SECTION UPDATE
Women in the Profession Section
By Sarah Cipperly & Megan Hodgkiss
[email protected], [email protected]
WIP Celebrates Ten Years
What an exciting year for WIP! This fall, the Women in the
Profession Section celebrated 10 years as a section. We
have had several exciting events so far, and we have more
planned this spring, including our annual pro bono Wills
training and CLE, an April social at Ponce City Market,
and our annual Woman of Achievement Awards luncheon.
To celebrate our 10th birthday as a section, WIP hosted a
panel discussion and cocktail reception on February 18. To
reflect upon this major milestone of women in the Atlanta Bar,
a panel of local bar leaders answered the question: “Why is
it important to have women’s and minority bar associations?”
The event, Ten Years of WIP: Where we are and where
we’re going took place Thursday, February 18th at the
State Bar of Georgia. Panelists included Harold Franklin,
current Atlanta Bar Association President; Laurie Vickery,
president of the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers;
Adwoa Ghartey-Tagoe Seymour, immediate past president
of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys; and
the Honorable Susan Edlein of the State Court of Fulton
County. Current WIP Chair Sarah Cipperly moderated.
To begin, the panelists discussed the history of women and
minority bars in Georgia. As panelist Ghartey-Tagoe Seymour
noted, the legal profession was not set up for women and the
ways in which women work. It was a profession run by men,
then women were allowed to join. Special bar associations and
sections, such as Women in the Profession Section, serve as a
resource and support system for those trying to enter the legal
field. “The history of each bar association is unique in terms of
when they were founded and why. There are a lot of traditions
and reasons for formation, but [these bars] are still very relevant”
said Franklin. He continued, “it is amazing that the Women in
the Profession has only been around for 10 years; this section
is doing a phenomenal job.” Ghartey-Tagoe Seymor added
that certain hot button legal issues “would not have been
brought to the forefront, if not for women’s bar associations.” She cited current examples such as women attorneys
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who travel with military spouses, and Canadian attorneys
dealing with barrister robe restrictions during pregnancy.
Concerning bar associations’ current roles, all members of the
panel agreed that these organizations provide pivotal opportunities for professional growth, mentorship and leadership.
“Groups like GAWL are important because they provide a
place for attorneys at any stage of their career… and people
are starting to look for more diversity, because it gives more
perspective” said Vickery. Women and minority bar associations “give people the chance to meet others like them, and
opportunities for leadership and mentoring roles” said Judge
Edlein. She continued, “it is incredibly important to identify
leaders and give them the strength they need to accomplish
their goals.” Speaking on bar associations and professional
growth, Ghartey-Tagoe Seymour added, “I have no doubt my
ability to make partner is due in part to my role in GABWA.”
The panel also addressed a series of questions related to
maintaining their bar associations’ missions, without being
accused of “pushing an agenda.” “In terms of pursuing a mission, it is completely appropriate to advance causes related
to that mission. But it is also good to mix it up with different
perspectives” said Franklin; “It is wrong to look at [this situation]
as either/or.” Ghartey-Tagoe Seymour said bar associations
should constantly “go back to their mi