Minnesota Women Lawyers

The MWL Annual Rosalie Wahl Leadership Lecture (Fall 2022) The Wahl Lecture was held remotely in honor of retired Justice Rosalie Wahl on October 24, 2022 at Prime Therapeutics in Eagan, Minnesota. Commemorating MWL's 28th Annual Wahl Lecture, the event honored Justice Wahl, and celebrated Minnesota women leaders who not only have a seat at the table, but are also change agents in their own communities. MWL was pleased welcome keynote speaker Judge Pamela Alexander, Fourth Judicial District (retired). About Our Keynote Speaker: Judge Pamela Alexander's call to the legal profession began courageously at the age of twelve when she testified in court as a witness to the rape of her best friend. Judge Alexander's courageous and exemplary career has continued as she consistently and relentlessly pursues her most central value as a judge and a person: equal justice for all. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Judge Alexander was the youngest of six children, however in her career she captured a number of "firsts." Judge Alexander was the first in her immediate family to graduate from college, receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Augsburg College and was the first in her family to attend law school, receiving her Juris Doctorate Degree for the University of Minnesota School of Law. After beginning her legal career as an attorney for the Trust Department of First National Bank, she left and pursued the career she was meant for as a criminal defense lawyer for the Legal Rights Center where she had clerked while in Law School. Judge Alexander later moved to the criminal division of the Hennepin County Attorneys Office and became the first African American female prosecutor in the State of Minnesota. In 1983 Governor Rudy Perpich appointed her the first African American female Judge in the State of Minnesota, Judge Alexander served as a Hennepin County District Court Judge from 1983 to 2018 with a brief hiatus from the bench from 2008-2013 when Judge Alexander served as the President of the Minnesota Council on Crime and Justice where she focused on criminal and juvenile justice policy reform. Judge Alexander was re-appointed to the Hennepin County District Court in 2013 by Governor Mark Dayton, where she served in the criminal and juvenile divisions of the Court until her retirement in 2018. Judge Alexander furthers her commitment to justice and community by being involved with a number of boards and educational institutions. She has served as a member of the Minneapolis Foundation Board of Trustees, the Children's Defense Fund Juvenile Judges Leadership Council, the Minnesota Supreme Court Equal Fairness in the Courts Committee, the Black Community Crusade for Children, the Way to Grow Board of Directors, Governor Dayton's Council on Community and Police Relations. Judge Alexander was also an adjunct Professor at the University of St. Thomas Law School and Mitchell Hamline School of Law, she also serves as a mentor and section leader at the University of Minnesota School of Law. Judge Alexander has received numerous community service awards because of her social justice reform work some of the highlights being the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Justice Award, the David Graven Public Service Award, the Woman of Courage Award from the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, the 2007 and 2017 University of St. Thomas Award for Outstanding Teaching, the Profiles in Courage Award from the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers, the Pioneer Award from the Cultural Wellness Center and the Sabathani Community Leadership Award. Judge Alexander lives by these words: Law is living and changing, we have to live and change with it. Having said that we must be ever mindful of the lives we are impacting. Given who we see, what we see, it is incumbent upon those who are in this position to diligently work towards equal justice for everyone.

MWL Member Monday Series (Sept 2022 to June 2023) MWL continued its monthly opportunity to engage with Minnesota Women Lawyers and its members, learn from legal community leaders, and build connections across the profession. Held on the 2nd Monday of each month (unless noted otherwise) from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m., MWL Member Mondays provided a consistent opportunity for MWL members and the statewide legal community to connect on topics of common interest, all in support of MWL's mission and values. Each month's gathering offered a dynamic and relevant program in a variety of remote formats. We heard from community leaders, participated in a workshop-style format, and engaged in a group-wide discussion. Furthermore, MWL Member Mondays provided members and non-members alike with the opportunity to learn more about MWL and its benefits, as well as opportunities to volunteer and further engage with the association. MWL Member Mondays were FREE and most offered 1.0 CLE credit. September 12, 2022: Leadership, Allyship & Intersectionality October 3, 2022 (1st Monday): Walking Out the Door: Retention & Success in Private Practice November 14, 2022: Lessons from a Pandemic: Analysis of MWL's Survey of Women Attorneys December 12, 2022: Rising to the Challenge: Stories of Success January 9, 2023: Dobbs in the New Year: Where Are We Now? What's Next? February 13, 2023: Securing the Skills You Need to Best Ensure Your Professional Success March 13, 2023: Opportunity & Impact: Pro-Bono and Non-Profit Service April 10, 2023: Pay Equity & the Legal Profession June 12, 2023: MWL's Diversity & Inclusion Seminar (Topic TBD)

MWL 51st Annual Meeting Workshop & Luncheon (Spring 2023) Minnesota Women Lawyers was pleased to invite its membership and the legal community to attend its 51st Annual Meeting on Friday, May 12th, 2023 at Best Buy. (7601 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55423) We gathered in-person for a morning of CLE programming, including a keynote workshop facilitated by Ra'Shya Ghee, University of Minnesota Law School Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Following the morning CLE's, MWL hosted its 51st Annual Meeting luncheon. We celebrated the past year, introduced the FY23-24 Board of Directors, and recognized the 2023 Annual Award recipients. Community Through Equity: Building at the Margins MWL welcomed Ra'Shya Ghee, University of Minnesota Law School Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, who presented a keynote workshop entitled "Community Through Equity: Building at the Margins." This workshop explored the ways that building meaningful community is anchored by many of the same attributes that engender equity. Authenticity, vulnerability, and humility are not always prioritized in legal spaces but are necessary to cultivate meaningful connection. These connections are the building blocks of communities that go beyond surface diversity (which has often been understood as mere proximity to difference) and begins to foster the kind of rapport that can diminish the influence of social constructs. Attendees examined how prioritizing community transforms organizational culture and ensures objectives are undergirded by an equity lens. We explored how some seemingly neutral practices can inhibit community building and equity goals. Ra'Shya Ghee is an attorney, educator, and equity consultant who's focused on anti-racism work for over 10 years. Her formal education has included courses on civil rights, feminist legal theory, race, law, & social psychology, critical race theory, and an individualized advanced study on intersectionality. She's also certified in workplace diversity, equity, & inclusion, trauma responsive advocacy, and race and cultural diversity in American life and history. She is the Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Minnesota Law School, has held teaching assignments at both the University of Toledo College of Law and The University of Minnesota Law School teaching "Race & American Law", and she also developed a "Racial Equity & Justice Milestone" for the University of Minnesota Law School. She's trained universities, law firms, government agencies, and nonprofits in racial competence to rave reviews and overwhelmingly favorable reception. She facilitates workshops, gives lectures, operationalizes anti-racism commitments for organizations across the US, and has facilitated over 500 hours of equity training. She has been recognized by numerous racial justice organizations for her efforts and is distinguished in her knack for compelling oration, extensive preparation, and meaningful engagement.

Ongoing Leadership, Professional Development and Mentor Programs MWL sponsored ongoing programs throughout the year designed to foster leadership, professional development and mentoring opportunities for women lawyers. When it was not safe to meet in person, programming took place remotely via Zoom webinar. Equity Initiatives MWL sponsored ongoing projects and initiatives related to the systemic advancement and success of women attorneys. Overall, the Equity Committee works to develop and implement action steps for MWL to achieve equity for women in the legal profession, including: 1) assessing the current status of women in the legal profession in Minnesota; 2) identifying barriers that prevent women from achieving equity; 3) steps (specific programs/initiatives) that can be taken to overcome such barriers; and 4) implementation of action steps as appropriate. Activities are inclusive of both the bench and the bar.