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Getting A Seat At The Table: Women Of Color As Elected OfficialsBy Euketa Oliver
Women of color have been historically under represented among the ranks of elected officials, which has contributed to the lack of attention paid to issues that affect women and diverse communities. For example, women of color constitute only 7.4% of state legislators, even though women of color constitute about around 20% of the United States population. A recent law that illustrates how “having a seat at the table” makes a difference for women of color is the “Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (“CROWN”) Act, SB 188, enacted this past June, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on traits historically associated with race, such as policies that prohibit natural hair.
September 2019
LAWYERS CLUB NEWS
INSIDE A Full House For The Eighth Annual General Counsel Luncheon — See page 6 Tribute to Marguerite Wagner — See page 11
The Impact of VotingPresident’s Message
100 Years Of Women's SuffrageBy Elvira Cortez
Lawyers Club of San Diego promotes nonpartisan advocacy for policies to establish real gender equity in the workplace and society. To achieve important policy goals, like equal pay and paid family leave, it will take collective action to persuade both Democrats and Republicans to pass the necessary legislation. Our history shows that only concerted, collective action can lead to real change, which is evident as we celebrate the centennial of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
Beginning as early as the 1840s, the women’s suffrage movement gained national recognition at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. Led by determined leaders and organizers like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, and Sojourner Truth, many women organized for decades to create the political pressure necessary to pass the 19th Amendment. In 1913, women’s suffrage leaders organized the Woman Suffrage Procession, the first political large-scale march in the nation’s capital. Eventually, the movement included hundreds of thousands of women who won political support for suffrage through committed and unified action.
Continued on page 3
Elvira Cortez practices business and commercial litigation and employment defense at Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP and is president of Lawyers Club.
What: Diverse Women’s Committee September LuncheonWhen: September 19, 2019Time: Check-In: 11:30 a.m.; Program: Noon - 1:15 p.m.Where: Westin San Diego, Emerald PlazaRSVP: www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
What? When?
Where?
Continued on page 4
Speaker: Georgette Gomez, San Diego City Council President
2 Lawyers Club News september 2019
Lawyers Club News 3www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
President's Messsage Continued from cover
Elvira Cortez practices business and commercial litigation and employment defense at Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP and is president of Lawyers Club.
Such committed and unified action is just as important now for women as it was in 1919. Even after 100 years of enfranchisement, significant inequities remain for women, which include:
· women earn only 81% of the wages earned by men (65% for black women and 62% for Latinas);
· women are underrepresented in leadership positions in business and the legal profession; and
· the lack of mandatory paid family leave.
Women’s rights have also suffered under a recent political backlash. For example, over the past three years, nineteen states have passed bills imposing more than 173 new restrictions on abortion, the government attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), which contains significant maternity and reproductive coverage, and the government issued rules to allow employers to restrict access to birth control under the ACA.
Despite the backlash, proponents of women’s rights have continued to push for gender equity. Echoing the 1913 march on Washington, the 2017 Women’s March showed that feminists are just as energized to continue the fight for equity. The 2018 midterm election was also
a step in the right direction for women. Fifty-five percent of eligible women voted in the midterm (a 12% increase and 3.2% more than men) and a record number of women (127) were voted into Congress. In commemoration of the passage of the 19th Amendment, in addition to concerted advocacy, women should increase voter turnout and vote for representatives that understand the need for gender equity and pass important legislation, including securing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.
As we celebrate women’s suffrage as a momentous achievement for women, we must remember that true equity cannot be accomplished without commitment and unified action. We must not only continue the push for true gender equity but also fight to maintain the hard-fought policies we have obtained. One way each of you can further our cause is to join us at our next luncheon—Lawyers Club’s Diverse Women’s Committee September Luncheon—which will feature a panel of elected officials, all women of color, to discuss the path to achieve elective office. I hope to see you at our first luncheon!
4 Lawyers Club News september 2019
Getting A Seat At The Table: Women Of Color As Elected OfficialsContinued from cover
Nominations Welcome: Community Service Award, Belva Lockwood Award and C. Hugh Friedman New Lawyer Award.
Lawyers Club is asking for nominations of Lawyers Club members to be considered for the following awards which will be given at next year's Annual Dinner: the Belva Lockwood Award, the Community Service Award, and the C. Hugh Friedman New Lawyer Award.
