OHIO WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION NETWORK NEWSLETTER Volume XIX Issue No. 1 Winter 2011 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. Ohio Women’s Bar Association president gives remarks at the swearing-in ceremony for Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor Below is the speech given by Ohio Well, believe me, it is all those things Women’s Bar Association President Val - and more. Honor. Privilege. Pleasure. oria C. Hoover at the swearing in cere - But today Chief Justice O’Connor, mony for Chief Justice Maureen members of the court, honored guests, O’Connor on Jan. 7, 2011, in Columbus, my presence here today is a time of joy! Ohi o. To view the ceremony, go to the Joy to be saying a few words in honor following link: www.ohiochannel.org. of my bar colleague, a role model and It is customary for anyone speaking at my friend, Maureen O’Connor, as she these great occasions to begin her re - makes history and becomes the 10th marks with the phrase, “it is my great chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. honor” or “my rare privilege,” or per - (Continued on page 2) haps “I have the distinct pleasure.” Inside this issue Calendar of Events ..........................3 McGee Brown sworn in as first OWBA Founders’ gala to honor Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor ....6 African-American woman on OWBF scholarship ..........................7 state’s highest court OWBA Sustaining Members ..........8 Members in the News ....................8 During a momentous week for the Governor Strickland administered the Ohio judiciary, Yvette McGee Brown oath of office to McGee Brown during Welcome new OWBA members ..10 was sworn in as the first African- a public swearing-in ceremony at the OWBA honors central Ohio’s American woman justice in the 207- King Arts Complex in the Columbus newest women attorneys .................12 year history of the Supreme Court of neighborhood where she was raised. Ohio. Her swearing-in came after Jus - More than 750 people from across New lawyers gather in Cincinnati ..13 tice Maureen O'Connor took the oath Ohio gathered to celebrate the historic Cincinnati rainmaking seminar .....14 of office the day before, becoming the event. McGee Brown follows former Legislative Committee update .......16 first woman to serve as Ohio's chief Justices Robert M. Duncan and Lloyd justice. Governor Ted Strickland ap - O. Brown as the third African-Ameri - Age discrimination: pointed former judge McGee Brown to can member of Ohio’s high court and It’s all relevant .................................18 the Supreme Court in early December is the eighth woman to serve on the Family Friendly Award ...................20 when the seat became open after Jus - Court. With her appointment, the Court tice O’Connor was elected as Chief has its third ever female majority. Charitable giving and volunteerism in Justice in November. (Continued on page 4) your networking strategy ................22 OWBA board members President’s Message (Continued from page 1) President Valoria C. Hoover I said my friend, as Being first or among the first has always Chief Justice O’Con - been the least of it. Performing at the level President-Elect Jennifer B. Rhoads nor has on occasion of the very best in her calling is the one jokingly lamented and only expectation she set for herself at Vice President that when she be - every turn. And Maureen has met that Angela M. Courtwright came a judge she lost goal, surpassed that goal on each occasion. her first name as She may have been breaking through ceil - Secretary friends no longer ings with regularity, but she’s done that Amanda Martinsek called her Maureen with both feet planted firmly on the floor: Valoria C. Hoover but Judge. Today, I sure, steady and solid in her professional - Treasurer will take a small liberty and occasionally Denise Platfoot Lacey ism, integrity, diligence and commitment. refer to Chief Justice O’Connor as Mau - Immediate Past President reen. I have had the great honor (and yes, I’ll also use the phrase “rare privilege” be - Lisa R. House To be sure I also said, “Makes history.” cause it fits) of seeing these qualities in And indeed this is a day to mark in history, Trustees Maureen first-hand, as her career has for Maureen, for members of my organiza - Grace Royalty flourished and her extraordinary leader - tion, the Ohio Women’s Bar Association, Laura Sanom ship emerged. I saw those qualities in the for everyone in our profession, for this Erica Sherrick days when I observed Magistrate and Court and for the great State of Ohio. Judge Patricia A. Delaney then, Judge