and fundraisers including a raffle at the for their exemplary servant leadership unconscious bias, among other topics, OWBA Leading With Style Cincinnati as well as all to our committee chairs was featured. We also held a number of event, a Wine Down and Paint event and members. networking/relationship building events in Cincinnati and Cleveland, a Candle As an association, our membership around the state including the New Pouring event in Columbus, support increased by 20% and it has been a Admittee Reception in Cincinnati. from Kendra Scott sales proceeds at the true joy to see so many new faces In March 2017, our OWBA and New Admittee event in December and participating along side familiar OWBF past Presidents, Leadership the Wine Grab Fundraiser at the ones. Additionally, over 100 mentees Institute Alumnae, past Founder’s Continued on page 3 and 50 mentors participated in our OWBA Mentoring Program and, importantly, we have plenty of room to grow. Programs like this are critical to advancing both our association and diversity in the legal profession as a whole. To be successful it requires contributions from both parties, time and dedication from mentors and initiative and commitment from mentees. Congratulations to both for investing in the next generation of women in the law. To you sponsors who support women in the law in achieving our dreams through the pinnacles of leadership in our profession, we salute you and urge you to continue. This year we’ve offered over 40 CLE credits at our cumulative events 2 News Celebrating Women in the Law event. heights. Please offer her your support membership, and leadership; 3) The Foundation also organized a and congratulations. enhanced partnerships with other bar Holiday Appeal and Capital campaign. Statistics show that much remains associations; 4) partnerships across We thank all the generous individuals to be done to see the diversity in our public and private sectors; and 5) who donated. profession reflect the diversity of the empowerment/promotion of women The 2016-17 OWBF Leadership client/consumer base we serve. At this in the law and the role we do and Institute with its largest class to date same time, we see the need for many can play leading in these times. Our enjoyed a robust curriculum and critical conversations ahead to hear efforts were the result of the work and heard from notable legal and business and appreciate differences, to bridge commitment of incredible women leaders from across the state on them and to get things done. This who practice law and still find time to critical topics related to leadership, calls for courageous leadership in our dedicate to leading this organization communication, business and personal profession and in our communities forward and those courageous persons growth, development and branding. and country. Thus, the theme of our and organizations that support us. Class members will graduate with upcoming 2017 Annual Conference: This year has been an amazing over 25 CLE credits and join the Critical Conversations and Courageous journey – one that I shall always ranks of Leadership Institute Alumnae Leadership, which will be held on treasure – because of each of you. It across the state armed with enhanced May 11-12, 2017, at the Nationwide has truly been my honor and privilege leadership skills and training and Hotel and Conference Center (Lewis to serve as your President and I remain network preparing them to lead the Center, Ohio). The conference will deeply grateful to each of you for your way to the future. We truly appreciate feature two Fortune 500 General support and for your investment in those who invested in OWBA/OWBF Counsels as keynote speakers on each each other and in our association. and the class by sharing their time, of the two days of the conference: My wish for you now is the same expertise