The annual AWA Ethics & Professionalism CLE program will be held on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at Jones, Walker, 201 St. Charles Avenue, 52nd Floor.

11:00 p.m. - 12:00 p.m: Professionalism - Valuing Diversity Presentation by Kelly Legier, Director of Member Outreach and Diversity, Louisiana State Bar Association

12:00 pm - 12:30 p.m.: Lunch

12:30 p.m. -1:30 p.m.: Ethics Presentation by Michael S. Hertzig, Administrative Law Judge, Social Security Administration

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Members pricing:

$20 one hour only
$10 lunch
$45 two hours and lunch

Non-Members pricing:

$30 one hour only
$15 lunch
$70 two hours and lunch
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Register by September 20th with Linda Graffagnini:

By e-mail:
By phone: 299-2211 (Linda)

**No refunds for cancellations after September 20th.

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The AWA hosted a family outing for our membership at the Zephyrs in July, 2010 by renting the pool space at Zephyr field for a game.  A great time was had by all of our members and their families and friends!

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession has sought to promote the success and advancement of women lawyers since its creation in 1987.  Yet, despite many successes and advancements, a recent Census Bureau Report revealed that the median income of women lawyers is only 74% of that of male lawyers.  Given this long-standing and substantial pay disparity, the Commission joined forces with The Project for Attorney Retention (PAR) and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) to perform a first-of-its-kind survey of women partners on law firm compensation.  Links to the report generated by this collaborative effort, as well as links to the organizations involved, are also listed under Links, Articles of Interest. 
http://www.pardc.org/Publications/SameGlassCeiling.pdf
http://www.mcca.com/
http://www.mcca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Feature.showFeature&CategoryID=16&FeatureID=166
http://www.abanet.org/women/

The June luncheon was geared towards summer clerks, and was held at Calcasieu.

Tory Nieset, Director of Legal Personnel and Recruiting at Phelps Dunbar; Darnell Shuart, Shuart and Associates; and Jennifer Bollinger Conway of Zehnder Communications spoke on:  “Navigating the Choppy Waters of the Current Legal Job Market.” Discussion topics were: How to always put your best foot forward during a clerkship and beyond; the legal market and challenges in this economy, and how to best position yourself to get the job you want; specific characteristics employers are looking for in attorneys.

The AWA has committed to award $500 annually to an outstanding law clinic student from each of the two local law schools, whose work has focused on issues important to the AWA.

At Tulane, the $500 award is given to the most outstanding student in the Domestic Violence Law Clinic (as chosen by the Director of the Clinic).  The 2010 recipient is Timothy Keslar.  Tim started law school at Tulane following a career as a petroleum engineer.  In August 2009, he joined the Tulane Law School Domestic Violence Clinic as a student attorney.  During his time in the Clinic, Tim represented domestic violence survivors in a wide range of highly contested family law matters, including protective orders, custody, child and spousal support, and community property.  Tim has represented domestic violence survivors on these matters in multiple hearings before courts in both Orleans and Jefferson Parish.  Some of the important accomplishments Tim achieved this year include winning an 18-month Domestic Violence Protective Order and temporary child custody for a victim of domestic violence who he met at the New Orleans Family Justice Center.  That client had been turned away by other service providers because her case became too complicated when the batterer sued for custody of the children and requested a restraining order against the victim.  In another case, Tim obtained a judgment in a community property case for a disabled victim of domestic violence.  That client, who was dependent on food stamps and disability benefits, was awarded full ownership of a marital home worth more than $200,000.  As a result, she has a permanent home in which she can raise her child.  After graduation, Tim intends to pursue a legal career representing victims of domestic violence in a public interest practice.

