womenstowerofstrength

[womenstowerofstrength]

SDO is an incredibly important figure to female legal history as the first female justice on #SCOTUS. This quote demonstrates she sees herself as a woman in the legal field. Her view may differ wildly from Justice RBG or Justice Kagan. Nonetheless, it is important to document the experiences of all women. 

#WomensHistoryMonth ♀️ SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR

«I think the important thing about my appointment is not that I will decide cases as a woman, but that I am a woman who will get to decide cases»

E' stata la prima donna a fare parte della Corte Suprema degli Stati Uniti d'America, nominata dal Presidente Ronald Reagan nel 1981.

Nel 2009 è stata insignita della Medaglia Presidenziale della Libertà dal Presidente Obama.

[womenstowerofstrength]

Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor by Annie Leibovitz, Washington, D.C., 1997

[womenstowerofstrength]

Try to live every day like Elle Woods after Warner told her she wasn’t smart enough for law school.

[womenstowerofstrength]

#Women challenged male conventions and practices to make the legal profession better. 

Catharine Waugh, a 19th century lawyer,y questioned the advice of a male judge in 1889. “To be a successful lawyer,” the judge told Catharine, “you must follow the plan of working like a slave and living like hermit.” In the previous annual, the women women’s health discussed how to prioritize health and work. Catharine urged her fellow women to join her in challenging this practice by taking rest and committing to their health to prevent “another woman lawyer [dying] of overwork.”  

Men set the precedent of overworking oneself, but Catharine reminded her peers, who have the opportunity to alter practices as new additions to field, they do not have to comply. 

Shelley Dowling, a recently retired SCOTUS librarian, received a poem from a friend written to capture her admiration for Mrs. Dowling. Dowling taught the author of the poem that a place existed “in a ‘man’s’ world” for women “done with quiet dignity.”  The author implied Mrs. Dowling, alongside the women before her, carved women a distinct spot by contrasting a woman’s place with a man’s world. They did not have to behave like men to achieve a career.

Mrs. Dowling reached the library of the United States’ highest Court through acting in her own right. The connection to Mrs. Dowling inspired the author to challenge male practices to discover how women could attain success in their own way.

How do you bring difference to the legal field? What tips do you have for others challenging common practices? 

#women #legal profession #women in the workplace #diversity #lawyer

[womenstowerofstrength]

Sandra Day O'Connor being sworn in as Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice Warren Burger, as her husband John O'Connor looks on, 9/25/1981

Series: Reagan White House Photographs, 1/20/1981 - 1/20/1989

Collection: White House Photographic Collection, 1/20/1981 - 1/20/1989

Image description: Sandra Day O’Connor holds her left hand on two books held by her husband, and holds her right hand up. Warren Burger stands across from her and holds his own right hand up. In his left hand he holds a small piece of paper with writing on it. In the background is a bookcase with neat rows of matching books.

[womenstowerofstrength]

≠Did you know that one of the first women’s legal organization was named the Equity Club in the late 19th century?

When a group of women from around the nation came together to form the letter- writing group, they purposefully did not want to be seen as a bar association. A bar association would limit membership to only women who were actively practicing. They wanted new, retired, and current women who practiced as well as those who were simply interested in the profession. 

With the goal in mind to spread advice, encouragement, and other resources, Martha Pearce wrote, “We wanted to include as members many women who being non practitioners would be hardly eligible to membership [in a bar].”  She added that those women who have left the profession or just began preparing are “some [of the] most desirable members.”   Purposefully structuring the organization to include women who have completed or are currently beginning to join the law profession creates a vast pool of resources. They recognized that they needed to cast a wide net and gather many unique stories to increase women’s presence in the legal field. This also shows how people in all sections of the field can learn from each other. Experience ≠ Superiority. 

It is never too early or late to begin reaching out to those who are doing what you want to do! 

[womenstowerofstrength]

Layla Jackson, daughter of newly minted Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, did not know in 2016 that she would sit behind her mother during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for her nomination to the Supreme Court six years later. Former President Barack Obama may have passed Layla’s glowing endorsement of her mother to his successor, Joe Biden, who nominated her to the Supreme Court; however, this remains a mystery to the public and historians. Though 11-year-old Layla had many years until she entered the professional world, she already understood the importance of women supporting one another in their endeavors. Regardless of Layla’s innate inclination to support her mother, she recognized the necessity to learn from other women and see the value they add to a male oriented field like the judicial branch.

