QA LOXFL2FL L1CTATRNN OF TB OF OJ SEVENTIETH ANNIVERSARY 191 71 987 TUESDAY MAY 19 1987 GOLD ROOM RAYBURN BUILDING AR AS SEIBNTIETH ANNIVERSARY 191 71 987 TUESDAY MAY 19 1987 GOLD ROOM RAYBURN BUILDING ELLEN SPENCER MUSSEY OUN AND RS II PROGRAM WBA ANNUAL MEETING MAY 1987 OPENING REMARKS MARJORIE FREIMAN CHAIR HISTORY 70TH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE WOMANLAWYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION JUNE GREEN PRESENTING THE HONORABLE SENIOR JUDGE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA REMARKS BETTY SOUTHARD MURPHY 1987 WOMANLAWYER OF THE YEAR WBA FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT BARBARA WERTHMANN PRESIDENTS REMARKS BETTINA LAWTON PRESIDENT 198687 PRESIDENTELECTS REMARKS MARTHA SAENZSCHROEDER PRESIDENT 198788 ELECTION COMMITTEE REPORT LINDA KURIAN CHAIR ELECTION COMMITTEE III BETTY SOUTHARD MURPHY BETTY SOU MURPHY IS MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL LAW FIRM OF BAKER HOSTETLER WHICH HAS OFFICES IN WASHINGTON DC OHIO COLORADO MARYLAND VIRGINIA AND FLORIDA WHEN SHE WAS NAMED CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD PRESIDENT FORD SAID SHE WAS THE MOST QUALIFIED AND BEST RESPECTED PERSON FOR THE JOB WHEN SHE RESIGNED SHE WAS PRAISED BY THE AFUCLO THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARD NA TIC AL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS OR OUTSTANDING CONTR MRS MURPHY AS HELD OUR PRESIDENTIAL APPO MINTS IS ALSO FORMER ADMINIS OF TNE WAGE AND HOUR DIZISON OF THE US DEPA ENT OF ABOR PRESIDENT REAGAN APPOTH ER TO THE COMMISSION ON BICENTENNIAL OF THE UNITED CONSTI UION WHICH IS CHAIRED OJ WARR ME ALSO SERVES ON THE COMMASS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND IS CHAIRMAN OF ITS BETTY SOUTHARD MURPHY RECIPIENT OF THE WBA INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOMAN OF THE YEAR LAWYER AN ACTIVE TRIAL LAWYER MRS MURPHY AWARD FOR 1987 HAS TRIED CASES IN FEDERAL OR STATE COURTS IN SOME 20 STATES AND HAS ARGUED IN US COURTS OF APPEALS SHE HAS ALSO BEEN FIRST AMENDMENT LAWYER AND HAS DEFENDED REPORTERS AND COLUMNISTS IN NUMBER OF LIBEL ACTIONS MRS MURPHY RECEIVED BA DEGREE FROM OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY STUDIED IN PARIS AND OBTAINED HER JD DEGREE FROM THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY SHE IS ACTIVE IN VARIOUS BAR ASSOCIATIONS HAS SERVED ON FOUR ACADEMIC BOARDS AND HAS SEVERAL DEGREES SHE HAS LECTURED IN NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN EUROPE ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA IV TABLE OF CONTENTS PHOTOGRAPH ELLEN SPENCER MUSSEY WBA FOUNDER FIRST PRESIDENT PROGRAM III BIOGRAPHY BETTY SOUTHARD MURPHY 193 WE WOMAN LAWYER THE YEAR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VI FIRST DECADE 19171927 SECOND DECADE 19271937 THIRD DECADE 1937 11 FOURTH DECADE 19471957 15 FIFTH DECADE 19571967 21 SIXTH DECADE 19671977 27 SEVENTH DECADE 19771937 33 WBA WOMAN LAWYER OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS 43 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS THE 70TH ANNIVERSARYHISTORY COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WHO CONTRIBUTED GENEROUSLY OF THEIR TIME AND PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE WITH NOTES AND OTHER MEMORABILIA FOR USE IN THIS PRESENTATION THE HONORABLE BURNITA SHELTON MATTHEWS GLANCE HENS THE HONORABLE NADINE LANE GALLAGHER MELLIE NELSON ELIZABETH GUHRING ROTRAUD PERRY MARTHA SAENZSCHROEDER SARAH PERRIN THE HONORABLE JUNE GREEN SADYE JANE DAVIS NOWDECEASED MRS WARD STEWART MARGARET MUTH LAWRENCE MARGUERITE RAWALT VERTIZ MARGERY WAXMAN ELAINE KAHN IN ADDITION HEARTFELT THANKS ARE EXTENDED TO THE MEMBERS OF THE HISTORY COMMITTEE GAYLE NELSON