At Loyola, the $500 award is given to the most outstanding student in the family law section of the Loyola Law Clinic (to be selected by the family law attorney/advisor at the Clinic).  The 2010 recipient is Elizabeth Meneray.  Elizabeth worked as a paralegal for 14 years, primarily in asbestos litigation.  Wanting to work with people, she left that practice for the Pro Bono Project, where the clients had overwhelming family law needs.  Wanting to help even more, but limited in what she could do, she decided to go to law school, an idea which was reinforced after working with family law attorneys in Seattle after Hurricane Katrina.  During law school at Loyola, Elizabeth worked in the Family Law Clinic, handling divorces, child custody, child support, curatorship and succession matters in both Orleans and Jefferson Parish courts.  Elizabeth also developed a strong interest in grandparents’ rights, and not only worked with grandparents in clinic, but authored two studies in law school concerning Louisiana grandparent visitation legislation and its impact on local families.  In addition to clinic work, Elizabeth spent her summers working with the elderly and disabled at the Advocacy Center and with family law clients at New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation.  During the school year, Elizabeth served as research assistant to Loyola Law Professor James M. Klebba and as law clerk to local adoption attorney, Noel Vargas.  She also served on the Honor Board in her third year and as a board member of the St. Thomas More Society in her second year.  Elizabeth has also been an active member of the New Orleans Bar Association’s Family Law Committee, serving with the Honorable Christopher Bruno and Paulette Irons to address the needs of indigent litigants in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. 

^{The 2008 Loyola Award recipient was Tiffany Elyce Crane.  She graduated with an Environmental Law Certificate and worked with the Loyola Family Law Clinic during the 2007-2008 school year. As part of her work with the clinic, Tiffany successfully filed the first contestation and establishment action in Louisiana.  The 2007 Loyola Award recipient was Ericka Garnett. Erika is from New Orleans, studied civil law, and was a May 2007 graduate.}

The 2008 Tulane Award recipient was Nora Mahoney.  In addition to her work at the Domestic Violence Clinic, Nora has worked for Bread of the City Legal Clinic in Washington DC, New Hampshire Bar Association Pro Bono Program, The Work Place (Welfare to Work) program in Boston, and as as assistant for the Refugee Program at Jewish Vocational Service in Boston.  Nora also has an interest in social and political issues in Coastal Kenya, and has worked in Mombasa, Kenya, assisting doctoral anthropological research in socio-economic impact of technology and law. The Tulane 2007 Award recipient was Lezlie Griffin.  Lezlie is from Wetumpka, Alabama and received her BS from Troy State University.

The May was held on Thursday, May 20, 2010 at Red Fish Grill

Jennifer Day of the New Orleans Office of Film and Video spoke about the local film industry.  New Orleans boasts the most diverse portfolio of film and television work in the state of Louisiana, catering to the largest of studio features, the smallest of independent projects and also to a wide range of television and commercial productions. Since the implementation of Lousiana’s innovative entertainment incentives in 2002, New Orleans has hosted dozens of projects including the Oscar-nominated films Ray and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Final Destination 4, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant and television projects including HBO’S series Treme and Disney’s Imagination Movers.

http://www.filmneworleans.org/site.php

As you may already know, the Louisiana Supreme Court’s Committee on Bar Admissions has developed several recommendations for changes to the Louisiana Bar examination and is seeking comments from LSBA members. Under consideration are changes in the way the examination is scored (target date for implementation, February 2011) and changes to the format and content (target date for implementation, February 2013). The LSBA has formed a committee to review the proposed changes, and has asked the AWA to solicit comments from our members.  The AWA Board is aiming to meet with a committee member on May 11, 2010.

If you have any comments about the recommended changes, please email AWA president Katie Lasky at by Friday, May 7, 2010.

The AWA April luncheon was held at Antoine’s Restaurant.  Patricia Krebs (King, Krebs & Jurgens, PLLC), Judy Barrasso (Barrasso, Usdin, Kupperman, Freeman & Sarver, LLC) and Sharonda Williams (Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, LLC) spoke on: “Making it Rain - How to Grow your Practice”

The March luncheon was held on March 18, 2010 at the Chateau Bourbon Hotel. 

Our speakers were Susan Guidry, recently elected to the New Orleans City Council, District A, and Judy Reese Morse, Chief of Staff in the Office of Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, who also heads (along with Doug Thornton) Mitch Landrieu’s mayoral transition team.  Both women spoke about how they came to be in their current positions, as well as their visions for the future of New Orleans.