· The Belva Lockwood Award recognizes a Lawyers Club member whose contributions to the organization are outstanding.
· The Community Service Award honors a Lawyers Club member whose local community activities have served to improve the status of women and to promote equality.
· And the C. Hugh Friedman New Lawyer Award recognizes a Lawyers Club member in practice seven years or less who is a champion in advancing Lawyers Club’s mission and who has demonstrated leadership and professionalism within the San Diego legal community.
·
Nominations must complete the online application or send electronically to the Annual Dinner Co-Chairs (Amanda Singer, [email protected] and Kimberly Ahrens, [email protected]) no later than 5:00 PM on October 10, 2019. Please see the website or weekly emails for the application or email the Annual Dinner Co-Chairs.
2018-2019 Annual Dinner award recipients. Top to bottom: Regina A. Petty, Rupa Singh, and Shannon Finley.
Lawyers Club’s Diverse Women’s Committee is bringing attention to issues of representation and leadership with a monthly luncheon entitled: “Getting a Seat at the Table: Women of Color as Elected Officials.” The luncheon will include a talk by Georgette Gomez, San Diego City Council President. Gomez ran and won the election to represent City Council District 9 in 2016. In December 2018, the City Council voted unanimously to appoint her as City Council President and she serves as chair of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit District. A San Diego native, and first generation Mexican-American, Gomez grew up in Barrio Logan and graduated from San Diego State University. She has served as a victims’ advocate, assisting survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and served as a community organizer, leading the Toxic Free Campaign. Gomez will share her wisdom and experiences regarding her impact as a leader and discuss what lies ahead for San Diego County, California, and the nation. Other guests may also be announced.
Lawyers Club’s Diverse Women’s Committee is excited to host this annual luncheon at the Westin San Diego, Emerald Plaza. The event is sponsored by Aguirre Allen Law. The Diverse Women’s Committee, co-chaired by Euketa Oliver and Arlene Yang, works to identify, confront, and address particular challenges that women of color, as double minorities continue to face in the legal profession and society, particularly in San Diego.
Please come and support the Diverse Women’s Committee and Lawyers Club.
Euketa Oliver serves as co-chair of the Diverse Women’s Committee. She is a Deputy Public Defender at the Office of the Primary Public Defender.
What: Diverse Women’s Committee September LuncheonWhen: September 19, 2019Time: Check-In: 11:30 a.m.; Program: Noon - 1:15 p.m.Where: Westin San Diego, Emerald PlazaRSVP: www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
What? When?
Where?
Lawyers Club News 5www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club members Carolina Bravo-Karimi, Sandra Brower, Crystal Culhane, and Parisa Weiss, have all been named 2019 Women of Influence by SD Metro Magazine. Bravo-Karimi is the first Latina partner at Wilson Turner Kosmo, and a member of the firm’s Employment Law group. Brower is a partner with Higgs Fletcher & Mack whose practice focuses on real estate litigation. Culhane is an associate at Fish & Richardson and her legal practice focuses on various aspects of intellectual property law for clients in the chemistry, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, nanotechnology and medical device industries. Weiss is a shareholder at Seltzer Caplan McMahon and focuses in the areas of estate planning, trust and probate administration & litigation. Congratulations to these influential women!
ElectedCarolina Bravo-Karimi, a partner with Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP, was elected president-elect of the
University of San Diego School of Law Alumni Board of Directors. Bravo-Karimi graduated from USD School of Law in 2008 and will lead the Law Alumni Board starting July 2021. She will serve a two-year term.
AwardsRenee Stackhouse of Stackhouse, APC, past Lawyers Club vice president and director, was awarded
the Lawyers Club of San Diego North County Community Service Award by Lawyers Club president Danna Cotman on Thursday, June 20, at the North County Bar Association annual dinner. The award, designated by the Lawyers Club Board of Directors, was made in recognition of Stackhouse’s exemplary leadership, professional achievement, and an unwavering commitment to improve and advance the status of women and to promote diversity and equality through both high-level and hands-on community service in the San Diego community and beyond. In addition to Lawyers Club, Stackhouse has contributed to other organizations such as California Women Lawyers, San Diego La Raza Lawyers, National Association of Women Judges, San Diego County Bar Association, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Tom Homann Law Association, and many others.
