A Newsletter Published by Oregon Women Lawyers Volume 15, No. 1 Winter 2004 It’s Time to Opt In! By Beth Allen fter spending last year discussing the ob- Future LEG-Up events will include a discus- stacles facing women who aspire to lead- sion of the book The Difference “Difference” Aership positions, the OWLS Leadership Makes: Women and Leadership, edited by Committee now looks forward to the new year Deborah Rhode. Professor Rhode will be the President with a new perspective—opting in: changing keynote speaker at the OWLS Spring CLE on Sarah J. Crooks the system so that it works for everyone. All May 14. The book is reviewed on page 4. You President-Elect/ Vice President year, we will focus on how we can change the can order it from the publisher (Stanford Uni- Jennifer K. De Wald legal community so that opting in becomes a versity Press, www.sup.org), Powell’s, and other Secretary more appealing choice than opting out. online sources. Kate Thompson One of the Leadership Committee’s activities Our current women leaders are excited about Treasurer is the monthly Leadership Empowerment Gath- sharing their wisdom with us as we forge to- Deanna L. Wray ering event, which we affectionately call LEG- ward creating an environment that encourages, Historian Up, as we hope these meetings will give the inspires, and supports women and minorities Kathryn M. Ricciardelli attendees a “leg up” in reaching their leader- to become leaders in all areas of the legal com- Board Members ship goals. The January LEG-Up event started munity. We hope you will join us as we “Opt Beth A. Allen the year off with Judge Katherine Tennyson In” to leadership opportunities. Alice M. Bartelt Mary C. Bruington facilitating a discussion in which we explored Lynda Clark our individual aspirations. We took personal Beth Allen is an associate at Lane Powell Spears Laurie E. Craghead inventories, and we hope that this will lay the Lubersky. She serves on the OWLS Board of Di- Norma Freitas Diane Henkels groundwork for achieving our goals. rectors and the OWLS Leadership Committee. Ellen K. Jones Leslie O’Leary Hon. Darleen R. Ortega Women Opting Out Cecil A. Reniche-Smith Deborah Rhode to Speak Barbara Smythe By Leslie O’Leary Joanne L. Southey re women lawyers giving up their hard- on May 14 at Spring CLE Patricia Sullivan Jeanette L. Thomas Afought aspirations to make it to the top? OWLS is pleased to Heather Young Consider this comment from a woman who announce that Past Presidents walked away from a law partnership opportu- Stanford University Elizabeth Schwartz nity at a prestigious firm to be a full-time mom: Lori E. Deveny Law School Professor Debra E. Pilcher “I don’t want to be on the fast track leading to Deborah Rhode will Marilyn E. Litzenberger a partnership at a prestigious law firm. Some be the keynote Teresa M. Kraemer people define that as success. I don’t.” Her views Patricia L. Heatherman speaker at the OWLS Julie Levie Caron were echoed by a younger woman attorney who Spring CLE, to be Phylis Chadwell Myles said, “I’ve had people tell me that it’s women held on Friday after- Helle Rode like me that are ruining the workplace because Diana Craine noon, May 14. Pro- Kathryn M. Ricciardelli it makes employers suspicious. I don’t want to fessor Rhode is a nationally recognized Agnes Sowle take on the mantle of all womanhood and fight expert in the area of women and leader- Katherine H. O’Neil a fight for some sister who isn’t really my sister ship in the legal profession. One of the Executive Director because I don’t even know her.” principal subjects she teaches is Gender, Loree A. Devery The experiences of these women and others 503/235-9092 Law, and Public Policy. Fax: 503/235-9098 were the topic of a recent New York Times Maga- The OWLS Spring CLE will be a half-day [email protected] zine article entitled “The Opt-Out Revolution” program focusing on leadership issues fac- Newsletter Editor (October 26, 2003). Author Lisa Belkin explored ing women in the law. It will provide an Elise Gautier, 503/292-2893 in detail why a surprising number of women [email protected] exciting opportunity to hear from women have chosen to reject the leadership track in The Oregon Women Lawyers leaders about the challenges they face and AdvanceSheet is published their careers for family life at home. She mused, the success they have achieved. Save the quarterly by Oregon Women “Why don’t women run the world? Maybe it’s date: Friday, May 14. Lawyers, P.O. Box 40393 because they don’t want to.” Portland, OR 97240 continued on page 10 OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 1 WINTER 2004 President’s Message t its December 2003 meeting, the ideas developed by the board, commit- developed friend- AOWLS Board of