Women Bar Women’s Bar Leaders Newsletter Leaders Newsletter
September 2026 Issue
Message from the NCWBA President Tami L. Munsch matters deeply, but the relationships we build while doing it matter too. I want NCWBA to be a place where you find resources and ideas, but also colleagues you can call, collaborators you trust, and friends who cheer when you succeed. So, as we get to work, my challenge is simple: show up, speak up, reach out, and bring someone with you. The 2026–2027 NCWBA year is officially underway, and I’m still carrying the energy, ideas, and connections from our time together at our Annual Leadership Summit in Chicago! We’ve talked about our theme, Lead Loudly. Now comes the fun part: putting it into practice.
There is a lot we can accomplish together this year and I have a feeling we might make a little noise doing it.
Tami L. Munsch NCWBA President, ‘26-27
This year, I want us to be intentional about connection. Pick up the phone. Make the introduction. Share the program that worked. Ask another organization how they solved the problem you’re facing. Celebrate your wins and let NCWBA help amplify them. One of the greatest strengths of NCWBA is that no organization has to reinvent the wheel alone. Across our member organizations, there is an extraordinary amount of experience, creativity, and leadership. When we share what we know and open doors for one another, we all become stronger. I also hope we make room for a little more joy in leadership this year. The work
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2026-2027 Board of Directors and Officers Officers
Board
President Tami L. Munsch, Kiln, MS
Sheila M. Abron, Columbia, SC Marissa Cummings, Fayetteville, NC
President-Elect Elizabeth A. Bryson, New York, NY
Jennifer Crompton, St. Louis, MO
Vice President-Fundraising and Strategic Partnering Alexandra Mitropoulos, Boston, MA
Mikhak Ghorban, San Diego, CA
Vice President-Membership Recruiting Chris Chambers Goodman, Malibu, CA
Krisi Kastl, Dallas, TX
Vice President-Membership Programming Deborah Cordova, Edinburg, TX Vice President-Finance Kristy Lavigne, Quincy, MA Secretary Hon. Kellie Hogan, Wichita, KS Treasurer Kyleen Hinkle, Tampa, FL Immediate Past President Jamison Hall Cooper, Bridgeport, WV
Sandra Kromminga Johnson, Des Moines, IA
Lisa Kresge, Providence, RI Shayda Le, Portland, OR Jennifer Mammen, Falls Church, VA Sara Morgan, Nashville, TN Manisha P. Patel, Greensboro, NC Jessie Pellant, Denver, CO Memory Roque, Colorado Springs, CO Lindsey B. W. Savage, Washington, DC
ABA Commission on Women in the Profession Liaison Manisha P. Patel, Greensboro, NC
Nikki Marie Sherwood, Boston, MA
ABA Delegate Jeanne Marie Clavere, Seattle, WA
Connie Weber, Charleston, WV
Sonya Sigler, Vancouver, WA
Kristen Wheeler, Wichita, KS
Executive Director Jill Pokorny, Anahuac, TX
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Newsletter Highlights Networking Isn’t the Point, Relationships Are………………..………….6 You Don’t Own the Room by Getting Louder ..........................9 2026 Women’s Bar Leadership Summit Recap……………………….11 Thank You to Our Summit Sponsors! .............................................15 With Appreciation for Their Service.……......……………………….………….….16 Get to Know Our New NCWBA Board Members…...……........17 From the Desk of NCWBA’s ABA Delegate .…………….……………...21 From Chicago: An Update from the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession ….……………………………………………………………………….24 Leading Loudly: NCWBA Board Retreat in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi ………………..………...………..……............…..……...........................................25 NCWBA Upcoming Events.……………………………………………………………….….….27 NCWBA Member Organizations………...………..……............…..…….........29
Networking Isn’t the Point, Relationships Are If you’re a newer attorney whose idea of networking starts and ends with a LinkedIn connection request, this one’s for you By Andrea I. Staehelin, Esq.
