A Conversation with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum OWLS
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TM Published Quarterly by Oregon Women Lawyers Volume 27, No. 3 Summer 2016 A Conversation with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum n this historic election year, Iopportuni- ties for women in elected office have In This Issue been on our minds AG Ellen Rosenblum even more than usual. Motivated Leading Small Groups volunteers on the President’s Message OWLS Leadership Upcoming OWLS Events Committee felt compelled to or- OWLS Fall CLE ganize programs in Rep. Val Hoyle, AG Ellen Rosenblum, Judge Karin Immergut, Susan Pitchford Community Service Committee Portland so that OWLS members could hear directly from women about their experiences in politics and elected office, and how others can get involved. New OWLS Officers On Monday, June 6, the committee presented “Skills and Strategies for Emerging Political Leaders: Judge Nelson at Queen’s Bench A Conversation with Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.” The luncheon event was moderated by Judge Karin Immergut of the Multnomah County Circuit Court and hosted by Susan Pitchford, an Federal Courthouse Connection Continued on page 4 Coffee Creek Book Drive OWLS, MBA Host CLE OWLS Presents Series on Leading Small Groups The Judges’ Forum By Jim Yocom Meet Judge Cheryl Pellegrini magine that you chair a committee in your firm or organization. You’re fed up. The committee OWLS Foundation’s 20th meets regularly, but little gets done. Several committee members won’t talk, others do noth- U.S. Magistrate Judge You Iing else, and even simple tasks seem to take forever to finish. After one year, 25 meetings have resulted in a work product that you alone could have polished off in a fraction of that time—with OWLS at Pride Parade fewer errors. Your supervisors suggest that your leadership “style” needs polish. Some advise you Tips for Nursing Mothers to focus on presenting yourself as confident and influential. Others tell you to emphasize “buy- Clackamas Women Lawyers in” and deep value alignments. Still others tell you that the problem is insufficient team building. Welcome to the knotted world of leading small task groups. Cascade Women Lawyers In May the OWLS Leadership Committee wrapped up a three-part series in Portland on leading Lane County Women Lawyers small task groups. The series drew from extensive empirical research on small group dynamics to explore how to run better task groups. Meet DA Daina Vitolins Session one focused on leadership. Though leadership formulas are Specialty Bar Social popular (“Be inspiring!” “Develop a cohesive team!” “Show consider- ation!” “Cultivate strong participation norms!”), such formulas typically Book Review: Notorious RBG have only small, inconsistent effects on the quantity or quality of group Book by Kathy Foldes performance. Some leader behaviors affect how much people like the Bonnie Richardson Honored leader, group, or task—all important outcomes. But “likings” often do not translate into noteworthy performance gains. Perhaps more troubling Take Your Kids to Work Day is that leader evaluation often boils down to applying stereotypes about Meet Kate Lozano what leaders are “supposed” to look like and do—stereotypes that often are unrealistic and riddled with cultural and sexist biases. Mary Leonard Law Society Session two examined group performance. Typical discussion dynamics Women’s Wellness Retreat Jim Yocom improve performance on many tasks far less than people imagine. First, Continued on page 6 OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 1 SUMMER 2016 President’s Message ne of my students who just happened to also be of Omost viv- a particular skin color or economic status id law school or ethnic background were instantly memories had marked down as less capable, regardless very little to of whether they benefited from affirma- President do with me. tion action programs. My classmate, bril- Laura Craska Cooper And yet it has liant as he was, had to prove himself in a Vice President, President-Elect shaped my way that I never did. No one assumed I Angela Franco Lucero views about was admitted to Berkeley solely because Secretary the law and I was a woman. Hon. Allison Boomer about other I share this story because it illustrates Treasurer Laura Craska Cooper Amber Hollister lawyers ever the truth of what it’s like to be a minor- Historian since. I was walking across campus with ity in the legal profession today. Many Megan Burgess a friend. As 1Ls, we had the same classes, of us have never known what it is like to Board Members but we were in different study groups. have others assume we’re less capable, Jacqueline Alarcón Maya Crawford My friend asked me about a particu- less intelligent, and less entitled, without Sara Kobak larly difficult concept in constitutional regard for our bona fides. Some from the Katharine Lozano Hon. Valeri