No matter how young you are, you can join in supporting women’s advancement in any field! 

#women #ketanji brown jackson #layla jackson #mother #supreme court #uga #uga law

[womenstowerofstrength]

Mentoring still matters. 

Connections among women continue to be essential in professional development and workplace advancement from the 19th century, when women began to gain rights and respect, to the present day, where 4 women sit on the nation’s highest bench. 

Though the advice no longer concerns questions about dawning bonnets in a courtroom, the strength and support women gain from talking about professional matters and conduct among themselves continues. 

The 19th century Equity Club is no longer a formal organization, BUT their spirit serves as a guide for all #women to continue to help one another. 

[womenstowerofstrength]

Do you want to get involved in a mentorship program?

Join William & Mary’s Women’s Mentorship Program:

- You will be paired with a staff mentor to focus on personal and professional development

Get involved in leading a Girl Scout Troop! 

https://www.girlscouts.org/en/get-involved/become-a-girl-scout/join-a-troop.html

Join the local Hampton Road’s Junior League!

https://www.jlhr.org/

Interested in Public Service? Check out PLEN:

https://plen.org/about-plen/

[womenstowerofstrength]

Almeda E. Hitchcock, a member of the 19th century Equity Club, left her family to attend law school. The combination of being away from her home and a male dominated land caused her to feel like a “stranger in a strange land.” Her senior female classmates, or “legal sisters,” brought her into their “circle of friendship” with unforgettable kindness. Hitchcock’s description of her classmates as “sisters” indicates that she viewed their bond as something that transcended being at the same school in the same field. She deeply trusted them. Whenever she needed their help on “any knotty matters,” they answered.  Almeda likely had cordial interactions with her male classmates, but she turned to her female friends during times of crisis or when she needed direction. Their shared experience as the few women in the school allowed them to offer a more tailored perspective than a man would because he would not understand what how it felt to be the minority.

How do you help your sisters out? Women don’t always have to #compete with one another. We can lead each other out of “strange lands.” 

SOURCE:  Drachman, Women Lawyers and the Origins of Professional Identity in America, 104.

#women #legal #mentorship #equity club #men

[womenstowerofstrength]

Shelley Dowling, former Supreme Court Librarian, had a close relationship Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. They exchanged annual greeting card correspondence. 

‘Light’ implies that RBG’s touch reached far and wide and brought women out of darkness. She acted as a guide, resource, and friend for Dowling personally in addition to her legal trailblazing.  Dowling’s inclusion of this metaphor in a hand- written greeting card speaks to the deep bond between her and Ginsburg.

How do you lead other women?

SOURCE:

Dowling, “Greeting Card from January 2008,” Box 1, Binder Ruth Bader Ginsburg Special Collections Research Center at the College of William & Mary.

#notorious rbg #rbg #light #women #strength #champion

[womenstowerofstrength]

Do you know the difference between a #RoleModel & a #Mentor? Though it is vague, a mentor and mentee often have more personal relationship than a role model does with an admirer. Though both are admired, a mentor gives more personal advice.

Who is a mentor in your life?

What is the best piece of advice you have received? 

SOURCES:

Allen, Anita. “On Being a Role Model.” Berkeley Women’s Law Journal 6, no. 22 (January 1, 1990), scholarship.law.upenn.edu/faculty_scholarship/613.

Kay, Herma Hill. “UC’s Women Law Faculty Brigitte M. Bodenheimer Memorial Lecture on the Family.” U.C. Davis Law Review 36, no. 2 (2003 2002): 331–406.

Petrie, Joe. “The Mom Mentor‘ Always Knows Best.” Wisconsin Law Journal, June 21, 2018. www.proquest.com/docview/2059387335/citation/94085C45218249EFPQ/1.

#mentorship #women #role model

[womenstowerofstrength]

In April of 1887, Laura Gordon expressed to fellow members of the Equity Club that she gained immense fortitude from discussing her experience within the legal profession with them. She not only gained this strength from sharing with them, but hearing from others about their experience. Who is your #TowerOfStrength? Mentorship- both intergenerational and peer mentorship- can change lives and make professions feel more like home!

Women don't have to #compete with one another to become champions in the legal field- or any professional field! Who is in your #TowerOfStrength? What characteristics do they have?