I got my current job through networking. Not a job board, not a cold application, but a conversation that started through my involvement in my state’s local women’s bar association. That’s not a lucky story. It’s the whole point of organizations like ours. I chose to move from Colorado to Rhode Island knowing I’d be attending law school in a state (and a part of the country) where I knew no one and nothing about. That’s not unusual; plenty of aspiring lawyers move far from where they grew up or went to college, and plenty more relocate again after graduation or after a couple years of practicing, hoping to build a practice somewhere entirely new. If there’s one realization years of schooling gave me, it’s that making connections as an adult, outside of the institutions that force us together, is hard. And most lawyers will tell you their job came through a relationship, not an application. So how, exactly, was I going to build relationships strong enough to land an internship, and eventually a job, in the smallest state in the United States, where it felt like everyone already knew everyone? Doing what I do best, I turned to Google. The advice was consistent: network, put yourself out there. Easier said than done. I consider myself an extrovert, but a shy one, and even shyer in rooms where I don’t know a single person or have any real tie to the area. Still, without much of a choice, I decided to join every organization my law school promoted that interested me. The Women’s Law Society regularly shared events hosted by the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association, and even though I wasn’t thrilled about driving 45 minutes alone to a networking event, I figured showing up was the hardest part. So, I went. I still remember walking into a local brewery for the women’s bar association’s annual kickoff. I had a few basic conversations with the attorneys there, introducing myself, and not much more. But I decided fairly quickly that
I needed to be involved with this organization specifically, not just my law school’s society, because law school wasn’t going to last forever. So, I kept showing up. And god, it was awkward sometimes. I felt like I was bad at “selling” myself. I’d gone straight from college to law school in the middle of a pandemic, so my work experience was thin. Talk about imposter syndrome. But that pressure to perform gave way to something better: genuine conversations. Internally, I felt like I was failing at the whole networking thing. In reality, I was building relationships. The summer of my 2L year, the women’s bar opened up a student-board member position, the first time it had done so. I applied, assuming plenty of other eager students would too. They did. But I got a call from the organization’s incoming president offering me the spot. She told me it was a no-brainer: my committee involvement and consistent showing up, even when it wasn’t convenient, was exactly the kind of commitment they were looking for. That year, I attended the monthly board meetings when my schedule permitted. When one of the board members’ firms was looking for an intern, I got my foot in the door and landed the position, simply because I showed up. When I had my character and fitness interview for my bar application, my interviewer was a past president of the women’s bar association, who acknowledged my involvement with the organization and even asked if I was comfortable with her doing the interview because of our connection. When I started clerking right after law school and my student-board position ended, I was still invited to a leadership and personality-traits training, simply because of my history with the organization. And when I passed the bar and learned that we
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could have a community attorney move for our admission at the swearing-in ceremony, I knew I wanted to ask someone from the organization I’d dedicated so much of my law school years to.
Committee work is a better investment than any single event. A single event gets you a conversation. Consistent involvement gets you a mentor, an intern position, a call about a job before it’s posted.
I sent an email to the women’s bar president at the time, someone I’d crossed paths with a few times but never truly had the chance to know, asking if she’d be willing to move for me, and explaining why. Without hesitation, she gladly accepted.
Someday, you’ll be the one leaving the ladder down. Every woman who helped me, the president who called, the mentor who co-chaired with me, the past president who remembered my name in my bar interview, the then-current president who offered me a job, was once a member who decided to extend an opportunity to someone still finding her footing. They chose to anyway. That’s the whole model.
The next few weeks unfolded quickly. I continued my involvement with the women’s bar, supporting events, social media, and website and email outreach. In November, the then-president asked what I was thinking about for a job once my clerkship ended. Whoa. This is networking. Two weeks later, I had a job offer in my inbox. None of this happened because I was especially talented at networking. It happened because I showed up, repeatedly, to an organization that made room for me before I had a resume full of legal experience. This is not unique to Rhode Island; women’s bar associations across the country are intentionally creating those same opportunities for others. That’s not a coincidence. It’s the function of a women’s bar association: to ensure that mentorship, sponsorship and opportunity aren’t reserved for the fortunate few with the right connections. If you’re on the fence about getting involved, or on the fence about getting more involved, here’s what I’d tell you: You don’t need a reason to join beyond curiosity. I joined because Google told me to network, not because I had a plan. The plan came later. Showing up is the whole first step. Not the networking script, not the elevator pitch, just walking into the room with genuine intention. Everything else follows from that. The awkward phase is temporary, and it’s not a sign you’re bad at this. Genuine relationships rarely start polished. Mine didn’t.
Andrea Staehelin is an Associate Attorney at Brennan Scungio & Kresge LLP, where she focuses on commercial finance, bankruptcy, creditor rights, education law, and business matters. She serves as Vice President of the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association and a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association’s House of Delegates and the Association of Commercial Finance Attorneys. Andrea earned her law degree, cum laude, from Roger Williams University School of Law and was recognized by Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly as a 2026 “Up & Coming Lawyer.”