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession is developing a new book entitled “The Road to Independence: A Woman’s Guide to Forming Her Own Law Firm.” This volume will be a collection of letters (maximum 4 pages double-spaced) focusing on the experiences, challenges, and opportunities of women-owned law firms. 

The Commission is seeking women who have formed their own firms—whether as a solo, with other women, or with men; it is not necessary that the women currently be owners of their firms. The book’s audience is primarily women who are thinking about starting their own law firms as well as those who already have taken that step.

For more information about the book and the procedures for submitting letters, please visit http://www.abanet.org/women/independence.html.

2010 Membership dues are due by January 31, 2010.  You can access a membership application here: http://www.awanola.org/images/uploads/2010_Membership_Application.pdf

The AWA Annual Dinner Meeting was held on January 21, 2010 at Commander’s Palace.

The AWA was honored to present Judge Fredericka Homberg Wicker with the Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award.

Our keynote speaker was Phoebe Ferguson of the Plessy and Ferguson Foundation
(http://www.bayouandme.com/theplessyandfergusonfoundation.org/)

Ms. Ferguson is the great, great granddaughter of John Howard Ferguson, the Defendant in the famous case that created the separate but equal doctrine.  She has joined forces with Mr. Keith Plessy, the great nephew of the Plaintiff, Mr. Homer Plessy to form the Plessy and Ferguson Foundation.  The organization seeks to preserve historic landmarks related to those historic events, outreach to communities on issues of civil rights and educate young people about the case and its place in history.  She had an amazing story to tell! 

Board nominations for 2010 were due on December 15, 2009. 

The following nominations have been received for the 2010 Board: 

President:  Katie Lasky
Vice President:  Anne Neeb
Treasurer:  Machelle Hall
Corresponding Secretary:  Kelly Barbier
Recording secretary:  Sharonda Williams

The following committee chairpersons have been appointed by the board
for 2010 and will also serve as members of the board: 

Programs - Lacrecia Cade
Webmaster - Jeannine Roques
Membership - Autumn Town
Public Relations/Historian - Sharrolyn Miles
Community Outreach - April Watson
Law Reform - Susie Morgan

Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting on January 21, 2010 at Commander’s Palace.

The Annual AWA Holiday Tea was held at the Windsor Court on December 17, 2009.  A festive and relaxing time was had by all!  We are already looking forward to next year!

The AWA November Luncheon was held at Mr. B’s Bistro.  Stephanie Grace, opinion columnist for the Times Picayune, spoke about the upcoming mayoral election and answered lots of questions from the attendees.

Our October luncheon was held at Palace Cafe Restaurant.  A good time was had by all at an informal “meet and greet” event, where members were able to get to know each other a little better.

The annual AWA Ethics & Professionalism CLE program was held on September 17, 2009 at Adams & Reese law firm. 

Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo spoke on:  “Professionalism, Observations from the Bench”

John Craft spoke on Ethics:  “Robber Barons, Legal Ethics and the Real Right Thing”

Congratulations to Anne LaCour Neeb, who was appointed by the AWA Board to serve as Law Reform Chairperson.  Anne serves as Special Counsel with the Governmental Relations Practice Team in the Special Business Services Practice Group in the New Orleans office of Adams & Reese.

TIME TO CLEAN OUT YOUR PANTRY FOR A GOOD CAUSE!

AWA is sponsoring a food drive in partnership with Second Harvest. 

AWA is also encouraging firm-wide food drives and will arrange to pick up large donations from firms in the New Orleans area.  To arrange for a pick up please email AWA’s Community Outreach Chair, April Watson at . 

The AWA held its last luncheon of the summer on June 18th at Bourbon House.

James from Octavia Books spoke on “Lose Your Briefs....Summer Reading Suggestions/Recommendations from Octavia Books”

Look for information soon about our annual Ethics/Professionalism CLE in August.

