• Event: WLALA's Litigators Forum - May 8, 2024
• President's Message by Jeannine Taylor
• Event: Meet and Greet - Chief Judge Dolly Gee - May 23, 2024
• WLALA Board of Directors Application - May 31, 2024
• WLALA Board of Governors Application - May 31, 2024
• WLALApalooza: Celebrating Momentum by Anabel Sanchez & Karla Waymire
• Photos: FFTB - Women’s Bar Association Volunteer Day
• Photos: WLALA Power Lunch Programs
• Photos: WLALA Spring Golf League
• Photo: BWL's Tea Party
• Announcement: WLALA Board of Governors Member Hon. Ashley Price
• Announcement: WLALA Board of Governors Member and Lifetime Member Hon. Cathy Ostiller
• Announcement: WLALA Member Hon. Michelle Williams Court
• Welcome New Members!
• Announcement: New WLALA Member Lara Bazán
• Local Bar Calendar
• Power Lunch Program Sponsorships Available
• Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter - Deadline is May 29, 2024

Breaking Barriers and Celebrating Justice

"Never lose hope; the struggle for justice is a marathon, not a sprint."



-- Yuri Kochiyama, Japanese American human rights activist

Yuri Kochiyama's words remind us of the enduring commitment needed to break through barriers and create a more just society. “Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is an opportunity to amplify the voices, histories and achievements of AAPI communities and to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures that contribute to the American story,” said Esther Ro, President of the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers Alliance. These achievements would not exist without the conviction of trailblazers like Chief Dolly Gee who act with courage to be the changemakers.

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, WLALA, in collaboration with APABA, APAWLA, CAPAJA, KABA, PABA, SCCLA, TABA and VABASC, is celebrating Chief Judge Dolly Gee, the first Asian American woman in the continental United States to serve in the role of Chief Judge of a district court. Our celebration not only recognizes Judge Gee's remarkable personal accomplishments but also acknowledges the strides made collectively toward achieving justice and equality. From her groundbreaking appointment as the inaugural Chinese American woman to serve as an Article III Judge to her unwavering dedication to upholding justice in her decisions, Judge Gee embodies the resilience and fortitude required to overcome systemic obstacles.

Our tribute to Judge Gee will be moderated by Judge Jana Seng, the first Cambodian American judge appointed to the bench in the country. In addition, we are honored that our tribute will feature remarks by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jacqueline Nguyen, the first Asian American woman to serve as a federal appellate judge.

Please join us in celebrating Chief Judge Dolly Gee on May 23, 2024, at Southwestern Law School from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. by registering at bit.ly/JudgeGee.

In your service,

Jeannine Taylor



WLALA President

WLALA Board of Directors Application

WLALA is accepting 2024-2025 Board of Directors applications. If you want to promote the advancement of women lawyers and judges from diverse perspectives and racial and ethnic backgrounds, to maintain the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, and to improve the status of women by supporting the exercise of equal rights, equal representation, and reproductive choice then we encourage you to join!

The deadline for submitting an application is May 31, 2024.

WLALA Board of Governors Application

WLALA is accepting 2024-2025 Board of Governors applications. If you want to promote the advancement of women lawyers and judges from diverse perspectives and racial and ethnic backgrounds, to maintain the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, and to improve the status of women by supporting the exercise of equal rights, equal representation, and reproductive choice then we encourage you to join!

The deadline for submitting an application is May 31, 2024.

WLALApalooza: Celebrating Momentum

By: Anabel Sanchez & Karla Waymire

WLALA Foundation Board of Governors

Co-Chairs of the Financial Development Committee

Anabel Sanchez

Karla Waymire

WLALA Foundation’s annual social and silent auction fundraiser – WLALApalooza – will take place on June 25, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Bonaventure Brewing Company in downtown Los Angeles. Attendees will enjoy live entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and the popular silent auction surrounded by an inspiring vista on the outdoor pool level terrace. Bring your friends for a fun night that supports WLALA Foundation’s public interest scholarships and fellowships. Our theme this year is Celebrating Momentum. Purchase your early bird tickets today and learn about sponsorship opportunities at https://wlala.org/event/2024-wlalapaooza/. Please contact at info@wlala.org with questions.

Women’s Bar Association Volunteer Day -

Food from the Bar

Last Saturday morning was a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends of APAWLA, BWL, LLBA and WLALA for the Women's Bar Association Volunteer Day at LA Food Bank. We were able to sort and package 34,474 pounds of pears and potatoes intended for children in LA County. Thank you to all our volunteers! We look forward to seeing you at next year's Food from the Bar event! Thank you Kathleen McDowell for organizing this day of service with our sister bars!