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You Don’t Own the Room by Getting Louder By Melissa Romano, LGSW
Every woman lawyer knows the moment. You have the thing to say. You are right, and you can prove you're right. And your body picks that exact second to turn on you, so the sentence comes out a half-step too high and ends as a question you never meant to ask. Or it comes out with an edge you never sharpened, and now the room hears "difficult" instead of "right." We've been told the fix is confidence. Speak up. Take up space. Lower your register. I want to offer a different diagnosis, and it isn't a flattering one for a profession built on intellect: this was never a thinking problem. You cannot out-argue it, and high intelligence tends to make it harder, not easier, because it convinces you the answer is one more piece of preparation. The double bind, too soft reads as a pushover, too sharp reads as abrasive, gets treated like a style problem. It's a state problem. Shrinking and spiking aren't personality types. They're the two moves a nervous system makes when it has decided a room is unsafe, and a room where you've been talked over your whole career reads as exactly that. No amount of briefing reaches the place where that decision gets made, because it's made in the body, below the words, faster than thought. The ABA said it plainly this year: effectiveness is not the same thing as regulation. You can win the motion and be white-knuckling it. And here's the part that turns regulation from self-care into strategy. A room organizes around the most regulated nervous system in
it. Not the loudest, not the highest-ranked. If there isn't a steady one present, the room organizes around the most dysregulated one instead. Someone is always setting the temperature. The only question is who. That's what "owning the room" actually is. Not force you apply. The room arranging itself around your steadiness, because that's what nervous systems are built to do. And the good news is it's trainable. When you feel a room turn, when your chest tightens and your voice starts to climb, you have three moves, and they take about three seconds: Orient. Move your eyes. Lift them off whatever your body has decided is the threat and let them travel the actual room, the window, the door, one real object. This tells the oldest part of your brain there is nothing here to fight, and it brings your thinking back online. Feet. Feel the floor take your weight. Not a metaphor, an actual sensation. You are here, you are solid, the ground is holding you. Sound. Make one quiet "mm-hmm," the sound of easy agreement, under your breath. That small vibration settles your body and drops you back onto your natural speaking pitch in the same second, the voice you lose the moment you tense up. Orient, feet, sound. Nobody across the table ever knows you did it. And the more you practice it in low-stakes moments, before a call, at your desk, in the elevator, the more your body defaults to steady when the stakes are high. Loud was never the goal. Unmistakable is.
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Amplifying Women’s Voices at the 2026 NCWBA Women’s Bar Leadership Summit Chicago, Illinois — July 31, 2026 Women bar leaders from across the country gathered in Chicago on July 31 for the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations’ 2026 Women’s Bar Leadership Summit. This year’s theme, “Amplifying Women’s Voices in Leadership,” set the stage for sessions addressing leadership, technology, professional visibility, and mentorship. The Summit opened with “Own the Room: How Women Lawyers Lead Loudly and Effectively,” presented by Melissa Romano, owner of Reclaiming Healthy and author of Vagus Nerve Deck: 75 Exercises to Reset Your Nervous System. Romano discussed the ways self-doubt and imposter syndrome can affect how women communicate and lead and offered practical strategies for recognizing and addressing those barriers. With technology, including artificial intelligence, rapidly changing how lawyers work and communicate, the Summit also included a session on using technology to make sure women’s voices are heard. In “Unmute Yourself: Amplifying Women’s Leadership Through Technology,” Jacqueline Schafer, founder and CEO of Clearbrief, discussed the growing importance of technology in the legal profession and the need for women lawyers to be comfortable talking about their experience and accomplishments. “On the Mic – Own Your Voice,” presented by Past NCWBA President, Amanda Green Alexander, continued the discussion about professional visibility and communication. Alexander encouraged women to become more comfortable sharing their ideas, accomplishments, and expertise and emphasized the importance of making sure women are part of the conversations where decisions are being made.
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Celebrating Excellence: NCWBA Annual Awards The 2026 NCWBA Awards Luncheon recognized outstanding programs and projects undertaken by women’s bar associations and women’s law student organizations across the country. Awards were presented in the areas of public service, outstanding member programming, and programming by women’s law student associations. The 2026 Outstanding Member Program Award was awarded to the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys for their “Judicial Applications Bootcamp.” Since 2018, IOWA has assisted fifty-seven judicial application seekers with education and feedback through its “Bootcamp” program, including eight candidates who have successfully obtained judicial positions after attending. The 2026 Public Service Award was presented to the Lawyers Club of San Diego for their “Fund For Justice” project, which brings together the legal community to fund and support programs that provide legal services, expand access to justice, and address the unmet legal needs of women and non-binary individuals. The 2026 Women’s Law Student Association Award was awarded to the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law Association for Women Law Students for their work on “The Tiera Farrow Banquet”, an annual program that brings together law students and legal leaders to honor trailblazing women, foster mentorship, and advance the role of women in the legal profession.