Katrina and the Women of New Orleans - Panel Discussion and Reception

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 - Intercontinental Hotel, Poydras Room, 3rd Floor, 444 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans
4 - 5 pm Panel Discussion
5 - 6 pm Cocktail Reception

Why New Orleans must focus on women for a successful city:

Women are the majority of the population
Women comprise 50% of the labor force
Women raise children, tend to the ill and aged and manage households
Essential to the home and the workforce
Women are 3 times more likely to suffer PTSD and anxiety disorders post-Katrina

Speakers:

Dr. Beth Willinger, Newcomb College Center for Research on Women, Tulane University
Dr. Stacy Overstreet, Department of Psychology, Tulane University

Fees:

NOBA Members:  Free
Non-Members:  $30

To register or for more information :  Email CC Kahr at or call the bar office at 504-525-7453. 

The National Association of Women Lawyers has invited AWA members to list themselves or their women-owned firms in NAWL’s 10th Edition of the National Directory of Women Lawyers and Women-Owned Law Firms.  The Directory is a national publication which focuses on marketing and connecting women lawyers and women-owned law firms with legal departments and fellow women lawyers in a cost effective way.  This publication is distributed to over 500 legal departments, all NAWL programming, and to many more.  The publication list lawyers and firms alphabetically and by practice area geographically. 

The Directory is not a membership publication and is open to ALL women lawyers and women-owned law firms.  For details and pricing go to: 

http://www.nawl.org/Publications/Directory.htm.

The AWA May Luncheon was held at Calcasieu, private dining venue.

Judge Nadine Ramsey, Civil District Court of New Orleans, spoke on “Judicial Expectations in the Courtroom.”

The ABA Health Law Section and ABA Commission on Women in the Profession’s Breast Cancer Legal Advocacy Task Force are collecting survivor stories from attorneys who have had breast cancer.

Their hope is to create an online collection of survivors and their stories that will serve as a place for information and inspiration for attorneys dealing with breast cancer.

If you are interested in sharing your story or have a colleague who would possibly be interested in sharing their story please forward this information to them.

Please contact Sena Leach of the ABA Health Law Section staff at or 312-988-5146 for more information on how to share your story.

The AWA April luncheon was held at Zea Restaurant on St. Charles Avenue.

Dellona D. Davis, Executive Director of CASA New Orleans spoke about the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Program in Orleans Parish.  CASA is actively recruiting new volunteers, and a new training session will be held in May.  If you are interested in getting more information, please call CASA New Orleans at 522-1962 or visit the website at http://www.casaneworleans.org/

The AWA co-sponsored the CLE seminar entitled: SUPERWOMEN. . .Female Attorneys Challenging the Rules of the Game at Home, at Work, and in Alternative Practices

This seminar addressed the unique challenges women face in the legal profession. It offered female attorneys a model for success that builds upon a woman’s distinctive communication style and personality. Female attorneys had the opportunity to develop effective stress relief and work-life balance strategies and to refine their business development skills.

We hope to make this an annual seminar!

The National Conference of Women Bar Associations has issued its most recent newsletter (Winter 2009).  The newsletter can be accessed on the AWA Website here:

http://www.awanola.org/images/uploads/NCWBA_Winter_2009.pdf

or by going to the “Links” section of the website and looking under “Articles of Interest”

The AWA cosponsored the 2nd Annual Conclave on Diversity, which encouraged discussion among judges and attorneys, primarily hiring and managing attorneys within law firms, about the importance of diversity within the legal profession and how to improve diversity within the profession in Louisiana. 

The March 2009 luncheon was held at Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.

Orleans Parish District Attorney, Leon Cannizzaro, spoke on “The District Attorney’s Office- The First 100 Days,” and gave attendees a detailed account of some of the changes he had make already in the DA’s office, and provided his vision and hopes for future improvements to the office and its programs.

the AWA Annual Dinner Meeting was held at Commander’s Palace restaurant on January 22, 2009.

The honoree was Chief Justice Catherine “Kitty” Kimball, who received the AWA’s Michaelle Pitard Wynn Professionalism Award.

The speaker was Judge Madeleine Landrieu, Civil District Court.