Maureen O’Connor on the Joyce Anagnos This isn’t the first time Maureen has made trial bench in Summit County and as Ad - Judge M. Mary DeGenaro Veena Khanna history in her career. Nor is there any rea - ministrative Judge during a time when I Jennifer J. Jacquemain son to think it should be the last. Certainly was working there with the Ninth District Laura G. Kuykendall this state and nation have seen women at - Court of Appeals. From my time as a staff C. Lynne Day torneys make history—in reaching the pin - attorney at the Ohio Supreme Court, I fol - Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman nacle. Among them: Nettie Cronise Lutes, lowed her career as she was elected Sum - Mellissia Fuhrmann Ohio’s first woman attorney; Justice Flo - mit County Prosecutor O’Connor and Carrie Gutowski rence Allen, first woman on the Ohio built a record of service and tenacity that Carrie A. Masters Supreme Court; Ohio Attorney General led to statewide leadership roles as Lieu - Erin Holmes Betty Montgomery; U.S. Attorney General tenant Governor of Ohio and Director of Michelle M. Proia Janet Reno; Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; Public Safety, a position that perhaps was Justice Sonia Sotomayor; and most re - the most demanding cabinet role in the Past Presidents cently, Justice Yvette McGee Brown. months following 9-11. Pamela Nagle Hultin (92-93) Mary Lynn Readey (93-94) But I am certain that history was never So it was no surprise to me or to anyone Barbara J. Smith (94-95) the first thing on the mind for any of who had witnessed her performance in Linde Hurst Webb (95-96) those women. It wasn’t on Maureen’s those roles to see Maureen elected (by Laura A. Hauser (96-97) mind when she crossed important thresh - sizeable margins) to two terms as Justice Kirsti Talikka Garlock (97-98) olds earlier in her career or for the one of the Ohio Supreme Court. And now Maria A. Kortan-Sampson (98-99) she’s crossing today. with another strong electoral showing as Jami S. Oliver (99-00) the overwhelming choice for Ohio’s high - The remarkable story of her truly re - Helen MacMurray (00-01) est judicial office. Debra J. Horn (01-02) markable career isn’t one about history Suzanne M. Nigro (02-03) or about being among the first or even The latest step in her career may sound a Michelle J. Sheehan (03-04) being the very first. It has always been bit grand to some, but being grand (like Halle M. Hebert (04-05) about being the best. About being a doing something just to be the first) is not Monique B. Lampke (05-06) leader. About being the one who takes on Maureen’s style. In fact, she has shown a Pamela D Houston (06-07) an assignment with the determination and steadfast determination as Supreme Court Susan E. Petersen (07-08) strength of character and professional ex - Justice and now, as Chief Justice not to Michele A. Shuster (08-09) perience to do that job better than anyone wall herself up in some judicial ivory Lisa R. House (09-10) else. And then exceeding even those tower. She doesn’t let herself be removed lofty expectations! from the lives of everyday Ohioans or 2 President’s Message from appropriate involvement with involvement and understanding. should be today. But I saw Maureen use those who share her passion for the law. That’s not merely an assembly of it early in her judicial career in Summit grandiose words to be checked off as County. And we can all see that today The Ohio Women’s Bar Association bene - we work our way down a rating form. here in this courtroom or on the tele - fits greatly from her keen interest and in - These are very meaningful, quantifi - vised proceedings. (Watch those re- volvement. For example, she has agreed able and essential qualities that mem - runs. The art of listening is visible to join 11 colleagues from across the state bers of the bar look for in a judge, and with Maureen, the intensity of to serve as advisors to our new Ohio especially for someone who will lead her focus comes across in almost Women’s Bar Foundation Leadership In - our highest court. every shot.) It’s a clear demonstration stitute. Next week, just days after her ad - of Maureen’s ability, insistence really, vancement to Chief Justice, she will be Those are also exactly the qualities on letting the practitioners make their with us for the advisory committee’s first Maureen has demonstrated from her ear - case. Yes, from the bench, as always meeting and help us develop programs for liest days on the trial bench. But Mau - she’ll be challenging with well-pre - emerging leaders among women attorneys reen also possesses one crucial criterion pared, probative questions.