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In the afternoon, attendees participated in Mentoring Circles with members of the NCWBA Board. The smaller groups provided an opportunity for informal conversations about leadership, involvement in bar organizations, and some of the challenges women face professionally. They also gave attendees a chance to hear what other women’s bar associations are doing and exchange ideas about their own organizations. The day concluded with NCWBA’s signature Ladder Down program. The panel included Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham; Chief Justice Maria Salas Mendoza of the Texas Eighth Court of Appeals; retired Judge Heather Welch; retired Judge Toni Clarke; and Mary Smith, former President of the American Bar Association. The discussion was moderated by Sheila Abron, a past President of NCWBA. The panelists shared experiences from their own careers and discussed mentorship, sponsorship, and the importance of helping other women advance. A particular focus was on women who have reached leadership positions using those positions to create opportunities for the women coming behind them. The Summit also marked a change in NCWBA leadership, with Tami Munsch taking the oath as the organization’s new President. NCWBA represents more than 35,000 women lawyers through women’s bar associations across the country. Its annual Summit gives leaders from those organizations an opportunity to meet their counterparts from around the country, exchange ideas, and bring new ideas and resources back to their own organizations.
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With Appreciation for Their Service The NCWBA is proud to recognize and sincerely thank Teresa Beck, Myra Morris, Nancy Reynolds, and Noelle Natoli for their years of dedicated service on the NCWBA Board of Directors.
initiatives and making decisions that benefit our member organizations, their service has left a meaningful and lasting mark.
Serving on the board is more than a title—it is a commitment to the organization, its members, and the continued growth of our profession. Throughout their terms, each of these women bar leaders generously gave their time, knowledge, energy, and leadership to help move the NCWBA forward. Their collective contributions have strengthened our organization and enriched the NCWBA community. From sharing their expertise and perspectives to supporting
As they rolled off the board in 2026, we celebrate all they have given to the NCWBA and express our sincere appreciation for their leadership and commitment. We are grateful for the time they invested, the work they accomplished, and the difference they made. Thank you, Teresa, Myra, Nancy, and Noelle, for your years of service and for helping make the NCWBA the organization it is today. We look forward to continuing to have you as an important part of the NCWBA community for years to come!
Teresa Beck
Myra Morris
Nancy Reynolds
Noelle Natoli
Lawyers Club of San Diego
Texas Women Lawyers
Virginia Women Attorneys Association
Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Subscribe to the NCWBA YouTube Channel We’ve had many member organization leaders request a way to watch On the MIC and membership programming they may have missed. Missed a program? Visit the NCWBA YouTube channel to catch up on recent sessions and revisit programs you loved—bookmark the page so you can easily access this growing resource anytime. https://www.youtube.com/@NCWBA
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Get to Know Our New NCWBA Board Members with the military lifestyle (to most - except Memory). However, she soon connected with other military spouses with JDs and is now on the Executive Board of the Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) which, among other missions, promotes license portability and equity for military spouses. What do you hope to contribute to the women’s bar community during your term on the NCWBA board? MSJDN began with a seemingly impossible mission. However, the niche group grew, and similarly situated JD holders realized that together, their knowledge and experience could effectuate change that mobilized not just its members, but their supporters. As an Executive Board Member of MSJDN, Memory brings a specific lens to NCWBA that dovetails with NCWBA’s mission of fostering organization growth and success, furthering the interest of women in the legal profession, and respecting inclusion.
MEMORY ROQUE Tell us a little about your professional life. What do you do, and where do you do it? After years of litigating before state and federal adjudicators, Memory Roque now focuses on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). In 2025, Memory received her LL.M. in ADR from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law (summa cum laude). She works in ADR with a home base in Colorado. How did you first become involved in bar associations? Memory began her involvement in bar associations early in her career by joining national and local organizations. After marrying an active-duty service member, the challenges of maintaining a legal career appeared incompatible
What’s your “why”? What motivates you to devote your time and energy to bar service, leadership, and advancing women in the legal profession? While many roadblocks have fallen due to the work of pioneering female attorneys and their supporters, bridges and ladders put in place must still be serviced, used, accessible, expanded, and improved upon, because “[s]ervice is the rent that you pay for room on this earth.” Shirley Chisholm. What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received or wish you had received? When faced with a challenge, remember that “[t]he most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.” Amelia Earhart.