The following members were elected to the 2009 Board:

President:  Katie Lasky
Vice President:  Alex Mora
Treasurer:  Heather Lambert
Corresponding Secretary:  Kelly Barbier
Recording secretary:  Sharonda Williams

The following members were appointed to the 2009 Board:

Programs Chairperson - Autumn Town
Webmaster - Jeannine Roques
Membership Chairperson- Emily Eagan
Public Relations/Historian - Sharrolyn Miles
Community Outreach Chairperson- April Watson
Law Reform Chairperson - Rikki Bagatell

The AWA Board voted to amend the AWA Bylaws at its meeting on November 10, 2008.  The Board found it necessary to increase the AWA membership dues for 2009.  Dues had remained the same for more than 10 years, yet operational costs have increased.

You can access the amended bylaws here:  AWA Amended Bylaws

A tribute honoring retiring Chief Justice Calogero was held on December 27, 2008 at the Hilton Riverside.

The AWA was pleased to organize a table for this event.  Justice Calogero was a champion of the founding members of the AWA, and was instrumental in getting information to our founding members that allowed women attorneys in New Orleans to organize. 

The National Conference of Women Bar Associations has issued its Fall 2008 Newsletter.  It can be accessed directly from the AWA website at http://www.awanola.org/images/uploads/NCWBA_Fall_2008.pdf

Congratulations to AWA Board Member Alexandra Mora who was appointed as Swiss Honorary Consul in New Orleans on October 29, 2008.

Our October luncheon was held at Cafe Adelaide.

Graham da Ponte, Executive Director of Court Watch New Orleans, spoke to us about Court Watch New Orleans and about the state of Criminal District Court.  For more information, or to volunteer for Court Watch New Orleans, please visit http://www.courtwatchnola.org or email

The AWA was a sponsor of the Pro Bono Project’s Justice for All Ball, which was held on October 3, 2008.  For more information about the Pro Bono Project, visit http://www.probono-no.org or call The Pro Bono Project at 504.581.4043

The AWA has put together a membership directory of those members who voluntarily submitted their information.  Due to frequent changes in employment, etc., the Board decided to provide the directory in electronic format only, rather than a printed booklet.  The directory is organized by practice areas first, followed by an alphabetical listing of members.

The AWA Membership Directory can be accessed on our website:  http://www.awanola.org/index.php/links under “Other Helpful Links.”

The directory will be updated regularly.  Please review your listed information and email Kelly Barbier () with any changes.  If you are not included in the directory, and now want to submit your information, please email your contact information and area(s) of practice to Kelly Barbier.

The AWA held its annual Ethics and Professionalism CLE Program on August 21, 2008. 

Civil District Court Judge Piper D. Griffin presented “Professionalism: A View From The Bench.” Julie Kilborn of the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center will present “Avoiding Ethical Complaints, And Dealing With Them If You Get Them”

The AWA was lucky to have Melissa Sawyer, Executive Director of the Youth Empowerment Project, speak at our July luncheon.  The Youth Empowerment Project believes that “by providing legal advocacy, intensive aftercare and case management to at-risk New Orleans youth, we will strengthen each young person’s capacity to successfully connect with his or her families and communities and lay the foundation for their healthy transition to adulthood.”

There are no other programs in the city of New Orleans that provide holistic, wrap-around services to court-involved youth. YEP links youth with existing social services and community resources and it also provides in-house, culturally competent care that empowers youth and their families to advocate for themselves. YEP teaches youth and their families how to navigate legal, social service and greater community systems. It does this in part by collaborating with a wide range of local entities including the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, various faith-based organizations, mentors, educational programs, job-training centers and counseling specialists.

One of the continuing needs of the YEP is for someone to provide legal advice and occasional representation for things such as emancipations, drawing up affidavits, answering questions about custody/guardianship issues, etc.  There were many AWA members who expressed an interest in volunteering at the luncheon.

We would like to put together a list of those persons who are willing to help out on occasion.  We will form an email list of the volunteers, and will email out the specific requests for help as they arise to see if any of the volunteers are able to help. 

If you would like to be included on the volunteer list, please email AWA President, Kelly Barbier at

The AWA July Luncheon was held at Herbsaint Restaurant. 

Our speaker was Melissa Sawyer, Executive Director of the Youth Empowerment Project, who spoke on “A Focus on Youth – Providing Support to Prevent Delinquency”

The Project believes that “by providing legal advocacy, intensive aftercare and case management to at-risk New Orleans youth, we will strengthen each young person’s capacity to successfully connect with his or her families and communities and lay the foundation for their healthy transition to adulthood.”