SOURCE: Virginia Drachman, Women Lawyers and the Origins of Professional Identity in America, (Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press, 1993), 50.

#women #mentorship

[womenstowerofstrength]

#ThisIsWhataMentorLooksLike

THIS WOMAN I KNOW, her name is Renu.  She is a human rights lawyer, a mother, and extremely passionate about social justice and equality. Renu highly values the role women can play in the public sphere - prioritizing mentorship of young women and promoting their visions for their futures, as real possibilities.  Renu believes that goal setting for young women is set strongly by the visibility of women in aspirational and challenging roles.  This is affirmed both by her personal experience of seeking role models throughout her education, as well as the feedback she receives during community engagement, especially from young South Asian women.   Renu is also devoted to navigating the private sphere, investing in her female friendships, and nurturing those connections.  Her network supports each other, and share their experiences and struggles, as they negotiate unpacking gendered roles within their partnerships, balancing their careers, and defining new conceptions of family. Through her work as the Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Renu is dedicated to seeking change, and hopes that one day we will all see human rights, equality and social justice as foundational values.

[womenstowerofstrength]

Young women and peer female colleagues have little known networks. However, though they are little, they can grow in influence and size! It is not unique or unheard of for women to form their own networks and relationships that lead to personal and professional growth. As more young women join or pursue these organizations, they can and WILL get bigger! 

Old Boys Network

   A major component to the law field is connections and mentoring. Internships, connections made, and networking all help lawyers get their first jobs out of law school. Until the 1980s law firms were all men, with women being secretaries or lower level paralegals. Today the mentality of old retiring lawyers has not changed. Male lawyers are more likely to mentor younger male lawyer (wald 2010).  This is a great disadvantage to women trying to reach the upper tier of pay at a law firm.

  Law is a male dominated field, and while women continue to join the force in large number a glass viewing blocks many women from continuing on. Male partners look to take on younger mentors, to show them the ropes when they enter the field. Given that males dominate the top tier, and are significantly more likely to take on male mentors, this leads to a cycle. Males mentor other men who then take their position at the tip upon retirement. This shut out of women from mentorship damages their learning and their ability to make connections to those who the firm represents. Upon retirement the clients handled by the mentor are likely passed down the the mentee, increasing male retention of dominance (Wald 2010).  The male dominated culture of law firms creates a system where men retain the biggest clients and therefore the most power.

[womenstowerofstrength]

POC women face different hurdles and have different experiences than their white counterparts; thus, it is important that young POC girls have role models to look upto! It is KEY 🔑 to look for women like Neena in your community to form a mentorship relationship with! 

Neena R. Speer, Trademark Attorney, Hits Amazon Bestseller lists for Her New Book Release: “Dear Future Lawyer An Intimate Survival Guide For The Minority Female Law Student.”

https://authoritypresswire.com/?p=33407 Her book hit bestseller lists on Amazon.com within 24 hours of release, achieving #1 New Release in One-L Legal Profession, #1 in Legal Education Profession, and #2 in Law Legal Education.Her groundbreaking book includes three distinct sections that guide prospective and current law students through the process of law school. These include:The Plunge The Rat Race The Servant (we focus on “the grind” part of this chapter for our talk)The Kindle Edition has bonus content, including:Milestones to track progress through each sectionHow to join her #LostSistersCircle Safe Space for all levels of aspiring and current minority women in lawPros and Cons checklist of Big Firm/Law Jobs versus a Solo Practice#TrademarkThatThursdays™ Signature List of Definitions in IP LawFeatured business recommendations for business startup needs Speer explained that one of the key learning objectives this book provides is that when it is understood that certain milestones are required and may feel overwhelming, the student feels less apprehensive about what lies ahead. Understanding the steps to take to successfully navigate through each stage of law school will empower the student to levels of achievement they never thought possible. Speer said: “If you don’t find your passion during law school, you will be forced to process poor occupational wellness and feelings of dissatisfaction. Thus, you will later have to restart and reinvent yourself for your own happiness. Furthermore, the blessings you receive from understanding the grind part of your third year in law school are wrapped up in learning how to be of better service to others rather than feeling superior just because you hold a Juris Doctor degree. “ Purchase a copy of her book on Amazon  About Neena Speer:Neena is an attorney, author, speaker, and truth dealer. She has a solo law firm called the Neena R. Speer Law Firm LLC. She is a Founder and Executive Director of her mentoring nonprofit focused on continuous mentorship for all students at all levels K-12 & college, Step 1-2-3 Mentor for Life Initiative, that she started her 3L year of law school. Lastly, she is a five-time published author with her most recent book being Dear Future Lawyer: An Intimate Survival Guide for the Female Minority Law Student. Her passion since she was in eighth grade was to be a criminal defense attorney in her hometown where she grew up: Birmingham, AL. She is living out that dream and beyond as she has spoken  for countless organizations including the University of Alabama School of Law, the YMCA, the Black Girl Project, the National HBCU Pre-Law Summit, and her upcoming TEDx Youth Davenport Talk entitled “Diversity Redefined” March 2021. Her talks are about her experiences as a law student, a black minority in the law field, and her journey past failing her first bar exam. She specializes in Trademarks, Copyrights, Business Formation, Contracts Drafting/Review, Criminal Defense, and Family Law.Learn More: https://neenarspeerlawfirm.com      