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Get to Know Our New NCWBA Board Members SONYA SIGLER Tell us a little about your professional life. What do you do, and where do you do it? I’ve spent my entire legal career in-house at SEGA, Intuit, and startups in Silicon Valley. Today, I’m a recovering IP and corporate lawyer turned executive coach, business strategist, author, and speaker. Through PractiGal, I work with lawyers, executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations around the country on leadership, career strategy, business development, and building personal and professional lives that work for them, not the other way around. How did you first become involved in bar associations? My involvement in bar associations grew out of my long-standing commitment to supporting women in the legal profession and helping lawyers build stronger careers and practices. Over the years, I’ve spoken for and worked with numerous bar associations, and in 2023 I joined the board of MothersEsquire, which ultimately led to my involvement with NCWBA. What do you hope to contribute to the women’s bar community during your term on the NCWBA board? I hope to bring both a strategic and practical perspective to the board, particularly around leadership development, career advancement, business development, and helping women build meaningful professional relationships. I also want to strengthen connections among women’s bar associations so we can learn from one another rather than continually reinventing the wheel. I’m currently developing a 12-part career development webinar series for MothersEsquire that we will be able to share with NCWBA member organizations. What’s your “why”? What motivates you to devote your time and energy to bar service, leadership, and advancing women in the legal profession? I have been working to advance women professionally since the beginning of my career,
including co-founding the Women’s Interactive Entertainment Association in 1994 when I was an in-house lawyer in the video game industry. I have seen firsthand the difference that access to information, mentorship, sponsorship, and a strong network can make, and I want more women to have those resources as they make choices about their careers and leadership. An ABA study found that 50% of women leave the legal profession by the time they reach 50. I don’t want women leaving because they lack the support, information, or opportunities they need to stay, so I now concentrate much of my work on education, connection, and sharing best practices. What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received or wish you had received? Oh, how I wish someone had told me there is no “right” career path. I worked at a law firm while I was in law school and quickly discovered that law firm life and I were not going to get along (billable hours, anyone?). I learned the hard way, and have shared in my books, that your career does not have to follow a straight line, and changing direction does not mean you made the wrong choice before. Pay attention to what you
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Get to Know Our New NCWBA Board Members gravitate toward and what you want next, build the relationships and skills that will help you get there, and give yourself permission to make an intentional change when your current path no longer fits or serves you.
How did you first become involved in bar associations? I graduated from law school into a poor economy and a difficult legal market. At that time, what I thought I desperately needed was a job; what I actually needed was a community. That environment forced me to get out, meet people, genuinely get to know the lawyers and organizations in my area, and the most meaningful way to do that was through bar associations. I found friends, mentors, and colleagues with shared purpose – people who genuinely want to improve the profession, and I’ve been hooked ever since. What do you hope to contribute to the women’s bar community during your term on the NCWBA board?
SHAYDA LE Tell us a little about your professional life. What do you do, and where do you do it? I’m a partner at Barran Liebman, which is a boutique labor and employment firm in Portland, Oregon. I spend my days helping organizations and businesses navigate how to do right by their people, sometimes with large corporations, sometimes with small family-owned businesses, and I love getting to help them thrive in the industries and spaces they are passionate about.
There are so many dedicated, strategic, and creative women lawyers all over the country – when they come together to identify community needs, they get things done. Convening those strategies and successes into a centralized space, where anyone can utilize those ideas and resources, and instead of reinventing the wheel, they can learn from and improve upon someone else’s wheel – that’s a space I want to be in, contribute to, and benefit from. What’s your “why”? What motivates you to devote your time and energy to bar service, leadership, and advancing women in the legal profession? I think that the profession is stronger when lawyers are engaged in the broader practice, not just in their own work; I think the profession is stronger when a variety of lawyers are represented in the fabric of our
Get to Know Our New NCWBA Board Members community, and women must be an equal part of that fabric in order to best serve the public (and our various employers/organizations); and I think the profession is stronger when lawyers are called to lead and when they hone their skills to do so effectively and with purpose.
Tell us a little about your professional life. What do you do, and where do you do it?
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received or wish you had received?
Being a military spouse and having a demanding legal career, I was looking for a bar association that could help me navigate the two. That’s when I found the Military Spouse J.D. Network organization and it has been an amazing resource and support system.
My best piece of career advice is not “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” it’s “work with people you love so that when things inevitably get tough, you have purpose and support around you.”
I am currently working as an Assistant District Attorney in North Carolina. How did you first become involved in bar associations?