On the MoveSierra J. Spitzer has joined the Brown Law Group as senior counsel. Spitzer works closely with employers,
corporate counsel, human resource personnel, insurance companies and business owners, providing counseling and assistance in prevention, investigation and early resolution of labor and employment issues. She is also experienced at both prosecuting and defending these types of disputes and claims throughout the litigation process.
Carla Sanderson is associate counsel at LPL Financial LLC and a former director of Lawyers Club.
About Us
Lawyers Club Members Making NewsBy Lauren Bushman
Honored
Carolina Bravo-Karimi
Sandra Brower
Crystal Culhane
Parisa Weiss
Renee Stackhouse
Sierra J. Spitzer
Have you spoken at a professional conference? Changed jobs? Won any recent awards?Don’t be shy about sharing the good news! Submit news of your or your colleagues’ career accomplishments
(awards, promotions, job changes, board appointments, published articles, presentations, etc.) to [email protected]. The deadline for each issue of Lawyers Club News
is the first of the month. Please include your headshot if you would like your picture to be featured.
6 Lawyers Club News september 2019
A Full House For The Eighth Annual General Counsel LuncheonBy Emilia Arutunian
Lawyers Club of San Diego held a successful Eighth Annual General Counsel Luncheon on June 20. The sold-out event commenced with an address by keynote speaker Karen Landers, general counsel at San Diego Metropolitan Transit Services. Landers began her thought-provoking presentation starting with an overview of her own background, discussing her journey from college to law school to motherhood and career and on to how she received and decided to accept the opportunity to join MTS as in-house counsel.
Landers emphasized the importance of “grit” as attributing to her career success. As detailed in a book by Angela Lee Ducksworth, grit is the notion that an individual’s passion and perseverance are key to her success and, importantly, that talent alone is generally insufficient for success. Grit is the combination of talent and effort that ultimately becomes skill and effort. Recent studies demonstrate that grit is a better predictor of success than talent alone, and people who have talent without effort are unlikely to achieve their full potential.
Landers noted that the American Bar Association has recognized the importance of grit to a lawyers’ success. Its “Grit Project” focuses on women’s use of both grit and a growth mindset to advance in the legal community. A growth mindset is one that views failure not as an end but as an opportunity for improvement—as compared to a fixed mindset, which adheres to the notion that people are born with intelligence and talent and cannot do much to alter or improve their natural talents.
As Landers explained, the combination of grit with a growth mindset helps a professional advance because she does not let roadblocks or disappointments derail her or hold her back from future opportunities or improvement of her job performance. The growth mindset is broadly advantageous, not only assisting individuals in maintaining job satisfaction and identifying their passions, but also enabling professionals to find balance in their personal lives.
Landers wrapped up by noting that among the challenges that women professionals face—and cannot conquer with grit and growth mindset alone—is unconscious bias. Landers emphasized the importance of recognizing our own biases noting that even those most impacted by unconscious bias have unconscious biases of their own, sometimes against
members of the groups to which they belong. Landers encouraged all attendees to speak more broadly about unconscious bias with their colleagues in an effort to limit the impact of bias in the workplace.
Following the presentation, attendees engaged in roundtable discussions with the in-house counsel at their tables: Hollie Bierman of SDG&E; Celia Eckert of Synthetic Genomics, Inc.; Ryan Evans of Qdoba Restaurant Corp.; Vessela Garvey of CP Global Companies; Denise Jackson of AMN Healthcare; Shaka Johnson of Sony Electronics; Genevieve Kelly of Petco; Adrianna Kripke of SDG&E; Jennifer MacDougall of Jack in the Box; Laura MacNeel of Aya Healthcare; Mhairi Marsh of Qualcomm; and Leigh Ryan of Teleperformance. In-house guests discussed their career paths, how they made the decisions to go in house, adversities they have witnessed that women face in their professional journeys, and what they believed companies could do to assist women in battling these adversities.
Participants left the presentation with a renewed outlook. Kelly Gemelli of Jackson Lewis P.C. commented, “As we often serve as outside counsel, I always enjoy hearing the in-house counsel perspective. Client service is always our #1 priority.” Another attendee commented that the presentation and roundtable discussion demonstrated how versatile legal careers are, in that attorneys need not “end up where they land” and should pursue opportunities to try different fields until they discover their passions.
Emilia Arutunian is an associate at Jackson Lewis, P.C.
Lawyers Club thanks all the in-house counsel participants and Lawyers Club members who helped make this year’s event a success.