RUTH ROBINSON AND LORA TREDWAY FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING THE HISTORY FOR THIS BROCHURE AND TO KAYE HEARN ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WBA FOR HER EFFORTS AND CHEERFUL ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT MARJORIE FREIMAN CHAIR HISTORY 70TH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE MAY 19 1987 VI FIRST DECADE 19171927 PRESIDENTS 19171919 ELLEN SPENCER MUSSEY 19191921 IDA MAY MOYERS 19211922 EMMA GILLETT 19221924 HELEN JAMISON 19241925 MARIE EASBYSMITH 19251927 BURNITA SHELTON MATTHEWS NUMBER OF WOMEN LAWYERS AND JUDGES IN THE UNITED STATES 1910 558 OR 005 1920 1738 OR 014 WBA MEMBERSHIP 1917 31 CHARTER MEMBERS 1920 63 MEMBERS FOUNDING THE WBA PORTRAIT OF THE HONORABLE SEVENTY YEARS AT MEETING TO AGO BURNITA SHELTON MATHEWS MARK THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE MARCH 13 1913 SUFFRAGE PARADE WOMEN AS US DISTRICT COURT JUDGE PRESENTED IN DC DISCUSSED SERIOUSLY FOR LAWYERS TO THE US DISTRICT THE FIRST TIME THE IDEA OF ESTABLISHING COURT FOR THE DISTRICT PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THEIR OF COLUMBIA FEBRUARY 1973 OWN THEY FELT NEED FOR SUCH AN ASSOCIATION BECAUSE THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WOULD NOT ADMIT ATTORNEYS WHO WERE WOMEN TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT MEETING ON MAY 17 1917 31 WOMEN ATTORNEYS BECAME CHARTER MEMBERS OF THE WOMENS BAR ASSOCIATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY THREE OTHER CITIES NEW YORK CITY CHICAGO AND OMAHA ALREADY HAD PERMANENT ASSOCIATIONS OF WOMEN MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL BAR THE ORIGINAL IN THE OBJECTS OF THE WBA ADOPTED TEMPORARY CONSTITUTION OF MAY 19 1917 WERE TO MAINTAIN THE HONOR AND DIGNITY OF THE PROFESSION OF THE LAW TO INCREASE ITS USEFULNESS IN PROMOTING THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE TO ADVANCE AND PROTECT THE INTEREST OF WOMEN LAWYERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND ENCOURAGE THEIR MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT AND SOCIAL INTERCOURSE THE FOUNDING OF THE WBA WAS RESULT OF SEVERAL DECADES OF EFFORT BY ELLEN SPENCER MUSSEY AND EMMA GILLETT TO GAIN ADMITTANCE FOR WOMEN INTO THE PRACTICE OF LAW ELLEN MUSSEY FOR FOUR YEARS SHE HAD PRACTICED WITH HER HUSBAND IN HIS WAS UNABLE TO PERSUADE DC LAW OFFICE SINCE 1876 BUT WHEN THE BAR EXAMINATION SHE DECIDED TO BECOME MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE TO TEST HER BAR HERSELF AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1888 SHE KNOWLEDGE MET SERIES OF OBSTACLES SHE WAS DENIED ADMISSION TO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY AND COLUMBIAN COLLEGE BOTH LATER INCORPORATED INTO GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AND FOR FOUR YEARS SHE WAS UNABLE TO PERSUADE THE BAR EXAMINATION COMMITTEE TO TEST HER KNOWLEDGE EVENTUALLY ELLEN MUSSEY PREVAILED ON THE COMMITTEE SHE PASSED THE EXAMINATION AND WAS ADMITTED TO THE BAR IN 1893 AT AGE 42 FIVE YEARS LATER SHE AND EMMA GILLETT FOUNDED THE WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW PRINCIPALLY AS LAW SCHOOL FOR WOMEN WHO WERE DENIED ADMITTANCE ELSEWHERE BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER THE WBA AS RESULT HAS ALWAYS HAD CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THE WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY TIES TO THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT BOTH ELLEN MUSSEY AND EMMA GILLETT WERE ACTIVE IN THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT MUSSEY LED DIVISION OF WOMEN LAWYERS IN THE 1913 PARADE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE WBA WERE UNDOUBTEDLY SUPPORTERS OF RIGHTS FOR WOMEN