What do you hope to contribute to the women’s bar community during your term on the NCWBA board? Because I am still just starting out in my legal career I hope to provide some perspective of the needs of women newly entering this career track from law school. What’s your “why”? What motivates you to devote your time and energy to bar service, leadership, and advancing women in the legal profession? My why is uplifting and creating a more equitable world for people who are overlooked and under represented. There is power in numbers so I am motivated to be a part of a bar organization that is advancing women in the legal profession because all of our voices combined makes meaningful change. What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received or wish you had received? The best piece of career advice I received is that your success is not defined by who you work for or where you work. You will be successful anywhere because of great work ethic and rising to the occasion.
MARISSA CUMMINGS
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From the Desk of NCWBA’s ABA Delegate BY JEANNE MARIE CLAVERE In other significant meeting events, the most heavily anticipated debate centered on Standard 206, the ABA accreditation rule requiring law schools to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Jeanne Marie Clavere NCWBA ABA Delegate
The American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates adopted more than 40 policy resolutions at its newly revamped 2026 Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Meeting on August 3–4, 2026, the association’s House of Delegates policymaking body tackled critical issues. These ranged from the independence of the legal profession to civil rights, law school diversity standards, and law enforcement protocols. The NCWBA promotes equality within the legal profession and broader society by coordinating and uniting women’s bar associations to influence gender-related policies and laws. It also provides a national platform for sharing ideas, best practices, and essential information, supporting the development and success of women’s bar organizations and the legal community. This past year the NCWBA joined the American Bar Association and over 50 bar associations in defending the rule of law, opposing governmental intimidation of judges, and rejecting the punishment of lawyers for representing specific clients. At the Annual Meeting the NCWBA supported Resolution 400 and affirmed our commitment to the rule of law and the Constitution to support and promote the success and retention of women and other minorities in the practice of law.
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The standard has been under heavy scrutiny and was effectively suspended following broader legal pressures regarding diversity programs. Opponents pushed a proposal to eliminate the consideration of diversity-related factors in law school accreditation entirely.
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In a complex two-step legislative maneuver, the House of Delegates first voted to uphold Standard 206. However, it subsequently passed a second resolution granting the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar the authority to override the House's vote. This compromise effectively paves the way for the independent council to repeal the diversity standard ahead of federal oversight hearings.
Preserving the integrity of the justice system was a dominant theme throughout the conference. ●
The House passed multiple measures reinforcing the independence of both the judiciary and the legal profession against outside political interference.
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Delegates adopted new policies updating model ethical rules and refining guidelines governing law student recruitment practices to ensure fair, transparent professional pipelines.
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The House shifted its focus toward federal law enforcement practices and civil rights protections with a series of sharp regulatory recommendations. ●
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Delegates passed a formal policy opposing warrantless immigration searches and arrests, urging stricter adherence to constitutional boundaries at and near U.S. borders. The ABA approved updated protocols for law enforcement agencies, aiming to standardize best practices for public safety while preserving civil liberties.
Recognizing systemic funding disparities, the House voted overwhelmingly to advocate for increased financial support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) law schools. The resolution positions the ABA as a vocal advocate for federal and state initiatives to secure equitable resources for these foundational institutions.
Connect with the NCWBA ABA Delegate Don’t miss the opportunity to connect in person at the NCWBA Meet & Greet during the ABA Midyear Meeting. NCWBA ABA Delegate Jeanne Marie Clavere will be available to share insights, answer questions, and discuss key ABA initiatives. The Meet & Greet is also an opportunity to continue the important dialogue about the vital role women’s bar associations play in advancing our profession and ensuring that the perspectives and priorities of women lawyers are represented in the ABA House of Delegates. We hope you’ll join us for an engaging conversation, meaningful connections, and an opportunity to learn more about how NCWBA members can remain actively engaged and help strengthen our collective voice.
The conclusion of the voting sessions marked a major changing of the guard for the association. Outgoing President Michelle A. Behnke passed leadership to incoming ABA President Barbara J. Howard. Additionally, Laura Farber was named President-Elect, and Aurora Austriaco took over as the Chair of the House of Delegates for the 2026–2028 term. The policymaking House encompasses nearly 600 delegates from ABA entities and state, local and specialty bar associations. Proposals do not become ABA policy until they are approved by the House, which meets twice annually. The next House meeting will be held during the ABA Midyear Meeting January 27-February 1, 2027, which your representative will be attending and active in promoting the mission of NCWBA.
