Lawyers Club Blog (ARCHIVE)

Defining Ourselves - PART I

Who are you?  No, no… not what do you do. Who are YOU?

When we are busy filling the many roles of life, we often forget to self-identify with WHO we are and not WHAT we do. Yes, what we do can be a large part of our identity but we are not served by defaulting to defining ourselves by our professional titles. The BBC News recently posted an article entitled “Why you shouldn’t ask people what they do” (by Alina Dizik) and one specific sentence grasped my attention: “Even the most successful executives will benefit from disentangling their sense of self from what they do.”

Words Matter: Use Them Carefully

We all remember the childhood saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That saying is far from true; in fact, it is actually completely false. As children, we all knew that words hurt, and as adults, we are keenly aware of how our words can hurt someone or, even, ourselves. As lawyers, we have an even more intimate relationship with the power of words.

Sending Clients Condolences After a Tragedy

            I like sending cards. I congratulate clients when they have a baby, I send them happy anniversary wishes, and I have an assortment of “get well soon” messages, and “in deepest sympathy” cards on hand. I also like efficiency. I have a pre-written email for the questions I field when someone asks me what to do next if their parent passes away. My email includes two attachments about grief, local resources, and a hyperlink to a website all about self-care during times of loss.

Notorious RBG to the Rescue!

Like many of you, I’m feeling disheartened these days by all the negative news and nasty rhetoric out there, particularly as it relates to women and our place in society. The founding mothers of feminism must surely be rolling in their graves just as we modern day feminists are shocked by what we are witnessing in the presidential election campaign. Need I say more? And at work, my inbox fills with article after article about gender disparity in pay at law firms, women’s underrepresentation in the legal ranks, sexual harassment claims in the legal academy, and so forth. No wonder many women feel discouraged these days, even women in the legal profession who arguably yield great influence and power over their own circumstances and fate.

Happy 100th Birthday, Planned Parenthood!

The “birth” of Planned Parenthood Federation of America can be traced to the first birth control clinic in the U.S., which was opened by Margaret Sanger, her sister, and a fellow activist in Brooklyn, New York, on October 16, 1916. As the 6th of 11 children born out of 18 pregnancies in 22 years to an Irish Catholic mother who died at 49, it is not surprising that Sanger became a birth control activist.

Life Imitates Law: "Lessons from 'Miss You Like Hell'"

Stepping out into the newly crisp fall air, I declared, "I’ve found my new favorite thing." I issued this proclamation in response to my husband asking how I liked the play, “Miss You Like Hell,” which we had just seen. He laughed at my response, clarifying, "You mean your new favorite play, or favorite musical?" "No," I responded, "Favorite thing . . . as in, in general." The characters, music, set design—they are all transcendent.

It’s Time to Stop Blaming Women for the Gender Pay Gap

It is time to stop blaming women for the pay gap. Women have shouldered the bulk of the criticism for the wage gap for years. The results of a new study show that the differences in pay between men and women is actually due to discrimination.

"Lawyers Club of San Diego has a New Committee Focusing on Reproductive Justice"

Lawyers Club of San Diego has two new committees – The Reproductive Justice Committee and the Women’s Advocacy Committee. The two are a split of the former Reproductive Rights and Women’s Advocacy Committee. Why the split and why change from reproductive rights to reproductive justice?

 "Women Hold the Power in this Election - Let's Use It!"

On the day of the final presidential debate of this election cycle, my mother-in-law told her classroom of third-grade students something she had never told her students in her twenty-five year teaching career – she said that while ultimately it is up to their parents to decide, she did not think it was a good idea for them to watch the debate.

"The Painted Door - Stories of Sex Trafficking Survivors"

During the past three years I have organized regular workshops at GenerateHope. GenerateHope is a home where young girls who have been subjected to sex trafficking can live and heal. We have visited this home regularly with a small group of Lawyers Club members. During these visits, it has been our goal to provide the women with a safe environment where they can express their desires and ambitions. Together, we talk about their future, a future often previously considered unattainable. We encourage them to dream again, while brainstorming career paths and proposing practical steps to achieve these objectives. Here are some of the stories from GenerateHope. For privacy purposes, the names have been altered: