3/30/2023
By JUDICATE WEST
What is OCWLA’s mission?
The Orange County Women Lawyers
Association (OCWLA) first began in 1975 with five members. The original goal
was to focus on the rights, not only of women, but also of all individual
groups that may have experienced discrimination in our society or before the
law. At the time, there were no women jurists sitting on the bench in Orange
County. The group quickly grew to over thirty members comprised of nearly an
equal number of women and men. Since this time, the OCWLA has been dedicated to
the advancement of women in the legal profession and the support of diversity
both on the bench and in law firm partnerships.
Why is the organization special to you?
I have been on the OCWLA board for
the past five years and this year have the privilege of serving as the
President of this great organization. OCWLA is very special to me for several
reasons – through the personal connections I have made, the important advocacy
positions it takes, and how it gives back to our community. I have not only
made long-lasting friendships from my involvement with OCWLA, but I have also
had the honor to serve with other talented women lawyers in Orange County who
are passionate about this organization and its goals of advancing women and
diversity in the legal profession.
What is OCWLA’s impact in the
community?
OCWLA provides numerous
professional networking opportunities for our members and MCLEs addressing a
variety of issues, such as employment discrimination and harassment as well as
pay disparities like Equal Pay Day, which marks how many more days in the year
women must work compared to men to get paid the same. The OCWLA was also one of
the first bar organizations in Orange County to address the implications of the
Dobbs decision. OCWLA is dedicated to giving back to the legal community and,
through its foundation, provides charitable gifts to local nonprofits that are
dedicated to assisting women and children in law and society.
As we reflect on Women's History
Month, what words do you have for the legal community?
Today, nearly 50 years after the
OCWLA was founded, we are over 500 members strong. Women in the legal
profession have certainly come a long way from when our organization was
founded, but there is still much progress to be made. According to the Judicial
Counsel of California demographic data from 2022, only 35.1% of the judges on
the trial court in Orange County are women. For the entire judicial bench in
California, only 39.9% are women and only 38.6% are people of color. These
statistics are substantially less when looking at law firm partnerships. As
women continue to outnumber men attending law schools in the United States, we
seek to see more equal representation in leadership. While we look back on
Women’s History Month and celebrate the substantial progress we have made over
these past decades, let’s remember that there is still much progress to be
made. The OCWLA is dedicated to continuing to support diversity and equal
opportunities for women in the legal profession.