Lawyers Club News 7www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club of San Diego thanks title sponsor Pettit Kohn Ingrassia Lutz and Dolin for its support of this event and thanks Karen Landers and all the in-house participants for their thoughtful contributions.
Professional Advancement
Committee co-chairs Sherry
Thompson-Taylor and Kara Siegel.
Keynote speaker, Metropolitan Transit Services General Counsel, Karen Landers.
Danna Cotman, former Lawyers Club president.
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8 Lawyers Club News september 2019
Workplace Equity & Civility InitiativeBy Hanna Venizelos and Danna Cotman
In another step to establish San Diego as “America’s Finest City”, Lawyers Club, the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC), and the San Diego Union-Tribune have come together to inspire and empower companies to create cultures that make San Diego America’s finest place to work.
The Workplace Equity & Civility Initiative (WE&CI) is a collaborative effort that seeks to transform workplaces throughout the San Diego region. WE&CI was born out of the collaborative work of San Diego City Councilmember Barbara Bry and Lawyers Club of San Diego, later joined by NCRC and the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Workplace Equity Initiative began as a response to the #MeToo movement and reflected Councilmember Bry’s vision of bringing together all aspects of the employment community, large and small businesses, non-profit organizations, and labor unions to address harassment and equal pay in the workplace. The goal was also to work as a community to address gender and other equity issues in the workplace. Following multiple community forums and gathering bright minds from various organizations around the San Diego region, the Workplace Equity Initiative came together as a true collaborative effort.
Simultaneously, NCRC, seeing a need for greater civility in the workplace, developed an initiative with the San Diego Union-Tribune to host a variety of workshops that would empower individuals to champion civility in the workplace. These workshops offer three innovative ways to create a more respectful workplace culture:
· The ART of Inclusive Communication explores how to cultivate inclusive communication with a diverse workforce;
· The Exchange teaches managers and supervisors how to facilitate challenging conversations between employees who might be in conflict with one another, and;
· The Bystander Challenge empowers individuals to be effective bystanders by giving them tools to speak up when they see inappropriate conduct in the workplace, to prevent these situations from escalating into harassment.
When 50 percent or more of an organization’s workforce completes one of the three workshops, NCRC and the San Diego Union-Tribune publicly recognize that organization as being “dedicated to a civil workplace”.
At the same time NCRC was working on its parallel initiative with the Union-Tribune, Lawyers Club, following the work of its Sexual Harassment Task Force, created resources for both employers and employees to shed light on harassment in the workplace and to provide resources for both employees and employers to eradicate harassment or to seek help to address it when necessary.
The efforts of NCRC and Lawyers Club came together in the WE&CI to create a stronger and streamlined single community effort. Co-sponsored by Lawyers Club, NCRC, and the San Diego Union-Tribune, The Workplace Equity & Civility Initiative asks that organizations sign on to “The Commitment” and educate 50 percent or more of their workforce through one of the three workshops. As organizations adopt “The Commitment”, they are recognized on the WE&CI website as Commitment signers. Organizations that complete both steps receive The Workplace Equity & Civility seal and are recognized in the San Diego Union-Tribune and on the WE&CI website as a certified organization.
Visit https://sites.google.com/view/weci/about-weci for more information on how your organization can participate.
Hanna Venizelos is a Lawyers Club member and the program manager at External Relations National Conflict Resolution Center and member of the Workplace Equity & Civility Initiative.
Danna Cotman is the owner and founder of ARC IP Law, PC and co-chair of the Workplace Equity & Civility Initiative.
Lawyers Club of San Diego
402 West Broadway, Suite 1260,
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 595-0650 phone(619) 595-0657 fax
President Elvira Cortez
Vice Presidents Yahairah AristyBrigid Campo
Tracy SchimelfenigMegan Walker
Directors Kimberly Ahrens
Katherine Lee CareyShannon Finley
Amanda LoCurtoJinsook Ohta
Maggie SchroedterAmanda Singer
Sara WallerJulie Wolff
Arlene Yang
Editor Suzanne Pollack
Associate EditorLauren Bushman
Staff Articles CoordinatorAlina Litoshyk
Executive Director Elaine Lawrence
Director of ProgrammingIvy Kosmides
Lawyers Club News is published monthly 11 times a year, with a combined
July/August issue.
