News

Orly Lobel’s latest publication will be released on October 18. Here’s her description:

I am excited to share with you the news about my book The Equality Machine: Harnessing Digital Technology for a Brighter, More Inclusive Future (PublicAffairs 2022). The Equality Machine is a cautiously optimistic response to the current “techlash” and fears of AI, automation, and datafication. I envision a more balanced path forward, one where we redirect digital technology for good. Much has been written about the challenges tech presents to equality and democracy. I argue that while we cannot stop technological development, we can steer its course according to our most fundamental values. Already, digital technology frequently has a comparative advantage over humans in detecting discrimination, correcting historical exclusions, subverting long-standing stereotypes, and addressing the world’s thorniest problems: climate, poverty, injustice, literacy, accessibility, speech, health, and safety. The book offers vivid examples, new research, and interviews and stories of leaders from academia, policy, and industry—from labor markets to dating markets-that inspire to have skin in the tech game and restore human agency in a rapidly evolving artificial reality. Kirkus just reviewed the book calling it a compelling, hopeful, enthusiastic yet measured argument for technology’s potential to promote equality across many facets of culture and industry. I am also very grateful for the advance praise by Larry Lessig, Martha Minow, Jonathan Zittrain, Adam Grant, Angela Duckworth, Dan Ariely, Gillian Hadfield, Frank Pasquale, Kate Darling, Jonah Berger, and Dan Pink.

You can order the book here or here in print, Kindle or Audible or anywhere you get your books.

Selected upcoming book talks:

Cambridge, MA: Saturday, October 22, at 5:30 pm ET

La Jolla:  Warwick’s La Jolla Thursday, October 27 at 7:30 pm PT

Seattle: Town Hall Seattle Thursday, November 3 at 6:00 pm PT  

Virtual: Center for Data Innovation November 8, Noon until 1:00 pm ET

                                    

               

For those who could not attend the April 6 program of the National Conference of Bar Presidents “21st Century Lawyers: Women Bar Leaders Forum,” you may now click here to view a recording of the program.  To learn more about the program and the speakers, including our own NCWBA president, Shiloh Theberge, click here.

Our annual Women’s Bar Leadership Summit will be held in Chicago August 4 and 5, 2022. 

The theme for this year’s Summit is “Reconnecting for Excellence” and our programming is designed to motivate women in leadership positions and connect them to the tools necessary for success!

Keynoting the event is Helen Wan, Attorney, DEI Consultant, and Author of The Partner Track which is currently being produced by Netflix! Ms. Wan realized the importance and need for a realistic account of a woman of color’s perspective of “trying to figure it all out.” She will share her knowledge and help us all Connect the Dots for Success!

In addition to Ms. Wan’s keynote address, the 2022 Summit will feature a GOOD Guys program (www.goodguysinlaw.org), programming on recruiting members, engaging membership and maximizing their potential, leadership tips, networking opportunities, and ways for member organizations to use the support that NCWBA provides. 

See you in Chicago!

BOSTON, MA– March 22, 2021 – The Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA) held a Virtual Annual Meeting on March 16, 2021 and introduced its new leadership.

 

The WBA is pleased to welcome Heather Gamache as the organization’s incoming President.   Heather is a director in the litigation department at Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster.  Prior to joining Rackemann, Heather was a partner in the litigation department at Prince Lobel Tye.   Heather has been actively engaged in the WBA for over six years, sitting on the Board of Directors since 2017 and serving in other leadership roles such as the Women’s Leadership Initiative, and as tri-Chair of the Law Firm Advancement Committee, where she assisted with the Summit on Women’s Initiatives in May 2017 and participated in administering the groundbreaking survey on workplace conduct and behaviors in law firms in the spring of 2018.

 

At the annual meeting, the WBA also voted on a slate of officers and elected members of the Board of Directors.  The organization welcomes the following new and returning officers and directors for 2021-22.

 

WBA Officers

 

President: Heather Gamache, Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster

President-Elect: Kristy Lavigne, Office of Bar Counsel 

Vice President of Membership & Statewide Outreach: Kim Donlon, Major, Lindsey & Africa

Vice President, Operations: Jessica Babine, Cornetta Babine LLC

Treasurer: Alexandra Mitropoulos, Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP

Secretary: Julie Dick, Community Legal Aid 

 

WBA Immediate Past President

 

Nicole Forbes, Globalization Partners

 

WBA Board of Directors

 

At-Large Directors

Jessica Caamano, Goulston & Storrs PC

Margaret Caulfield, Alkermes, Inc.
Theresa Coney, Committee for Public Counsel Services

Kristen Grannis, Latham & Watkins LLP
Kate Isley, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Danielle Johnson, Greater Boston Legal Services

Gwen Nolan King, Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C.
Emily Robey-Phillips, Jones Day
Nancy Rothstein, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Jamie Sabino, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Payal Salsburg, Laredo & Smith LLP

Amy Sennett, Open Text, Inc.