[womenstowerofstrength]

Though WriteGirl reaches beyond the legal field, it is an important reminder that writing one another and documented experiences as well as advice is a KEY 🔑 to success! 

Finding magic in mentorship: How one CNN Hero inspired thousands of young women to write their own success stories

Keren Taylor, who started WriteGirl, a creative writing and mentoring program for teenagers in Los Angeles, has seen it firsthand. “What we see is that young people have been slipping away. Many of them are not showing up at school, online,” said Taylor, a 2014 CNN Hero. When the pandemic hit, Taylor’s team moved all of their programs online in order to reach “the most teens, that are in the greatest need.” “Many of our girls come from environments where they’re really struggling with unstable family situations, violence in their communities,” she said.

With a goal to empower girls through creativity and expression, WriteGirl offers participants support, guidance and the tools to have their voices heard. During the pandemic, mentees have continued their exploration of subjects such as poetry, screenwriting, journalism and songwriting. In a recent workshop, singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb took lyrics that the girls wrote and turned them into song.

The organization in recent years has expanded to include programs for boys and coed groups and has clarified its definition of girls to include nonbinary and transgender youth. “It’s teens that are at risk of slipping through the cracks,” Taylor said of those she helps. “We bring them in and get them inspired … show them poetry, journaling, songwriting.” After being laid off from a corporate job in 2001, Taylor used her severance money to launch WriteGirl. Since then, the non-profit has grown from working with 30 girls in a community center to serving more than 500 teens a year. Volunteers and mentors include journalists, screenwriters, authors, poets and executives. “Our mentors work every week with teen girls online. And we do a lot of special events and readings, and a whole college program to help all of our girls go to college,” Taylor said. College is especially important now. In Los Angeles, where WriteGirl is headquartered, high school graduation rates have improved in recent years. Taylor says making sure teens stay on a college-bound trajectory is more important than ever. “Many of our girls do struggle with connectivity,” Taylor said. “When we find out a girl is in need of a computer, we have been trying to raise the funds to purchase laptops, especially for our college-bound teens, where a laptop becomes critical.”

All the girls in WriteGirl receive one-on-one mentoring to work on their writing, speaking skills and academics. This, Taylor says, gives them the confidence to speak up and reach out for help in school, in their relationships and at home. WriteGirl alums include journalists, writers, doctors, lawyers — many have master’s degrees and doctorates. “It’s really exciting to see all the different things they’re doing in the world,” Taylor said. “That they want to do work of meaning is really the most exciting thing for me.” Earlier this year, WriteGirl graduate Amanda Gorman delivered her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” at the inauguration of US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “We are always encouraging our girls to share their own story,” Taylor said. “Amanda is the only one that could put that particular story together, she put herself right in the middle of the poem. She shared it as herself.” A group of WriteGirl volunteers, staff and mentors gathered for a virtual watch party to support Gorman when she took center stage. “When we saw her perform at the inauguration, we could see the same things that we really embody at WriteGirl represented in her,” Taylor said. “Confidence. Being willing to really be present. What was really exciting to know was that she represents not only every girl that’s ever been in WriteGirl, but she also represents every young woman in this country.” Want to get involved? Check out the WriteGirl website and see how to help.

Source link Orbem News

#CNN #finding #hero #Inspired #magic #Mentorship #Stories #success #thousands #Women #write #young