Benefits of Membership
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NETWORKING AND SOCIAL EVENTS
• Our monthly luncheons feature local lawyers and judges as well as community leaders.
• Members enjoy special events, such as our Annual Holiday Tea in December and Annual Dinner Meeting in January.
• AWA members enjoy discounted rates for all of our events.
• The AWA presents the Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award yearly at its Annual Dinner Meeting. The award is presented to a member of the greater New Orleans legal community who exemplifies the ideals and professionalism that Magistrate Judge Wynne so capably displayed in her too short career.
• The AWA host an annual Ethics & Professionalism CLE program, which is made available to our members for a nominal fee.
• The AWA partners with other women’s legal organizations such as the New Orleans Bar Association’s Women in the Profession Committee, Louisiana Association of Black Women Attorneys, and the Louisiana Chapter of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation to host socials, networking events, and programs such as the Superwoman Seminar and the Conclave on Diversity.
HONORING THE PAST AND SHAPING THE FUTURE
• The AWA strives to continue to involve our founding members, who provide a rich source of women’s legal history in New Orleans. The AWA has also created a fund to recognize the accomplishments of one of our founding members, Dot Waldrup. The Dot Waldrup Memorial Fund recognizes Dot’s many years of legal work representing victims of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Dot fought tirelessly for the victims of sexual harassment and gender inequality, as well as other forms of employment discrimination. Portions of the fund will be awarded annually to a student at Newcomb College Institute for study or work relating to gender issues in the workplace.
• The AWA supports the next generation of women lawyers through its student award program, which presents $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.
• The AWA also hosts an annual luncheon targeted at law students and clerks, which provides career development advice from across the legal spectrum – from HR professionals to judges.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The AWA initiates a new community outreach project every year. We have provided volunteer opportunities, hosted fundraising events and solicited donations for organizations such as Lafayette Square Conservancy, Grace House, The Pro Bono Project, Blueprint Louisiana, Partnership for Youth Development, Youth Empowerment Project, Second Harvest, KIPP Central City Primary School, CASA New Orleans, and Metropolitan Center for Women and Children.