Transformative Trailblazers: A video montage presented as part of NUSL's fourth annual Women in the Law Conference, 2012.
Featuring Mary Bonauto '87, Judith Olans Brown, The Honorable Dana Fabe
'76, Courtney Hunt '89 and Regine Theodat '09.
Read our Trailblazers' biographies.
Created by David Leifer and co-produced by Kathy Morris '75 and Mielle Marquis, Senior Associate Director of Alumni/ae Relations and Development.
Over 100 women
participated in the fourth annual Women in the Law Conference which was held at NUSL on Friday, May 11, 2012. Gloria
Larson, President, Bentley University, delivered the keynote and was extremely
well received. Conference co-chair chair,
Navjeet Bal '89, stated, "This year's conference exceeded our
expectations; women from diverse practice backgrounds and class years
participated and everyone walked away with more support, wonderful ideas for
next career steps and new friendships."
This year we introduced a speed mentoring component to the day. Kelly Douglas '92, conference co-chair,
stated, "This added part of the day was a wonderful way for graduates at
every career level to focus intensely on their career trajectory. They received immediate, practical career
advice."
Useful Links:
Read our post-conference tip sheet
View the 2012 program booklet
Make sure to check out our yearlong schedule of Women in the Law Programs.
View photo gallery
Schedule
9:00 a.m.
Registration, Networking & Continental Breakfast
9:20 a.m.
Welcome
Emily Spieler, Dean and Hadley Professor of Law
9:25 a.m.
Conference Introduction
Navjeet Bal '89, Counsel, Nixon Peabody
Kelly Douglas '92, Senior Employment Counsel, Draeger Medical Systems, Inc.
9:30 a.m.
Video Presentation
Transformative Trailblazers
9:40 to 10:30 a.m.
Keynote Address: Gloria Larson
A public policy expert, lawyer and business leader, Gloria Cordes Larson assumed the presidency of Bentley University in July 2007. She joined Bentley from the leading law firm Foley Hoag, where she co-chaired the Government Strategies Group
10:45 to 11:45 a.m.
Panel 1: Measuring Success — and Helping Other Women Along the Way
In the United States, women comprise 32 percent of all lawyers. In private practice, women make up 45 percent of associates, but only 18 percent of partners. In independent nonprofits receiving Legal Services Corporation grants, women are 67 percent of staff attorneys, but only 32 percent of executive directors. What do these numbers mean in your day-to-day professional life? Together, we will unpack the realities behind these statistics, while exploring strategies for creating professional opportunities for each other and mentoring women joining the profession today.
Panelists:
Nancy Cremins ’03, Attorney, Gesmer
Updegrove LLP; President, Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts (2011-2012)
Marguerite Fletcher, Founder, Fletcher Legal Consulting, Member of the
Lawyers Coaching Collaborative and Senior Consultant, Verna Myers
Consulting Group
Lauren Stiller Rikleen, Author, Ending the Gauntlet: Removing Barriers to Women’s Success in the Law; Success Strategies for Women Lawyers and
Executive-in-Residence at Boston College Center for Work and Family
Moderator: Professor Martha Davis
11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Lunch and Networking
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Panel 2: Moving Forward: Getting What You Want
What is it that you want most from your career?
More responsibility and a better title? A higher salary? Flexible hours? More
independence? Whatever it is, in the end, you’re going to have to ask for it
and make it happen on your own terms. And that means defining your goals and making
the best case for you and your contributions. In this session, panelists will
discuss the how-tos of building and executing your own advancement plan — helping
you craft an effective case for how your priorities also benefit those of your
organization.
Panelists:
Rachael Rollins '97, General Counsel, Massachusetts
Department of Transportation
P. Miyoko Sato ’97, Member, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo
Juliana Spofford ’89, General Counsel at RapidBuyr, LLC; Corporate
Counsel at NetProspex, Inc
Darnley Stewart '90, Partner, Giskan Solotaroff Anderson & Stewart LLP
Moderator: Professor Susan Montgomery '86
2:15 to 3:15 p.m.
Breakout Sessions and Speed Mentoring (Concurrent)
Breakout Session 1: Down to Business
Now that you know what you want — more money,
broader responsibilities, flex time — you next need to figure out how to
present your case to your organization. Is the best approach formal, with
statistics and charts, or an informal conversation over coffee? What arguments
are the most persuasive? Test your approach in this session with seasoned
managers.
Breakout Leaders:
Nancy Reiner, ’84, Managing Director, Major, Lindsey & Africa, LLC
Lauren Stiller Rikleen, Author, Ending the Gauntlet: Removing Barriers to Women’s Success in the Law; Success Strategies for Women Lawyers
Breakout Session 2: It's about the Network
You’re
rock climbing or at your daughter’s soccer game, and you meet someone who may just
have the potential to lead you to new clients. But you’re not sure. How can you
capitalize on that connection without being tacky or overstepping social
bounds? Come share ideas with a master networker on how to turn those
sometimes-tricky situations into bountiful opportunities.
Breakout Leaders:
Kelly Bonnevie ’92,
Partner, Wilson, Marino & Bonnevie, Boston
Margaret
Klaw ’84, Partner, Berner & Klaw & Watson, a women owned/run law firm in Philadelphia.
Breakout Session 3: Becoming a Public Interest Leader
Do you have what it takes to be a leader in a public interest organization? What qualities do you need, and how can you develop them? How can you best showcase your talents? Can you advance within the ranks of your current organization or will you need to leave to move up the career ladder? Come join the discussion with public interest leaders who can speak from experience.Breakout Leaders include:
Elisabeth J. Medvedow '85, Executive Director, Discovering Justice, Boston
Leslie Walker ’85, Executive Director, Mass Correctional Legal Services, Boston
Speed Mentoring:
In 15 minute blocks of time, mentors will help
mentees evaluate next steps, advise on career decisions and more.
Speed Mentors:
Navjeet Bal '89, Vanessa Candela '00, Kelly Douglas '92, Kathy Morris '75, Gina Perini' 01, Rachael Rollins '97, Eve Strother '00, Raquel Webster '03
Background on Women in the Law:
Since reopening in 1968, Northeastern University School of Law has championed the entry of more women into the legal profession. Today, over half our graduates are women, practicing in every conceivable setting — from private practice to public service, on the bench to business — as well as a host of non-legal fields.
In 2005, NUSL and the Women in the Law Steering Committee decided it was high time to offer programming specifically geared toward alumnae. Together, we developed a platform of activities including an annual conference, brown bag lunches with topical programming, a series of articles on women in the law as well as networking activities for women lawyers.
Each year, we strive to addresses topics pertinent to women attorneys, regardless of their area of practice or their career stage. Our goal is to offer practical, pertinent and timely information that they can put to use immediately in their careers. We also believe strongly in women supporting women, so we provide forums for networking, including ways to engage younger practitioners and current students.
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Networking ReceptionMix and mingle with guests, faculty and presenters.
Post-conference tips
For more information, please call 617.373.8268 or contact Eileen Hommel at e.hommel@neu.edu.
Make sure to check out our yearlong schedule of Women in the Law Programs.
We gratefully acknowledge the efforts of our Women in the Law Conference Steering group:
Navjeet Bal ’89
Professor Emerita Judy Brown
Vanessa Candela ’00
Kelly Douglas ‘92
Kathy Morris ‘75
Gina Perini ’01
Abby Record’79
Cindy Reed ’80