Please join the Food from the Bar campaign for a special whiskey tasting event called “Bourbon of Proof” on May 16 at Mastro’s Ocean Club at LA Live. In addition to passed appetizers and tasting table nibbles, you will enjoy a welcome cocktail and some fine sipping led by a bourbon educator. Tickets are $175 or two for $325 with all proceeds going to the Food Bank. Space is very limited (less than 50 total), so RSVP now HERE if you want to be part of this exclusive celebration of bourbon (and puns). 

WLALA has an online donation page HERE for making monetary contributions to the campaign.  Every dollar contributed equates to four meals that the Food Bank can supply to our food insecure neighbors (including hundreds of children), so truly donations in any amount are very much appreciated. Where else would $10 translate into forty meals?  

To learn how your firm or office can participate in Food from the Bar or for more information about the campaign, please reach out to Kathleen McDowell (kathleen.mcdowell@mto.com).

WLALA Power Lunch Programs

Thank you to all our judicial officers and attorney volunteers for organizing and hosting the Power Lunch Programs throughout Los Angeles County. The photos below are from the following events: 1) January 17, 2024 – Green Steam Academy held at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center (CJC); 2) February 15, 2024 – Rancho Dominguez Preparatory held at Airport Courthouse; 3) April 9, 2024 – Inglewood High School held at Inglewood Courthouse; 4) April 10, 2024 - Monroe High School held at Van Nuys Courthouse and 5) April 18, 2024 – Pasadena High School held at Pasadena Court house.

WLALA Spring Golf League

BWL's Tea Party

WLALA President Jeannine Taylor along with Dr. Darlene Sampson and Dr. Zoë Indigo “shared the tea on skincare” at BWL's Tea Party on April 15, 2024.

WLALA Board of Governors Member

Hon. Ashley Price

WLALA celebrates the judicial appointment of Hon. Ashley Price at her investiture on Friday, April 26th. Congratulations, Judge Ashley Price!

WLALA Board of Governors Member and Lifetime Member Hon. Cathy Ostiller Featured in the Daily Journal for Her Outstanding Work In Dependency Court

WLALA Member Hon. Michelle Williams Court Nominated to the Federal Bench

Hon. Michelle Williams Court has been on the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles County since 2012 and the supervising judge in the court's civil division since 2012. Before that she was vice president and general counsel at Bet Tzedek Legal Services, according to her court biography. Earlier in her career, Judge Court was an associate at Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach; fellow and civil rights specialist at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; litigation associate at Litt & Marquez, project attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and associate at Gilbert Kelly Crowley & Jennett LLP, the White House stated. She received her law degree from Loyola Law School.

Welcome to Our New Members

Esperanza Alonso

Julie Arias Young

Xylona Boone-Northern

Alodie Bardon

Lara Bazan

Disha Bhagwat

Arianna Burtis

Lindsay Burton

Morgan Chall

Allison Cheffer

Ashlie De La Rosa

Gisell Del Carmen

Carina Castaneda

Jessica Del Castillo

Maryam Danishwar

Nina Depatie

Chiamaka Ezeagbor

Hoa Hoang

Sanjana Hoque

Sylvia Johnson

Ed Lew

Nikki Milner

Julie Morales

Emily Sauer

Aleena Shad

Parisa Shahamat

Aman Shamim

Erica Small

Donna Solomon

Jessica Talavera

Lara Bazán - New WLALA Member

"It was an honor to work with each of the defense lawyers in these cases - all women - who are some of the most dedicated and courageous lawyers I have ever met. I admire them deeply and am grateful for what I learned from them."

Between November 2023 and February 2024, Lara Bazán exonerated three people who had each been incarcerated for over 20 years for murders they did not commit. Miguel Solorio, Abel Soto and Jofama Coleman were each teenagers at the time of their arrests for different drive-by shootings. Solorio was misidentified by witnesses, and Soto and Coleman were falsely implicated. Thorough investigations uncovered new evidence that established the innocence of each of these men and revealed the true perpetrators of the murders. These cases reinforce the critical need for open minds in investigating claims of actual innocence, and they also underscore the benefit of working together with petitioner's counsel to examine the integrity of convictions and uncover truths that sometimes remain buried for decades.