There are no other programs in the city of New Orleans that provide holistic, wrap-around services to court-involved youth. YEP links youth with existing social services and community resources and it also provides in-house, culturally competent care that empowers youth and their families to advocate for themselves. YEP teaches youth and their families how to navigate legal, social service and greater community systems. It does this in part by collaborating with a wide range of local entities including the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, various faith-based organizations, mentors, educational programs, job-training centers and counseling specialists.

For more information, go to http://www.youthempowermentproject.org/

The AWA has committed to award $500 annually to an outstanding law clinic student from each of the two local law schools, whose work has focused on issues important to the AWA.

At Tulane, the $500 award is given to the most outstanding student in the Domestic Violence Law Clinic (as chosen by the Director of the Clinic).  The 2010 recipient is Timothy Keslar.  A former petroleum engineer, Timothy came to law school believing he would practice in some related field.  After his work at the Domestic Violence Law Clinic, he is now applying for domestic violence jobs at legal services offices.

At Loyola, the $500 award is given to the most outstanding student in the family law section of the Loyola Law Clinic (to be selected by the family law attorney/advisor at the Clinic).  The 2010 recipient is Elizabeth Meneray.  Elizabeth worked as a paralegal for 14 years, primarily in asbestos litigation.  Wanting to work with people, she left that practice for the Pro Bono Project, where the clients had overwhelming family law needs.  Wanting to help even more, but limited in what she could do, she decided to go to law school, an idea which was reinforced after working with family law attorneys in Seattle after Hurricane Katrina.  During law school at Loyola, Elizabeth worked in the Family Law Clinic, handling divorces, child custody, child support, curatorship and succession matters in both Orleans and Jefferson Parish courts.  Elizabeth also developed a strong interest in grandparents’ rights, and not only worked with grandparents in clinic, but authored two studies in law school concerning Louisiana grandparent visitation legislation and its impact on local families.  In addition to clinic work, Elizabeth spent her summers working with the elderly and disabled at the Advocacy Center and with family law clients at New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation.  During the school year, Elizabeth served as research assistant to Loyola Law Professor James M. Klebba and as law clerk to local adoption attorney, Noel Vargas.  She also served on the Honor Board in her third year and as a board member of the St. Thomas More Society in her second year.  Elizabeth has also been an active member of the New Orleans Bar Association’s Family Law Committee, serving with the Honorable Christopher Bruno and Paulette Irons to address the needs of indigent litigants in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. 

^{The 2008 Loyola Award recipient was Tiffany Elyce Crane.  She graduated with an Environmental Law Certificate and worked with the Loyola Family Law Clinic during the 2007-2008 school year. As part of her work with the clinic, Tiffany successfully filed the first contestation and establishment action in Louisiana.  The 2007 Loyola Award recipient was Ericka Garnett. Erika is from New Orleans, studied civil law, and was a May 2007 graduate.}

The 2008 Tulane Award recipient was Nora Mahoney.  In addition to her work at the Domestic Violence Clinic, Nora has worked for Bread of the City Legal Clinic in Washington DC, New Hampshire Bar Association Pro Bono Program, The Work Place (Welfare to Work) program in Boston, and as as assistant for the Refugee Program at Jewish Vocational Service in Boston.  Nora also has an interest in social and political issues in Coastal Kenya, and has worked in Mombasa, Kenya, assisting doctoral anthropological research in socio-economic impact of technology and law. The Tulane 2007 Award recipient was Lezlie Griffin.  Lezlie is from Wetumpka, Alabama and received her BS from Troy State University.

The AWA June luncheon was held at Redfish Grill.  All in attendance were able to introduce themselves to the group in a get to know you session over lunch.  We also had several judicial candidates in attendance, who provided us with information about themselves and their campaigns.

The AWA April luncheon was held on April 17, 2008 at the Bourbon House Restaurant.

Cynthia Ceballos gave an informative and enjoyable talk on ”Changing Landscape of New Orleans Residents and Immigration Issues.”

Please check back soon for information about our next luncheon!