Published Quarterly by Oregon Women Lawyers Volume 20, No. 3 Summer 2009 OWLS History: Our First 20 Years By Trudy Allen and Diane Rynerson WLS celebrates its 20th anniversary this previous years. On January 27, 1987, Susan sent year, and we will mark the occasion with letters to ten women, inviting them to join the Oa CLE and reception on September 25 in committee and “seize this opportunity to work Portland. (Please see with selected issues Co-Presidents page 3 for details.) facing women in our Gwyneth McAlpine In honor of the an- profession today.” As Heather Van Meter niversary, this article the committee worked Vice President, describes OWLS’ to define those issues, President-Elect Concetta Schwesinger formation and some it came up with a long highlights from the list of goals, and it Secretary Heather L. Weigler past 20 years. soon determined that Treasurer Like many things, a statewide effort Megan Livermore OWLS came about was needed to bring through an evo- together sufficient en- Historian Kathleen J. Hansa Rastetter lutionary process. ergy to tackle so many Board Members Q u e e n ’s B e n c h , goals. When Katherine Hon. Frances Roberts Burge a Portland-based Photo by Jodee Jackson O’Neil became chair Dana Forman women lawyers’ OWLS Founding President Katherine O’Neil (right) of the committee in Cynthia Fraser and our third president, Kathryn Ricciardelli Shari Gregory group founded in 1988, the impetus Maiya Hall 1948, had at times gained significant mo- Heather Hepburn called itself a state- mentum. At Saturday Cashauna Hill Kendra Matthews wide organization, morning meetings, up Linda Meng in part because to 30 women joined Hon. Julia Philbrook for many years it the discussion. Hon. Katherine Tennyson Shannon Terry hosted a breakfast Katherine asked Kate Weatherly for women lawyers Queen’s Bench, Lane Jane Yates Hon. Youlee You from all over the County Women Law- state at the Oregon yers, and Salem’s Mary Past Presidents Laura Caldera Taylor State Bar (OSB) con- Leonard Law Society Kellie Johnson vention. By the mid- to co-host and invite Norma S. Freitas 1970s, new women all their members to Kate A. Wilkinson Jennifer K. De Wald lawyers’ groups had attend an “organi- Sarah J. Crooks formed in Eugene Photo by Jodee Jackson zational breakfast” OWLS founding member Susan Hammer (left) and Elizabeth Schwartz and Salem, and by at the September 16, Lori E. Deveny founding board member Judge Ellen Rosenblum Debra Pilcher Velure the mid-1980s, they 1988, OSB convention Marilyn E. Litzenberger co-hosted an annual women’s event at the OSB in Eugene. The keynote speakers at the breakfast Teresa M. Kraemer Patricia L. Heatherman convention with Queen’s Bench. were retired Supreme Court Justice Betty Rob- Julie Levie Caron Voices had been calling for a true statewide erts and Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Phylis Chadwell Myles women lawyers’ organization, but nothing start- Mercedes Deiz, both of whom provided profound Helle Rode Diana Craine ed to coalesce until 1987, when Susan Hammer, inspiration to those present. (See page 5 for Kathryn M. Ricciardelli the first woman to serve as president of the excerpts.) They garnered unanimous support for Agnes Sowle Multnomah Bar Association (MBA), reconstituted the proposal to form a statewide women lawyers’ Katherine H. O’Neil the MBA’s Committee on the Status of Women, association. With that momentum, Katherine Executive Director which had been dormant for at least the two Continued on page 4 Linda Tomassi, 503.595.7831 [email protected] AdvanceSheet Editor OWLS 20th Anniversary Celebration and CLE on Sept. 25 Elise Gautier, 503.292.2893 [email protected] Please see page 3 for details. www.oregonwomenlawyers.org OREGON WOMEN LAWYERS AdvanceSheet 1 SUMMER 2009 Co-Presidents’ Message Save the Date! e are honored and excited Wto be the first co-presidents OWLS Fashion Show of Oregon Women Lawyers. Gwyn and Benefit for brings to the post her experience Dress for Success with corporate and nonprofit governance and budgeting, while Thursday, October 8, 4:30 p.m. Heather brings knowledge of liti- Dr. Martens gation and the courts, as well as 10 NW 10th Ave., Portland event organization. We chose to be co-presidents because, frankly, we were already close friends, Book Drive Begins Soon thanks to OWLS and the dragon Gwyneth McAlpine Heather Van Meter By Heather Vogelsong boat team, and if we can vacation overseas together, we can certainly take on the OWLS presidency together. We also he OWLS Coffee Creek Book Drive chose to be co-presidents to highlight the fact that women can achieve and contribute Twill take place the week of Monday, more by working together. Our skill sets are complementary, and we believe that this September 28, through Sunday, October 4. expanding