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From Chicago: An Update from the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession caregiving responsibilities, and systemic barriers on women lawyers. Women reported higher levels of stress across nearly every area studied, as well as higher rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms than their male counterparts. Manisha P. Patel NCWBA Liaison to the Commission on Women in the Profession
It was a privilege to join my colleagues on the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession (CWP) in Chicago during the 2026 ABA Annual Conference. As an NCWBA Board member and liaison to the Commission, I always value the opportunity to bring CWP’s national work back to our women’s bar community and consider how these resources can support our member organizations and the women lawyers we collectively serve. Our August 1 Commission meeting covered both the changing landscape within the ABA and the work ahead for CWP. We discussed developments affecting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and legal education, along with the Commission’s continued advocacy within the ABA. We also looked ahead to new resources, including programming around sponsorship, pregnancy and parenthood, and opportunities to strengthen engagement with women lawyers and women’s bar organizations. With CWP approaching its 40th anniversary, the conversation was also an important reminder of how much progress women lawyers have made—and how much work remains. One of the most significant developments announced in Chicago was the release of CWP’s new national study, Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession: The Unique Challenges of Women Lawyers and a Path Forward. The research draws on responses from 2,915 lawyers and examines the impact of workplace experiences, stress, bias,
What struck me most about the report is its emphasis on systems rather than simply resilience. Women lawyers have long been encouraged to become more resilient, manage stress better, or find better work-life balance. CWP’s research challenges us to look deeper. Meaningful change also requires examining workplace culture, workloads, leadership practices, bias, caregiving expectations, and whether lawyers actually feel safe using the wellness policies their employers provide. That message is particularly relevant to NCWBA and our member organizations. Women’s bar associations are uniquely positioned to turn national research into local action—through programming, conversations with employers, mentorship and sponsorship initiatives, leadership development, and advocacy within our own legal communities. The weekend concluded on August 2 with the 36th Annual Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Awards, honoring Cory M. Amron (one of the founders of NCWBA), Sheila S. Boston, Judge J. Michelle Childs, Ramona E. Romero, and Mary Smith. Each represents the spirit of an award that celebrates not only professional excellence, but women who have opened doors for those who follow them. CWP’s mission—to secure the full and equal participation of women in the ABA, the legal profession, and the justice system—closely complements the work women’s bar associations undertake every day. As we share resources and learn from one another across our organizations, NCWBA provides an invaluable bridge between this national work and women lawyers in communities across the country.
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Leading Loudly: NCWBA Board Retreat in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi In September, NCWBA Board members from across the country gathered in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, for our 2026 Board Retreat—a weekend centered on connection, collaboration, learning, and the people who make our work meaningful. This retreat was especially significant because the Bay St. Louis area is home to NCWBA President Tami Munsch. Throughout the weekend, we had the opportunity to experience the community she knows and loves while learning from the leaders who have influenced its growth and spirit. We are incredibly grateful to the many community leaders who welcomed NCWBA with open arms and shared their time, stories, and wisdom with us. Your hospitality made our time in Bay St. Louis truly memorable.
Leading Loudly—and Listening Well The weekend kicked off with a Ladder Down program at the historic 100 Men Hall, presented in partnership with the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association. A powerful panel featuring Judge LaKeysha Isaac, Chancellor Margaret Alfonso, Shronda Carter, and Joy Phillips, moderated by Elizabeth Porter, gave our Board plenty to think about as we began our retreat. The conversation was a wonderful reminder that “leading loudly” doesn't always mean being the loudest person in the room. Chancellor Margaret Alfonso encouraged us to lead by listening. She shared how seemingly insignificant conversations ultimately prompted her to advocate for changes to Mississippi law, including replacing outdated terminology such as “bastardy” and “lunacy.” She also described her work following Hurricane Katrina that led to
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Chancery Court Rule 8.06, requiring custodial parents to immediately notify the other parent of a child's well-being in the event of an emergency. Judge LaKeysha Isaac reminded us to trust our voices and recognize that our perspectives belong in the room. As she put it, "If you have a seat at the table but don't speak at the table, you aren't serving anybody." She also shared a wonderfully relatable story about nearly running away before taking the bench for the first time—until she called her chosen cheerleader for a much-needed reminder that she was ready. Attorney Shronda Carter challenged us with another powerful reminder: “Do not disappear after disappointment.” Leadership requires us to continue showing up, serving, and refusing to shrink back when things don't go according to plan. And Joy Phillips, the first woman to serve as President of The Mississippi Bar, brought some humor to the conversation with a story about a male colleague who once told her that if she weren't a lady, he'd tell her to fight him out back. Her response? “Don't let that stop you. Tell me what time.” Needless to say, she got his attention.