Lawyers Club welcomes contributions to the newsletter, as well as your comments
and suggestions regarding Lawyers Club News; contact Suzanne Pollack at
[email protected]. The deadline for articles is the 1st of the month
prior to the month of publication. Articles should be submitted in Microsoft Word.
The advertising deadline is the 1st of the month prior to the month of publication. For
advertising information, contact Allison Troini at [email protected].
Lawyers Club News 9www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
What A Time To Be Alive: The 2019 San Diego Pride MarchBy Julie O. Wolff
For the second year in a row, Lawyers Club marched in support of equality at San Diego Pride. Pride attendance increased from about 300,000 to an estimated 350,000. Lawyers Club doubled its marchers to over fifty, which considerably increased its community visibility.
At a time when many feel the fight for equality has taken significant steps back, marchers carried the Lawyers Club banner with pride while handing out rainbow flags, festive stickers, and popsicles. Along with the festive decorations, there was a sense of solidarity and a feeling of camaraderie in outwardly advocating for equality in the community and beyond.
Lawyer’s Club LGBTQ Pride Sub-Committee co-chair Kaitlin Preston remarked, “Being able to have a good portion of our legal organizations walk together in pride this year was quite phenomenal because we were able to show the entire community that not only does the legal community love and support but there are resources available that most people may not be aware of. For me, it’s not what I got out of the event, this event is for everyone in the community and what I can hopefully give back to them.”
Preston, along with sub-committee co-chair Trini Tang, organized San Diego’s legal community of Lawyers Club, the San Diego County Bar Association, Legal Aid, La Raza, North County LGBTQ Services, the California Innocence Project, and the Public Defender’s Office literally marching one after the other. This strength sent a powerful message that lawyers stand up for the rights of everyone regardless of sex and gender.
Lawyers Club marcher Senior Deputy County Counsel Tanya Joyce gave the following testimonial about her experience: “I have been going to the San Diego Pride parade for at least the past ten years. This year, I was fortunate to march with fellow members of the legal community, including Lawyers Club and the San Diego County Bar Association. It was exciting to see how many attorneys, many of whom are not members of the LGTBQ community, are a part of this extraordinary event. For me, it has meant showing my solidarity and support for people who are too-often marginalized and discriminated-against. Many of my close friends and family members are LGBTQ, and I feel that it is crucial to display my alliance with them and to let the community at large know that we stand together, as one. It felt wonderful to hear all the chanting and clapping, and the repeated references to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots, which were commemorated around the world. I was grateful for the opportunity to march with such an enthusiastic group and hope to make it an ongoing tradition every summer.”
First time marcher Katrina Schlepp stated, “Marching with San Diego Lawyer’s Club during this year’s LGBTQ+ Pride Parade was a blast! I had fun getting to know some of the lawyers who represent our community and witness them come together to show solidarity with all San Diegans, regardless of identity. I can’t wait to march again next year!”
Lawyers Club’s LGBTQ Committee is also looking forward to marching again next year. Please join this committee and march with Lawyers Club in 2020.
Julie O. Wolff, child welfare law specialist, serves as a director of Lawyers Club, and co-chairs the LGBTQ Committee.
SDCBA president Lilys McCoy with LC board member and LGBTQ co-chair Julie O. Wolff.
Pride Sub-Committee co-chair Kaitlyn Preston and Lawyers Club member Sarah Burgh.
10 Lawyers Club News september 2019
Lawyers Club News 11www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Wagner was born and raised in Los Angeles, graduated from Van Nuys High School and attended San Jose State University before moving to San Diego County in 1967. At Western State University College of Law, Wagner was one of just a few women in her class. According to her husband of 22 years, Peter L. Dean, she was motivated to attend law school “by her deep commitment to women’s rights and raising two daughters as a single mom.” It was during her law school years that Wagner joined as a student member of Lawyers Club. Wagner was admitted to the California State Bar in 1977, after which she set up a family law practice in North County.
Wagner was active in many legal and civic organizations, including serving as president for the North County Bar Association and as a charter member of the North County Chapter of Lawyers Club where she served on its first Board. She was appointed by Gov. George Deukmejian to the North County Municipal Court in Vista in 1989 and appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson to the San Diego Superior Court in 1994. In 2006, she became the second woman to become supervising judge of the Superior Court’s North County Division—a role in which she served until her retirement in 2007, following 19 years on the bench.