statewide organization can benefit from our combined talents. We also Christine Furrer and Heather Vogelsong hope our co-presidency inspires other organizations and employers to think creatively are coordinating the drive, which collects about leadership opportunities to foster more diversity in leadership positions. books to donate to the Coffee Creek Cor- Gwyn has already been busy getting our corporate governance in place, including rectional Facility, located in Wilsonville. If proposing revisions to our bylaws to reflect the growth in chapters and the importance you can coordinate a drop-off site for books, of having statewide and diverse representation on our board. Gwyn also worked please contact Heather Vogelsong before with our prior executive director, Catherine Ciarlo, to finalize a policy manual that August 1 at [email protected]. And addresses topics such as political endorsements and the privacy of the OWLS member- please speak with Heather before seeking ship list. Heather has been working with Executive Director Linda Tomassi and board donations from outside of OWLS. members Cynthia Fraser and Kathi Rastetter to organize the OWLS 20th anniversary Hard- and soft-cover books will be ac- celebration, scheduled for September 25 at the Marriott Waterfront in Portland. The cepted. Books on CD are also acceptable, event will feature nationally known keynote speaker Sarah Weddington, who argued but NO books on tape. Roe v. Wade before the U.S. Supreme Court at age 26, among other accomplishments. Any form of fiction is acceptable. Our theme is how far we have come as women lawyers, and how far we have yet to Mysteries, romance, and science fiction/ go. We are very excited about the event, and you won’t want to miss it! fantasy are the most popular. The women Additionally, Gwyn and Heather have worked with the board and Linda to create at Coffee Creek have a wide range of and adopt OWLS’ first employee handbook. Speaking of Linda, she is doing excel- reading abilities, as well as tastes in lent work as our new executive director, including organizing and attending events literature. If you read a book and liked throughout the state. In the past few months, Gwyn, Heather, and Linda have visited it, chances are that someone at Coffee half the OWLS chapters, and we plan to visit all chapters by year-end. These regional Creek will too. Books written for young visits serve the purpose of strengthening our chapter ties, offering program assistance adults are particularly needed. to chapters, and ensuring that our chapters know the important role they all play in Nonfiction is also acceptable, but NO making our statewide organization meaningful and valuable to everyone. true crime books, books on gambling, In closing, and consistent with the “How Far We Have Come” theme for our 20th law books (the facility buys those), or anniversary celebration, we want to acknowledge the advances recently made on textbooks of any kind will be accepted. Oregon’s judiciary. OWLS board member Frances Roberts Burge was just named as the Children’s books are also welcome— first minority female judge on the Douglas County Circuit Court. And at the Federal many of the women have children who Courthouse Connection on June 5, we were thrilled to honor Judge Ann Aiken as visit them, and reading together is a Oregon’s first female U.S. District Court chief judge. Oh how far we’ve come. great bonding experience. But please, NO coloring or activity books that have already been used or played with. Books must be in good-to-excellent condition. No books with torn covers. Gwyneth McAlpine Heather Van Meter No books that have been written in. No Co-Presidents, Oregon Women Lawyers books that are water damaged or have broken spines. The basic rule: Donate Congratulations, OWLS Members Recently Appointed to the Bench only books that you would give as gifts to friends. We are giving the women at Frances Roberts Burge, Douglas County Circuit Court Judge Coffee Creek gifts—and their high quality Cynthia Easterday, Yamhill County Circuit Court Judge will convey the message that we care. Karen Brisbin, Clackamas County Justice of the Peace Questions? Please contact Heather Vogelsong at [email protected]. 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 2009 OWLS 20th Anniversary Celebration and CLE on September 25 in Portland Breaking Barriers: How Far We Have Come, How Far We Have to Go he OWLS Fall CLE and 20th An- to 5:30 p.m. The distinguished panelists OWLS’ 20th niversary Reception and Awards will include Holly Fujie, president of the anniversary TPresentation will be on Friday, California State Bar; Janis Harwell, in- follows close September 25, at the Waterfront Mar- house counsel for Intermec Inc. of Everett, on the heels riott in downtown Portland.