FOR EXAMPLE BURNITA SHELTON MATTHEWS THE SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE WBA ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNED FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE BEGINNING IN 1918 WHEN SHE CAME TO WASHINGTON TO ATTEND THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL IN 1920 THE NATIONAL WOMANS PARTY AWARDED HER PICKET PIN FOR PICKETING PRESIDENT WILSON AT THE WHITE HOUSE TO OBTAIN HIS SUPPORT FOR THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT DURING MRS LATER JUDGE MATTHEWS TERM AS WBA PRESIDENT SHE REPRESENTED HER NATIVE STATE OF MISSISIPPI BY APPOINTMENT OF ITS GOVERNOR AS DELEGATE TO THE INTERNATIONAL WOMAN ALLIANCE MEETING IN PARIS SUFFRAGE ELLEN MUSSEY TO THE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WBA WAS TAUNT THE MALEONLY OF COLUMBIA SUFFRAGE FOR DISTRICT BAR ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENTS IN DECEMBER OF 1917 THE DC WBA PASSED RESOLUTION IN FAVOR OF GRANTING THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE EARLY YEARS THE WBA WAS INCORPORATED IN NOVEMBER 1917 AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR THE MEMBERSHIP TOTALED 45 PERMIT TING ELLEN MUSSEY TO TAUNT THE MALE ONLY BAR ASSOCIATION OF DC AT THE WBAS FIRST ANNUAL MEETING SHE COMMENTED THE SENIOR BAR ASSOCIA TION TO WHICH ALL MALE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL BAR IN GOOD STANDING ARE ELIGIBLE AFTER AN EXISTENCE OF THIRTY YEARS NUMBERS LESS THAN THREE HUNDRED WHILE OUR ASSOCIATION IN LESS THAN YEAR HAS ENROLLED AT LEAST FORTY PERCENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE DUES FOR CHARTER MEMBERS THOSE WHO JOINED BEFORE OCTOBER 15 1917 WERE 100 THE FOUNDERS APPARENTLY DEALT WITH THE FIRST FINANCIAL CRISIS BY INCREASING DUES TO 500 IN THE PERMANENT CONSTITUTION OF SEPTEMBER 1917 EASING THE BURDEN ON MEMBERS BY MAKING THE AMOUNT PAYABLE IN TWO EQUAL INSTALLMENTS WBA ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNED FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE BEGINNING IN 1918 WHEN SHE CAME TO WASHINGTON TO ATTEND THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL IN 1920 THE NATIONAL WOMANS PARTY AWARDED HER PICKET PIN FOR WHITE PICKETING PRESIDENT WILSON AT THE HOUSE TO OBTAIN HIS SUPPORT FOR THE WOMAN SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT DURING MRS LATER JUDGE MATTHEWS TERM AS HER WBA PRESIDENT SHE REPRESENTED NATIVE STATE OF MISSISIPPI BY APPOINTMENT OF ITS GOVERNOR AS WOMAN DELEGATE TO THE INTERNATIONAL PARIS SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE MEETING IN ELLEN MUSSEY TO ABOUT THE WBA ALSO WAS CONCERNED TAUNT THE MALEONLY COLUMBIA SUFFRAGE FOR DISTRICT OF BAR ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENTS IN DECEMBER OF 1917 THE DC FAVOR OF WBA PASSED RESOLUTION IN TO THE GRANTING THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THE EARLY YEARS THE WBA WAS INCORPORATED IN NOVEMBER 1917 AND BY THE END OF THE TOTALED YEAR THE MEMBERSHIP 45 PERMIT MALE TING ELLEN MUSSEY TO TAUNT THE AT THE ONLY BAR ASSOCIATION OF DC WBAS FIRST ANNUAL MEETING SHE COMMENTED THE SENIOR BAR ASSOCIA OF TION TO WHICH ALL MALE MEMBERS THE LOCAL BAR IN GOOD STANDING ARE OF ELIGIBLE AFTER AN EXISTENCE THIRTY THAN THREE HUNDRED YEARS NUMBERS LESS WHILE OUR ASSOCIATION IN LESS THAN LEAST PERCENT YEAR HAS ENROLLED AT FORTY OF THOSE ELIGIBLE DUES FOR CHARTER MEMBERS THOSE WHO JOINED BEFORE OCTOBER 15 1917 WERE 100 THE FOUNDERS APPARENTLY DEALT WITH THE FIRST FINANCIAL CRISIS BY INCREASING DUES TO 500 IN THE OF PERMANENT CONSTITUTION SEPTEMBER 1917 EASING THE BURDEN ON MEMBERS BY MAKING THE AMOUNT PAYABLE IN TWO EQUAL INSTALLMENTS ACHIEVEMENTS OF MEMBERS ADDRESSING THE WBA MEMBERS IN MAY 1918 ELLEN