In 1998, the North County Chapter of Lawyers Club honored Wagner with its prestigious Madge Bradley Award, and in 2008, she was presented
with the North County Chapter’s Athena Award to honor her lifetime achievements.
Wagner’s husband praised her as an accomplished artist, having sold and gifted many paintings, and an avid traveler, having visited all seven continents. Wagner is buried at the Miramar National Cemetery, San Diego.
George Brewster has retired from the active practice of law after 35 years, the last 30 with the Office of County Counsel, County of San Diego. He has been an active member of Lawyers Club for over 30 years, and remains so.
Betty Boone is one of San Diego’s trailblazers for women attorneys. She was the first female Chief Deputy County Counsel, and the first recipient of Lawyers Club’s Belva Lockwood Award. She oversaw the organization of Lawyers Club’s historical archives, which she continues to work on in her 90s!
Tribute to Marguerite WagnerBy George W. Brewster Jr. and Betty Evans Boone
Marguerite Wagner, Judge of the Superior Court and active Lawyers Club member, passed away on April 29, at the age of 79 after a year-long battle with cancer.
CongratulationsLawyers Club congratulates Justice Judith McConnell, recipient of the ABA’s 2019 Margaret Brent Women
Lawyers of Achievement Award, and Judge Margaret McKeown, recipient of the ABA’s John Marshall Award. A large contingent of Lawyers Club members were in attendance for the awards events at the ABA’s conference in San Francisco August 9-11.
Lawyers Club members at the awards event for the ABA’s conference in San Francisco.
12 Lawyers Club News september 2019
By Jennifer M. Oliver
We Are The North! Looking Forward To The 2019-2020 Lawyers Club Year In North And Mid-County San Diego
The new co-chairs of the Lawyers Club North/Mid County Committee anticipate a productive 2019-2020 Lawyers Club year! The goal for this year is to increase Lawyers Club engagement and membership in North and Mid-County, identify ways to make Lawyers Club even more valuable to North County firms and lawyers, and make all of Lawyers Club’s events and programming more accessible to our friends “above the 56.”
Accordingly, in addition to the illustrious International Women’s Day luncheon and other North/Mid County Committee programming that members have appreciated in the past, this year’s committee chairs are planning additional CLE and professional advancement programming to achieve the goals of advancing in leadership and building a book of business. In tandem with new programming will come added outreach to lawyers in North County to identify the needs and preferences of its constituency.
The committee recognizes the commute from North County to Downtown is not always convenient or feasible, and looks forward to continuing efforts to expand the Lawyers Club’s reach throughout San Diego County. To that end, the committee welcomes suggestions on topics for events and other ways it can better serve northern members and prospective members. And please note, the committee is not only for attorneys who work in North County, but also those who live there!
The North/Mid County Committee looks forward to another excellent year working toward Lawyers Club's mission of advancing the status of women in the law and society, and, in particular, this year’s focus on empowering women to change the paradigm.
Jennifer M. Oliver is a partner at MoginRubin LLP and is co-chair of the North County Committee.
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Lawyers Club News 13www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
What this article fails to disclose is exactly what the partner at Baker said. Questions O’Kane posed to an African American law student included “How did you get into law school?” and “Why don’t blacks have their own country clubs?...there aren’t too many golf courses in the ghetto.” The interview also included an anti-semitic comment and a question regarding how the candidate would react if called the n-word. (For more information on this situation, see the article here: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-01-31-8903010824-story.html).
In the legal profession, African Americans make up about 1.83% of partners at law firms. Latinos make up approximately 2.49%. Asian American lawyers make up 3.63% of partners. Even among associates,
none of these groups makes up more than 5%. These are statistics from the National Asssociation of Law Placement Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms from 2018. https://www.nalp.org/uploads/2018NALPReportonDiversityinUSLawFirms_FINAL.pdf
This occurred in 1989. Will the same discussion still exist in 2039?
Lizzette Herrera Castellanos is professor of legal and paralegal studies at Southwestern College, general counsel for the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Scholarship Fund and co-chair of Lawyers Club’s History & Archives Committee.