You are invited to join us for a special evening celebrating the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law's legacy of leadership, community, and family law justice, honoring former Executive Director, Betty Nordwind, and welcoming our new Executive Director, Stacy Horth-Neubert.

📅 Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024

🕕 Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

📍Location: Los Angeles Athletic Club

431 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

APPLICATION FOR NINTH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL CONFERENCE LAWYER REPRESENTATIVE 

The United States District Court, Central District of California, is currently accepting applications from qualified individuals interested in serving as Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference Lawyer Representatives. The selected Lawyer Representatives will be representative of the entire district and reflect the diversity of lawyers practicing before the Court. Interested persons should complete the application, which can be found on the Court’s website under the Lawyer Representatives section located in the “Attorneys” tab of the Court’s homepage. Additional information about serving as a Lawyer Representative can be found on the 9th Circuit’s website.

Please send completed applications no later than June 14, 2024, to LawyerReps_CACD@cacd.uscourts.gov

Apply for Judicate West's

D&I Scholarship Program

Judicate West’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee is excited to share an initiative we believe will make a significant impact on fostering diversity and inclusion within the legal profession broadly and the ADR sector specifically. We are offering a full scholarship for two individuals from underrepresented communities to attend the internationally top-ranked Mediation Training Program at Straus Institute at Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Application deadline:

September 1, 2024

Selection notification:

October 30, 2024

Program participation:

Scholarship recipients can attend either of the biannual training dates, within three years of being selected.

Why Now?

In the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) community, there is an overall need to represent and reflect the people we serve. As a leading firm in this space, we want to positively impact this gap.

This scholarship award was created with the vision of fostering a more inclusive legal community of ADR practitioners. Our scholarship program aims to provide financial support to professionals who have demonstrated a passion for litigation, a dedication to inclusiveness, a strong interest in developing a career as an ADR practitioner, and a consistent commitment to excellence.

What's Covered?

The scholarship covers registration to the internationally top-ranked Mediation Training Program at the Straus Institute at Pepperdine University in Malibu, as well as lodging and meals for the duration of the five-day course. Recipients will receive world-class instruction and also gain access to invaluable mentorship and networking opportunities within their educational cohort as well as within our organization.

Who is Eligible?

Civil litigators who are active members of bar associations serving underrepresented communities, which include but are not limited to, individuals from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and others who have faced unique challenges in their pursuit of higher education. Please visit the scholarship web page, to view complete eligibility criteria.

Check Eligibility

Applications

Applicants should prepare a resume; a personal statement of up to 1,000 words that showcases their motivation for pursuing this scholarship, provides an overview of their career goals, and discusses how this scholarship will help them make a positive impact on society; and a letter of recommendation from an officer or board member in the bar group in which they serve.

Apply Now

Selection Process

A selection committee, comprised of accomplished ADR professionals from various backgrounds, will meticulously review applications and select the winning candidate. The 2024 scholarship awardee will be notified by October 30, 2024.

Questions?

Rosemarie Drohan

Executive Vice President of Business Development

Judicate West

rosemarie@judicatewest.com

800-488-8805

WLALA Needs Mentors for Law Students

WLALA needs attorney mentor volunteers since our increased presence in the legal community has led to increased participation among local law schools. WLALA's Law Student Mentoring Program pairs law student members with lawyer members to encourage and facilitate the development of women law students. Mentors and mentees are matched based on interests and background where possible. The program is flexible; mentors and mentees choose when and how to stay connected with one another, whether through e-mail, telephone, in-person meet ups, or a combination. Many participants find that the one-on-one mentoring relationship becomes a long-term friendship.

WLALA Needs Volunteers For Committees, Sections and Liaisons

Did you know that WLALA is run almost entirely by volunteers? If you're interested in participating in WLALA Committees, Sections or acting as a Liaison, visit our website to find out more and sign up now!

Contribute to the WLALA Newsletter

If you are interested in contributing an article or sharing member news, please reach out to Communications Officer Leana Taing at WLALA.communications@gmail.com Everyone loves to read about accomplishments, appointments, and promotions! Also, please do not forget to share photos or videos taken at WLALA events. We would love to share them in the newsletter and on our social media! The submission deadline for next month's newsletter is May 29, 2024.

The Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles ("WLALA") promotes the full participation in the legal profession of women lawyers and judges from diverse perspectives and racial and ethnic backgrounds, maintains the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, and improves the status of women by supporting their exercise of equal rights, equal representation, and reproductive choice.

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