Sarah Sousa, Arrowood LLP

Jenna Ventorino, WilmerHale
Raquel Webster, National Grid

 

Regional Directors

Lesley A. Leonessa, Dell EMC (Greater Boston)
Victoria Spetter, Law Firm of Victoria C. Spetter, PC (Middlesex)
Brianna Sullivan, Tang & Maravelis PC (North of Boston)

The new board brings energy, a wealth of experience in varied legal disciplines, diversity, and a steadfast commitment to advocating on behalf of women’s issues.

 

Incoming WBA President Heather Gamache remarked, “It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve as President of the Women’s Bar Association, which has been a formative organization throughout the advancement of my career.  Through the WBA, I have gained trusted mentors and friends and many opportunities for leadership and professional development.  My involvement with the WBA has provided me with a deep understanding of the importance of advocacy organizations to promote a fair and just society.  I look forward to working with our members in the year ahead to make positive changes for women lawyers and all women in the Commonwealth.

 

Outgoing WBA President Nicole Forbes reflected, “It has been an honor serving as President this year. While this was a difficult year, especially as an organization that prides itself on providing opportunities to network and connect with others, I am proud of the work we have accomplished this year. I am grateful for the opportunity to have collaborated with so many of our members on issues facing our profession and community, and to have been a voice advancing the full and equal participation of women. Congratulations to Heather Gamache, our new WBA President, and our new Executive Board and Board of Directors, I look forward to continuing our important work with you all.”

 

About the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts 

Founded in 1978 by a group of activist women lawyers, the Women’s Bar Association boasts a large membership of women lawyers, judges, policy makers, and law students across Massachusetts.  The WBA is committed to the full and equal participation of women in the legal profession and in a just society. The WBA works to achieve this mission through committees and events and by developing and promoting a legislative agenda to address society’s most critical social and legal issues.  Other WBA activities include networking and professional development, drafting amicus briefs, studying employment issues affecting women, encouraging women to enter the judiciary, recognizing the achievement of women in the law, and providing pro bono services to women in need through its sister organization, the Women’s Bar Foundation.  For more information, visit www.womensbar.org.

 

The National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (“NCWBA”) strongly denounces the armed assault on the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, January 7, 2021, during the Constitutionally-mandated process by which the United States Congress counts the votes of the States’ representatives to the Electoral College and certifies the election of the President Elect and Vice-President Elect for the next term.  Our nation’s electoral process has been in place for more than two centuries.  It is governed not by violence but by the U.S. Constitution.  The President of the United States, as well as all elected officials and others in positions of civic responsibility, must uphold their oath to defend the Constitution and support a peaceful transition of power to incoming President Elect Joseph Biden, Jr. and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris, thereby protecting the rule of law and the integrity of our union.  The NCWBA also stands in support of the statement issued on this topic by the American Bar Association, which can be found here.  

We are pleased to welcome our new executive director, Christina Simpson! Christina is admitted to practice in New York and Massachusetts. Her current legal practice emphasizes small business and branding. She is an active member of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, where she co-chairs the Women of Color Committee.  She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and received her undergraduate degree at Boston College. 

 

Long-time executive director Diane Rynerson will be retiring in 2019 which means we are now eager to identify the next executive director who will help us to grow and strengthen the organization in years to come. The position is part time, with flexible hours. Applications are currently being reviewed.

 

The ABA adopted a model antidiscrimination rule in August 2016, but many states have yet bring antidiscrimination provisions into their own professional rules.  NCWBA just launched a new toolkit  designed to assist states in exploring the new model rule by providing quick access to key information, summarizing arguments for and against the rule, and providing a checklist and sample letter/proposal to get the process started.

Lawyers in the U.S. are not nearly representative of the population we serve. Discrimination and implicit bias significantly contribute to this lack of diversity and limit the effectiveness of our profession. Previous and current efforts to increase diversity among lawyers are not enough to address the problem.

The new antidiscrimination rule makes it misconduct for lawyers to discriminate in the course of practicing law. States are now able to more easily address discrimination and increase diversity by considering adoption of the model anti-discrimination rule.

Still, addressing diversity and evaluating the model rule can be a significant undertaking for a state. The new NCWBA toolkit is designed to make it easier for states to consider address diversity issues.  You can check out the new toolkit here  and download helpful information to use in your state.