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Women Lawyers’
Annual Dinner and
Meeting
By na o m i deWey
The Santa Barbara Women Lawyers’ Annual Dinner
and Meeting took place on December 14, 2009 —
celebrating 21 years since the organization was
founded.
Held at the Canary Hotel, the evening began with rooftop
cocktails at the Perch, with winter clothes de rigueur for
attendees as they looked out over the city at night. Guests
were able to meet and congratulate the Deborah M. Talmage
Attorney of the Year, Commissioner Colleen Sterne,
as well as past-president of the State Bar, Holly Fujie and a
host of local judges and dignitaries. The rooftop reception
was followed by dinner in the hotel ballroom.
Welcoming guests to the event, 2009 SBWL President
Naomi Dewey spoke about the importance of SBWL during
Attorney of the Year Commissioner Colleen Sterne and 2009 SBWL
President Naomi Dewey.
tough economic times, not only as a professional association
but also as an educational and mentoring resource for
members. Connections in 2009 are as important as they
were 21 years before when the group began, and the large
number of former board members present was a fitting
testament to the role SBWL continues to play.
Introducing Guest Speaker Holly Fujie, SBWL Director
Michael Colton recalled his days at law school with the
future bar leader. Noting that she hadn’t changed since
their days as students together in a civil procedure class,
Mr. Colton indicated that he, in fact, had looked exactly
like Jerry Garcia whilst at Boalt Hall — presumably because
he was working too hard to keep up with Ms. Fujie in class
that he did not have time to cut his hair.
Guest speaker Ms. Fujie entertained guests with a spirited,
off-the-cuff discussion about the joys of returning to work
after a year as State Bar President. Sharing the satisfaction
she had found in arguing a simple motion in the trial court,
she spoke of the privilege we are all accorded as practicing
attorneys. Ms. Fujie, who has returned to her previous position
as a shareholder at Buchalter Nemer, also highlighted
the fulfillment brought by raising children while practicing
law, reminding guests that balancing the two roles was
something that benefitted all concerned — parents, children,
and the legal profession as a whole.
The next speaker was Attorney-of-the-Year honoree
Commissioner Sterne, who was nominated for the award
because of her work promoting gender equality and
women’s rights from the bench. Introduced by Naomi
Dewey, Commissioner Sterne follows in the footsteps of
the Hon. Denise de Bellefeuille, honored in 2003, and, prior
to having the award named in her honor, Commissioner
Deborah Talmage.
Appointed in 2003 to hear child support cases, Commissioner
Sterne also hears domestic violence restraining
orders, civil harassment matters and family law cases that
have their roots in child support issues. Accepting the
award, Commissioner Sterne spoke about the importance
of seeing, and doing, good in her work on a daily basis,
comparing her work to what she does outside of the law,
as an ordained minister.
Rounding up the evening, Commissioner Talmage swore
in SBWL’s 2010 Board of Directors and Brandi Redman,
Supervising Attorney at the Legal Resource Center, was appointed
President and Chief Executive Officer for 2010.
The 2010 SBWL Board of Directors is as follows: Nathan
Alley, Michael Colton, Laura Dewey, Gabriela Ferreira,
Donna Geck, Alison Holman, Jessica Johnson, Wendy
Kontos, Megan Liesz, Pauline Maxwell, Winnie Cai and
Angela Roach.
20 Santa Barbara Lawyer