Highlights of Presidency:

As WBASNY began our 2001-02 year, we focused early on the frustrating reality that women in the legal profession still faced barriers to advancement and often outright discrimination. We reconstituted the Committee on Equality in the Profession, which I charged with developing a practical program to assist women lawyers to deal with these barriers, hoping that the Committee could structure a mentoring program. I attended all but one of the chapter’s annual dinners and installation ceremonies, and was energized by the talent and commitment of our members across the state. I was particularly excited by the innovative plans that many of the chapters were planning to increase membership. In my remarks at the chapters’ events, my message consistently was that WBASNY is unique in our dual focus to improve the status of women in the legal system and to remove barriers to women in the profession, and that every new member counted in our efforts.

Over the summer, the Executive Committee began to focus on substantive issues that related to both parts of our mission, such as changes in the fiduciary appointments system. But, of course, we put aside all that we were planning to do to cope with – and respond to – the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in which we lost one of our members and other members lost friends and family. WBASNY members, individually and through our chapters, acted immediately and generously to assist victims, families and members of the military with their many legal needs, and to defend the civil rights of suspect communities. Rightly, we laid aside our other issues for a time. The strength of WBASNY was evident in our members’ ability that year to continue to deliver special legal services that were called for in the recovery from the attacks and ultimately to reintegrate WBASNY’s mission into our professional lives.

The Board voted unanimously in 2002 to support legislation to grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples – the first statewide bar association in New York to do so. WBASNY also voted to support the Chief Judge’s proposed restructuring of the courts, delivered a thoughtful critique of the first round of fiduciary system changes, and participated actively in developing, advising or commenting on other important OCA initiatives. As this momentous, world-changing year ended, the Committee on Equality in the Profession announced their recommendation of a statewide mentoring program, as I had hoped, and in doing so reaffirmed our commitment to each other and our outreach to young women in the profession. I have been grateful ever since that year for the outstanding efforts of all of our members.