Directors adopted tees, and members. ships with lawyers a new strategic plan. After several years The strategic plan adopted by the in other practice of work on this task, we came to learn board focuses OWLS resources on pro- areas that I other- that drafting a strategic plan is not easy. grams and services that will address lead- wise might not Drafting the strategic plan was espe- ership and quality-of-life issues. The have had a reason cially difficult because there is no short- OWLS board and OWLS members want to get to know. age of good ideas regarding what OWLS to change the way we practice law. With From these ex- should be doing in pursuit of its mis- this focus, we are searching for and periences and sion to advance women and minorities working toward a more satisfying and friendships, I have in the legal profession. fulfilling way to practice law. We hope gained a much Sarah Crooks In drafting the plan, we reviewed the each of you will participate in the up- greater awareness variety of services and programs OWLS coming OWLS programs. of and appreciation for my legal com- has offered to its members over the Working to develop the strategic plan munity. Additionally, the friendships I years, including CLE programs on vari- caused me to reflect on the importance have developed with OWLS members ous topics, law school mentoring pro- OWLS has had to me. I have participated have brought me much in the way of grams, endorsement of judicial in most of the programs offered by mentoring, knowledge, opportunity, candidates, the OWLS list serve, the OWLS in the past five years, including laughter, comfort, and peace. Thank you AdvanceSheet, the OWLS Contract Law- serving as a flag catcher on the OWLS so much for your support. These friend- yers Service, the Courthouse Connection dragon boat team one season (luckily, I ships are the gifts from OWLS that I will programs, the OWLS dragon boat team, did not drop the flag!). In addition to carry with me long after my tenure on NightOWLS events, a golf school, and serving on the board, I have served on the board. And these friendships are ex- many, many others. In developing a plan a number of OWLS committees support- actly the gifts I recall one of my men- for the future, the board looked to the ing the services and programs offered tors, Judge Leeson, telling me I would OWLS mission and to the key issues fac- by OWLS. Through my involvement with receive by getting involved with OWLS. ing OWLS members today. The board’s OWLS, I have spoken with lawyers from I encourage each of you to get more challenge comes in determining how to around the state that I may not have involved with OWLS and its local chap- maximize the limited resources available otherwise met. Through my work on the ters. I look forward to seeing you in the to OWLS to implement a handful of the board and on OWLS committees, I have coming year. With best wishes for 2004, OWLS Foundation Auction on March 5 You are cordially invited to attend the annual Oregon Women Lawyers Foun- dation Auction on March 5, immediately preceding the Oregon Women Lawyers Roberts-Deiz Awards Dinner. Proceeds from this silent auction are used to foster diversity, awareness, and understanding in the legal profession by providing scholarships, grants, and loan forgiveness for law students and lawyers who embrace that mission. The many items available at the auc- tion will include a spring 2004 Chinook fishing trip on the Willamette, special baskets filled with goodies, restaurant certificates, sporting equipment, cook- book collections, jewelry, spa services, and specially prepared dinners. Items are being donated daily! For more in- formation, contact Carolyn Miller, auc- tion chair, at [email protected] or 503/241-2801. OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 2 WINTER 2004 OWLS to Honor Former Justice Susan Leeson, Pamela Jacklin, and Leonard Girard on March 5 by Sue-Del McCulloch regon Women Lawyers is pleased where she was the only woman on the to name the recipients of the bench. O2004 Judge Mercedes Deiz and As a woman taking a distinctly non- Justice Betty Roberts Awards. Pamela traditional path from academia to the Jacklin of Stoel Rives LLP and her hus- judiciary, Judge Leeson encountered not band Leonard Girard, a retired lawyer, only the passive resistance of institu- are joint recipients of the Judge tional inertia but outright hostility. She Mercedes Deiz Award for promotion of well understood the struggles of other minorities in the law, and former Jus- women attempting to build careers in tice Susan Leeson has been selected to the law and was always willing to dis- receive the Justice Betty Roberts Award cuss and encourage, including speaking for promotion of women in the law.