WWBA October 2019 Newsletter

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○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Chapter News and Announcements President’s Message from page 3 legacy lives on in today’s Mansfield Rule. The Mansfield Rule was piloted in 2017 by Diversity Lab as a pilot rule for large law firms. It was modeled after the Rooney Rule. In 2003, the late Dan Rooney created the Rooney Rule in the NFL which requires every NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach vacancies. The Mansfield Rule requires that law firms consider at least 30% women, LGBTQ+ and minority lawyers for significant leadership roles. This year the rule has been extended to the “Mansfield Rule: Legal Department Edition” which will require participating in-house legal teams to consider at least 50% women, minority lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers and lawyers with disabilities as applicants for key leadership roles. Arabella Babb Mansfield’s accomplishments continue to inspire change and progress to close the gaps for women, minorities and other groups some 150 years after her admission to the bar. ◗ WWBA Foundation Mocktail Raised Over $27,000.00 from page 4 At this year’s WWBA’s annual dinner, I was honored to award the annual Justice Sondra M. Miller Scholarship to Ms. Kellie Rivera, a 2nd year Pace Law student whose personal sacrifice enhanced and enriched her legal education and whose academic achievements, extracurriculars, community and pro bono service gave her the edge over the other very impressive candidates for this prestigious award. At our July meeting the WWBAF Board chose the worthy organizations to which this year’s grants were awarded: ACDS (Early intervention services for low income/developmentally disabled children); FamilyKind (Divorced and separated parent education classes); Furniture Sharehouse (furnishings for domestic violence and disaster victims); Hope’s Door (intervention and prevention assistance to victims of domestic violence); Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison (academic credit-courses for incarcerated women); Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (Housing Stability Program for Westchester families); Mental Health Association of Westchester (Court Appointed Special Advocates); My Sister’s Place in memory of former WWBA Executive Director Linda Wiley (representing victims of domestic violence and human trafficking); Pace Public Interest Law Center (public interest law student internships); Pace Women’s Justice Center in memory of former WWBA President Karen Z. Bell (Moderate Means Program); Scales of Justice Academy (life skills course for underserved high school women); Student Advocacy (Mother/daughter educational justice initiative); and White Plains YWCA (“Girls Empowered Through Meaningful Support” college preparatory program and “Reading is Fundamental” which provides children’s’ books to Family Court waiting rooms.) It is an honor to support these organizations whose programs make a clear difference to the populations they serve. Please continue to generously support WWBA’s own Foundation! Your dollars and your support reflects your pride and commitment to the WWBAF mission to eliminate artificial barriers to advancement in the workplace, schools and courts by supporting local organizations that provide legal, employment education and support services to disadvantaged persons of our community as well funding the annual Justice Sondra M. Miller Scholarship award given to a deserving Pace Law School student. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ◗ Become a New Member Today RENEW YOUR WWBA MEMBERSHIP TODAY FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 1, 2019 TO MAY 31, 2020. RENEW NOW! DON’T WAIT! WWBA Membership includes membership to the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY). January 31, 2020 is the closing date in order to count the WWBA members towards our certification to WBASNY and assure our number of delegates. Renewing before this date will allow our Westchester Chapter (WWBA) to continue to be a strong presence in our statewide organization (WBASNY) while you will enjoy its many benefits, events, newsletter and CLE programming. Hélène Côté, Sherry A. Bishko, Elisabeth Campos It is easy to renew by going to the WWBA Website at www.WWBANY.org. You can use a credit card or PayPal to make payment. Page 10 Westchester Women’s Bar Association News
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Westchester Women’s Bar Association New Members The Westchester Women’s Bar Association proudly welcomes our newest members: TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF OUR MEMBERS, THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE WWBA ONLY. Deborah A. Scalise and High School Intern Julian Allison Appear on WVOC Radio to Discuss Gun Violence from page 4 knew all the details and people involved with the case because they were lawyers when the trial occurred. I thought I was knowledgeable about the facts, but after hearing their conversation, I’m not sure I knew as much as I thought I did. After the commercial break, Mr. Richman began talking about my research. Admittedly, it took a few moments for me to register that I was on the air, so I had to glance down at my notes in order to talk about what I had learned. Slowly, I lost my anxiety and eased into the conversation. We discussed how gun violence can affect not just homicide, but suicides as well. In fact, of all gun deaths that occur in the United States, about two-thirds were attributed to suicides. I discussed my view that if access to guns was restricted, maybe with stricter background checks, these numbers would go down. We soon started talking about the focus of the day: mass shootings. In the wake of the Virginia Beach shooting, we discussed measures that could be taken to prevent future shootings. With the work of groups such as March for Our Lives, led by the teenage victims of the Parkland shootings, many strides are being made in order to bring attention to gun violence in America, with the hope of changing the laws and lessening the violence that has become all too familiar. The Parkland students were able to pass legislation in Florida tightening gun laws, such as extending waiting periods and raising the age to purchase a weapon. I am proud that teenage students like me are being heard. And, other states are following suit, as New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated he would like to sign six more statutes focused on gun control. Further, earlier this year, in February, the U.S. House of Representatives passed stricter gun legislation, which would increase the time allotted to background checks from three (3) days to ten (10) days. The legislation has yet to be considered in the Senate. While these are small victories, they are hopefully indicative of a major change on the horizon. Mr. Richman’s show allowed me to discuss a very important topic in America today. As a recent high school graduate and soon-to-be college student, I have learned that gun violence is something that plays a distinct role in my life. In my formative school years, I’ve sat through more lockdown drills than I can count, and as I am going to college near Virginia Tech, the location of one of the deadliest school shootings in America, I am mindful that shootings can occur any time or place. My hope is that conversations like the one I had with Mr. Richman and Ms. Scalise can lead to actual change. ◗ As part of the WWBA Outreach Committee’s mission, Mr. Allison was appointed to be a high school intern in the Law Office of Scalise & Hamilton PC. Mr. Allison is a graduate of Rye Neck High School and will attend the College of William and Mary in the Fall. Westchester Women’s Bar Association News Page 11
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WWBA October 2019 Newsletter

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