“The Reality Is, We’re A Racist Society”By Lizzette Herrera Castellanos
This quote comes from a small article on the fourth page of the September 1989 Lawyers Club Newsletter. While a small blip in the history of righting some wrong, it is still important even to this day. In the face of the current political climate, this article is another reminder that the climb was uphill then just as it is now. This article is being published in its entirety as women and minority candidates continue to face challenges in the legal profession. The full article reads as follows:
Gaffe Spurs GrowthBy Cynthia Bashant
Accolades go out to Baker and McKenzie for its reaction to the nationally-aired discovery that one of its Chicago partners racially insulted a black female job applicant. The firm recently disclosed an extensive equal opportunity program, including a minority scholarship fund of up to $100,000 per year for five years.
The scholarships are available in the amount of $5,000 per year per student. Two such scholarships have already been allocated to UCLA and one to Hastings. Baker and McKenzie promises to increase the annual amount to $200,000 in $10,000 increments for each law firm that contributes matching funds of $100,000 to the fund.
The program also includes: · Participation in major regional job fairs, minority recruiting
conferences and comparable events sponsored by minority law student accosiation;
· Coordination with minority law student organizations to assist in identifying potential applicants and recruitment possibilities;
· Participation in Bar Association committees and programs concerned with recruitment, retention and professional development of minority lawyers;
· Directions to headhunters that the firm is particularly interested in hiring recent minority law school graduates;
· Sensitivity training in interviewing techniques mandatory for all interviewers.
These efforts are aimed at increasing the number of minorities among Baker and McKenzie attorneys and staff in its United States offices and at sensitizing current attorney and staff to unacceptable discriminatory practices.
“No matter what you personally believe in your heart, the reality is, we’re a racist society,” said David Doyle, managing partner of the San Diego office of Baker and McKenzie. “It’s no longer enough for law firms to take a reactive stance. We must go out and actively recruit minorities.” Baker and McKenzie currently has only seven black associates and no black partners out of 465 attorneys in its United States offices.
Doyle points out there is an additional motivational factor for law firms to take a proactive position on minority recruitment. A number of large corporations, including Ford Motor Company, IBM and General Motors, are insiting before hiring a law firm that the firm have sufficient minority representation.
Harry O’Kane, 61, the partner who spurred the movement at Baker and McKenzie by making racial slurs to a third-year student at the University of Chicago Law School, has opted for an early retirement.
30 Years Ago
14 Lawyers Club News september 2019
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Sustaining MembersHon. Cynthia AaronMs. Alison AdelmanMs. Amanda AllenMs. Alicia AquinoMs. Denise AsherHon. Jeffrey BartonHon. Cynthia BashantHon. Wendy BehanMr. Harvey BergerMr. Charles BirdHon. Laura BirkmeyerMs. Gayle BlattHon. Jill BurkhardtMs. Brigid CampoHon. Rachel Cano Maria ChavezMs. Lesa ChristensonMs. Linda CiancioloMs. Diana Coker
Ms. Judith CopelandHon. Patricia CowettHon. Karen CrawfordHon. Robert DahlquistHon. Cindy DavisMs. Deborah DixonHon. Bonnie DumanisMs. Christina DyerMs. Amber EckMs. Roseline FeralHon. Susan FinlayHon. Barbara GamerHon. Patricia GarciaHon. Christine GoldsmithHon. Irma Gonzalez Roxanne GovariMs. P. Camille GuerraHon. Maureen HallahanHon. Judith HallerMs. Judy HamiltonMrs. Jillian HayesMs. Karen HewittMs. Erika HiramatsuMr. Richard HuverHon. Joan IrionHon. Carol IsacksonMs. Angela Jae ChunMr. Jay JeffcoatMr. Knut JohnsonMs. Kitty Juniper