Love law. I replied that my study group had dominant culture don’t even ask before Aruna Masih struggled with that issue until one of our casting aside an entire class of profes- Banafsheh Violet Nazari classmates had explained it to us. I shared sionals. Based on uninformed judgment Jennifer Nicholls Yumi O’Neil that insight with my friend, who looked about ability and talent rooted in stereo- Susan Pitchford at me in astonishment and said, “X said types, they relegate an entire group to Adele Ridenour Kristin Sterling that? That’s brilliant. I always thought X second-tier status. For any woman who Amanda Thorpe was admitted on the affirmative action ever felt dismissed prematurely based Val Tomasi Gloria Trainor program.” solely on gender, that experience ought Jim Yocom It was my turn to be astonished. My to resonate. Past Presidents sheltered Midwestern upbringing and un- The OWLS mission statement is clear Elizabeth Tedesco Milesnick about our role in facing down injustice: Kendra Matthews dergraduate experience hadn’t exposed Kathleen Rastetter me much to the challenges that minorities “To transform the practice of law and Megan Livermore face. I chose UC Berkeley largely because ensure justice and equality by advanc- Heather L. Weigler Concetta Schwesinger of the diversity it offered, which was at- ing women and minorities in the legal Gwyneth McAlpine tributable in part to various affirmative profession.” Heather Van Meter Laura Caldera Taylor action programs. I believed that those I think that sometimes our message Kellie Johnson programs helped some disadvantaged gets lost in our name: Oregon Women Norma S. Freitas Kate A. Wilkinson people. I also believed that the diversity Lawyers. We talk about it in board Jennifer K. De Wald the programs facilitated, by bringing meetings—about the importance of Sarah J. Crooks Elizabeth Schwartz in students of varied backgrounds and remembering the dual nature of our mis- Lori E. Deveny experiences, would make my law school sion: advancing women and minorities. I Debra Pilcher Velure experience richer. think we have done, and will continue to Marilyn E. Litzenberger Teresa M. Kraemer But until I was walking back from class- do, good work toward addressing both Patricia L. Heatherman es that sunny day, it had never occurred parts of our mission. But this board in Julie Levie Caron Phylis Chadwell Myles to me that the programs had a price—a particular seems to be especially commit- Helle Rode price I didn’t have to pay. In trying to ted to redoubling our efforts to address Diana Craine Kathryn M. Ricciardelli level the playing field and create more discrimination in the legal profession Agnes Sowle equality in opportunity, the programs in whatever form we find it—among Katherine H. O’Neil could stigmatize the very people they women and among all people who are Executive Director Linda Tomassi sought to help. unfairly discounted, marginalized, and executivedirector@ There is, it turns out, a significant prejudged based on a category in which oregonwomenlawyers.org price paid by those from non-dominant they exist. I believe you will see the results Editor cultures. Affirmative action may have of those efforts over the next year. Elise Gautier [email protected] been a ticket in, but the ticket was often www.oregonwomenlawyers.org too dearly bought. Bright and capable Continued on page 3 Our mission is to transform the practice of law and ensure justice and equality by advancing women and minorities in the legal profession. OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 2 SUMMER 2016 Upcoming OWLS Events Habitat for Humanity Build table seminar. For more info, click here. OWLS Leadership Committee Portland Thank you, Black Helterline, for hosting. Political Leadership Series Saturday, July 23 A Conversation with Space is limited, and the registration Sunshine for Seniors Portland Governor Kate Brown process must be completed before- Portland hand. Start at this link. Thursday, August 18 CLE 4–5 p.m. Social hour 5–6 p.m. Thursday, September 15, noon Clackamas Women Lawyers Picnic Featuring Mark Johnson Roberts Check the OWLS website for details. This event is pending final approval by West Linn and Ellen Klem the Governor’s Office. Sunday, July 24, 12:30 p.m. Barran Liebman, 601 SW 2nd Ave. Suite 2300 Luscher Farm Park Bridge of the Goddess 125 Rosemont Road Join OWLS for a CLE on mandatory Bring a picnic for you and your family. elder abuse reporting and a donation Half Marathon & 10K Run After lunch, we’ll walk up to Oswego drive for the YWCA Senior Services Pro- Cascade Locks Hills Vineyard and Winery, 450 S. Rose- gram. In lieu of a fee for the program Saturday, September 17 mont Road, for wine tasting. Come for and social hour, please bring a new Join Queen’s Bench for a half marathon one or both events. RSVP not required item to donate. For more information, and 10K run departing from the deck of but appreciated; email ericka.langone@ click here.