Lawyers Club Blog (ARCHIVE)

As you begin to make plans for the holidays, you should also plan to make your pitch for a raise or promotion. December is the month that many San Diego law firms and organizations make determinations regarding promotions and raises. This is the time to make the ask.
 

As many of you know, Lawyers Club is a volunteer organization. Our board members and committee co-chairs devote countless hours to advance our mission. These leaders devote valuable time to our organization despite handling a full-time practice, being the sole source of income for their family, taking care of family members, and undertaking other leadership roles in the community. As I prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving and give thanks for my many blessings, I would be remiss not to thank our leadership for all that they do.
 

Human trafficking, which includes sexual exploitation and forced labor, is a significant problem in San Diego. According to data from the FBI, San Diego is one of the 13 worst regions in the United States for sex trafficking, an underground industry worth $810 million in San Diego County.

I am proud to announce that former Lawyers Club President Olga Álvarez and Lawyers Club member Judy Bae have been appointed by Governor Newsom to the Superior Court of California, San Diego. Olga Álvarez has been a member of Lawyers Club since 2003 and has co-chaired the Diverse Women’s Committee, Membership Development Committee and 50th Anniversary Committee, served on the Lawyers Club Board, and served as Lawyers Club President in 2017-2018. Judy Bae has been a member of Lawyers Club since 2013. I would also like to congratulate Judge Terrie Roberts, a court commissioner since 2008, who was also appointed to the bench and sworn in on October 28, 2019. Judge Roberts served as a speaker at Lawyers Club’s first Women of Color Reception in 2013. As leaders in the legal community and masters of their craft, these women have advanced our mission. We should all celebrate their achievements.
 

The month of November marks the beginning of the holiday season. As we begin to prepare for the holidays, we also think about giving to our favorite charitable causes. As you think of giving, consider Lawyer’s Club charitable arm, Fund for Justice, which supports local non-profits that serve to advance the status of women in society and serve the unmet needs of women. Since its inception in 1999, Fund For Justice has made over 148 grants totaling $395,000 to 45 local organizations. Past grantees have included organizations such as Girls on the Run, Free to Thrive, Voices for Children, and Survivors of Torture.

As a mother, I can think of few situations more scary then having a child experience a school shooting. Unfortunately, too many mothers have experienced that horror. Indeed, too many sisters, aunts, daughters, and wives have lost a loved one to gun violence. I have experienced the loss of a friend to gun violence and know someone who was assaulted with a gun by an abusive husband.
 

Networking skills play an integral role in women’s advancement in the legal profession. While many find networking to be tedious and awkward, networking can lead to referrals sources, new job opportunities, or even a promotion. Although women may generally be seen as more social than men, according to a 2018 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org, women network less than men. Instead of making networking a chore or an awkward attempt to obtain business from strangers, women should work on making connections and building relationships with people. To make the experience more engaging, find something in common with the other person that is interesting to talk about (not the law).

At our leadership luncheon, panelist Andrea Guerrero explained that women attorneys have the power to “shape the river” or use their tools of advocacy to effect change in laws and policy to better society. Another way to shape the river is to ensure that the pipeline for women attorneys remains strong by inspiring the next generation.

This year Lawyers Club celebrates its 47th anniversary of advancing the status of women in the law and society through advocacy and activism. Since its establishment, Lawyers Club has received numerous awards and accolades for its informative programming and advocacy for policies to advance the status of women. Our charitable arm, the Lawyers Club Fund for Justice, has awarded more than $400,000 to 45 organizations since its inception in 1997. Lawyers Club has also put on engaging dinner programs, featuring distinguished speakers, such as former Attorney General and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.), U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe, Professor Anita Hill, and former United States Attorney General Hon. Loretta Lynch. Lawyers Club could not have achieved all of its success without the generous support of its sponsors. On behalf of Lawyers Club, I would like to THANK our sponsors for their support and commitment to advancing our mission. We are excited to have recently released our new sponsorship booklet. I encourage our sponsors, and anyone interesting in becoming a sponsor, to review the booklet to learn of our sponsorship opportunities, and reach out to Tracy Schimelfenig with questions.

Even before law school, I knew I wanted to be a civil litigator. Life, however, put me on a different path. I graduated in the middle of the Great Recession -- offers were rescinded, layoffs were at unprecedented levels, and it was extremely difficult for a recent graduate to find a job as an attorney.