Building the Team Beyond the Conference Room Of course, great teams are built through more than meetings and strategic planning. They're built through connection, collaboration, laughter, and shared experiences. During the retreat, our Board stepped outside the conference room for a creative team-building experience. It gave us an opportunity to connect in a different setting, have some fun, and strengthen the relationships that help us lead NCWBA together. These moments matter. When we know one another—not just as board members, but as people—we build the trust and camaraderie needed to navigate challenges, share ideas, and serve our members well.
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On the MIC is back!
As we begin the 2026–2027 Board year, we're grateful for the opportunity to have started this journey together in Bay St. Louis.
Join NCWBA for our virtual membership programming series designed to connect, learn, and share with women bar leaders from across the country. Each session features timely topics, practical ideas, and an opportunity to connect with fellow leaders in the women’s bar community.
Thank you to our event partner, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association, our panelists and moderator, our sponsors, and all of the community leaders who welcomed NCWBA so warmly. Most of all, thank you to the Bay St. Louis community for giving us a glimpse into the place that helped shape our President, Tami Munsch.
Mark your calendar — all sessions begin at noon CT! October 28 November 18 December 16 January 27 February 24 March 24 April 28 May 26
We left Bay St. Louis with new ideas, renewed energy, stronger relationships, and a deeper understanding of what it means to Lead Loudly. We're ready to carry that spirit forward.
Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, new connections, or simply a chance to learn from other women bar leaders, On the MIC is the place to be. Save the dates and watch for more details on each session!
NCWBA.ORG/EVENTS
Save the Dates to Join Us In-Person Jan 28-30:
NCWBA Midyear Chicago, IL
Sept 17:
NCWBA Women’s Bar Leadership Summit New York, NY
Bring your organization’s emerging leaders and future pipeline with you! Plan now to join us in person. We look forward to seeing you there!
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NCWBA is proud to partner with the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) for their 2026 General Counsel Institute (GCI). Join us in NYC on October 14 - 16 for an experience curated by and for in-house counsel. NCWBA member organization members receive a discount! Use the code NAWLPARTNER26 when registering for 10% off your registration. GCI creates a unique environment to connect with other in-house attorneys from across the country and build legal and leadership skills. Law firm attorneys have opportunities to attend through sponsorship or a special ticket rate. We hope to see you in Midtown Manhattan on October 14 - 16!
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2026 NCWBA Member Organizations Missouri Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City Women Lawyers of Greater St. Louis University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law Association for Women Law Students
Alabama Birmingham Bar Association Women Lawyers Section Dorbin Association, University of Alabama School of Law Arizona Women Law Students Association Arizona State University Arkansas Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers – Law Student Division (William H. Bowen School of Law at University of Arkansas Little Rock) California California Women Lawyers Lawyers Club of San Diego San Mateo County Bar Association Women's Law Student Association-Thomas Jefferson School of Law Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
Ohio Ohio Women’s Bar Association Oregon Oregon Women Lawyers Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation
Connecticut Connecticut Bar Association Women in Law Section
Rhode Island Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association
District of Columbia Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia
South Carolina South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
Florida Florida Association for Women Lawyers
South Dakota University of South Dakota Women in Law
Illinois Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
Texas Dallas Women Lawyers Association Texas Women Lawyers Women's Law Caucus - University of Texas at Austin Women's Law Society- South Texas College of Law
Iowa Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys Kansas Association for Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City Kansas Women Attorneys Association Wichita Women Attorneys Association
Utah Women Lawyers of Utah
Louisiana Women Law Student Association - Loyola University College of Law (New Orleans) Women's Law Student Association - Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University
Virginia Virginia Women Attorneys Association Washington Washington Women Lawyers West Virginia West Virginia Women Attorneys West Virginia University College of Law Women's Leadership Council
Maine Maine State Bar Association Maryland Women's Bar Association of Maryland
Wisconsin Association for Women Lawyers
Massachusetts Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts Women’s Law Association - Western New England School of Law
Minnesota Minnesota Women Lawyers
New York New York Women's Bar Association Women's Bar Association of the State of New York North Carolina North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys
Colorado Colorado Women's Bar Association Women's Law Caucus - University of Colorado School of Law
Michigan Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
New Hampshire New Hampshire Women's Bar Association
National Burns White Lady Justice Initiative Military Spouse JD Network Mothers Esquire, Inc Ms. JD National Association of Women Lawyers Women Lawyers on Guard ACTION Network, Inc.
Mississippi Mississippi Women Lawyers Association
Not seeing your women’s bar association listed? To ensure your members continue enjoying all the benefits, resources, and connections NCWBA offers in 2026, we invite you to renew your organization’s membership. Renew—or join—the NCWBA today!
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