Ms. Rebecca Kanter Laura Kass aka Kass-MorenoHon. Julia KeletyMr. Garrison KlueckMr. Gregory KnollMs. Amanda LoCurtoMr. Peter LynchMs. Michele MacoskyHon. Barbara MajorMs. Jerrilyn MalanaMs. Lilys McCoyHon. M. Margaret McKeownHon. Pennie McLaughlinMs. Julie MebaneMs. Danielle MooreMrs. Misty MooreHon. Dwayne MoringMs. Sandra MorrisMr. David NoonanMr. Ron OberndorferMs. Katie ParkerHon. Pamela ParkerHon. Christine PateMs. Regina PettyMs. Karla PinckesMs. Rebecca Prater Jenna RangelMrs. Stephanie ReynoldsMs. Carra RhamyMs. Heather Riley
Hon. Charles RogersMs. Tracy RogersHon. David RubinMs. Caroline SageHon. Janis SammartinoMs. Johanna SchiavoniMs. Tracy SchimelfenigMs. Maggie SchroedterMs. Elizabeth SchulmanMs. Frann SetzerMs. Abby Silverman WeissHon. Stephanie SontagMr. Todd StevensMs. Kimberly StewartHon. Ronald StynMs. Susan SwanHon. Victor TorresMs. Vickie TurnerMs. Meagan VerschuerenMs. Megan WalkerHon. Theodore WeathersDr. Lorelei WestinMs. Karin WickMs. Alyssa WilliamsMs. Claudette WilsonHon. Joel WohlfeilHon. Margie Woods
Thank You To Our 2019 Annual Sponsors! Please Support Those Who Support Lawyers Club. To learn more about sponsoring Lawyers Club, contact Elaine Lawrence at (619) 595-0650 or [email protected]
Ms. Olga ÁlvarezMs. Betty BooneMs. Candace Carroll
Mr. Jose CastilloMr. Ezekiel CortezMs. Danna Cotman
Ms. Ann DynesMr. Josh GruenbergHon. Sharon Majors-Lewis
Ms. Virginia NelsonHon. David OberholtzerMs. Lynn Schenk
Ms. Tamera WeisserMs. Deborah Wolfe
Shustak Reynolds & Partners, P.C.Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP
Silver Annual SponsorsAshworth Blanchet Christenson, LLPBlanchard, Krasner & French, APCBrown Law GroupCity National BankCooley LLPDinsmore & Shohl LLPDLA Piper LLPFish & Richardson P.C.Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsea & Loewy, LLPGilleon Law FirmHiggs Fletcher & Mack LLPJackson Lewis P.C.Larrabee Albi Coker LLPLittler Mendelson, P.C.MoginRubin LLPNoonan Lance Boyer & Banach LLP
Sempra EnergySheppard MullinTyson & Mendes LLPUnion BankUniversity of San Diego School of LawVeritext
Annual Corporate Sponsors – Package A Aptus Court ReportingEpiq
Annual Corporate Sponsor – Package B Dolan Xitco Consulting GroupWest Coast Resolution Group
Annual Corporate Sponsor – Package C Esquire Deposition SolutionsSan Diego Gas & Electric
President’s Circle
Lawyers Club News 15www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
Lawyers Club Calendar of EventsInformation for your calendar. All dates subject to change. For latest information,
contact Lawyers Club at (619) 595-0650 or visit our website at www.lawyersclubsandiego.com.
619.595.0650 or [email protected] Club of San Diego is a State Bar of California approved MCLE Multiple Activity Provider (Provider No. 1401)
September 2019
Thursday, 9/19/2019Diverse Women’s Committee Luncheon11:30 AM Check-in; 12:00-1:15 PM LunchWestin San Diego, Emerald Plaza400 West BroadwaySan Diego, California 92101
October 2019
Thursday, 10/17/2019Leadership Development Luncheon11:30 AM Check-in; 12:00-1:15 PM LunchWestin San Diego, Emerald Plaza400 West BroadwaySan Diego, California 92101
Thursday, 10/24/2019Fall Judicial Reception5:00-7:00 PMHiggs, Fletcher & Mack401 West A St. #2600San Diego, CA 92101
December 2019
Wednesday, 12/11/2019Fund for Justice Holiday Luncheon11:30 AM Check-in; 12:00-1:15 PM LunchWestin San Diego, Emerald Plaza400 West BroadwaySan Diego, California 92101
Robert Cogan
Lauren Gilmore
Robert Shaughnessy
Amanda Ciccone
Alexa Austin
Marcia West
Sarena Kustic
Soyeon Jeong
Kim Carter
Cat Mineo
Melissa Borja
Charlotte Najar
Jazzmyn Simmons
Tamra Lett
Natalie Sherod
Grace Baehren
David Greco
Jamie Gross
Alexi Silverman
Ruth Hauswirth
Daniel Doft
Jason Avelar
Dena Acosta
Laura Handler
Suzanne Emge
Blanca Quintero
Victoria Markovna
New MembersWELCOME
16 september 2019
Change Service Requested
402 West Broadway, Suite 1260San Diego, CA 92101
www.lawyersclubsandiego.com
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