by WomenLawyersOnGuard | Jan 5, 2025 | Issues
The legal profession is self-regulating. The rules of professional conduct set forth actions that a lawyer is prohibited from taking in connection with the practice of law, or else be subject to professional discipline. The DC Bar recently recommended to the DC Court of Appeals (the regulatory authority of the practice of law) that Rule 8.4 of the DC Rules of Professional Conduct be amended to prohibit lawyers from engaging in harassing and discriminatory conduct in the practice of law. We note that the proposed rule would address three recommendations in WLG’s Still Broken report: holding perpetrators individually accountable, implementing more effective reporting and independent investigation mechanisms, and providing for more transparency in the process of addressing sexual harassment.
Here’s the link to our comments
by Women Lawyers on Guard Action Network | Jan 4, 2025 | Democracy, Issues, Women's Rights
Dear Women Lawyers on Guard Action Network,
Saturday, Jan 18 10 AM – we will be at the “People’s March” in DC – come join us.
We sometimes march for different reasons, but as a continuation of the Women’s Marches begun in 2017, this is a “peoples march” to defend our rights and our future. Here’s how the organizers describe it:
“If you believe that decisions about your body should remain yours, that books belong in libraries, not on bonfires, that healthcare is a right, not a privilege for the wealthy; if you believe in the power of free speech and protest to sustain democracy; or if you want an economy that works for the people who power it—then join us in DC for this march.”
Supporting organizations include National Women’s Law Center; National Organization for Women, Center for Constitutional Rights, Planned Parenthood, Ultraviolet, and many others.
This week I saw the Broadway musical “Suffs”. You may recall that some Suffragists, led by Alice Paul, chained themselves to the White House fence, were arrested, went on a hunger strike and were force fed by the prison guards. We are not asking you do to anything like this!
But please let us know if you will join us in this rally! (Appropriate privacy measures will be taken.)
Cory
by WomenLawyersOnGuard | Dec 16, 2024 | Democracy, Issues, Women's Rights
Almost 900,000 women work in the Federal Workforce. And, as you probably are aware, Federal Employees are in the cross hairs of the incoming administration. Here are some possible sources of information that we have found (not legal advice!) for these employees (Feel free to send us additional resources.).
We urge folks to make an informed decision.
Feel free to forward this to your networks.
Cory Amron, President
by Women Lawyers on Guard Action Network | Dec 5, 2024 | Issues, Women's Rights
We are writing today about an issue of utmost importance that also has a critical deadline. It’s about the chance to finally make the Equal Rights Amendment officially recognized as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The only thing keeping this from happening is a directive from President Biden to the U.S. Archivist to certify and publish the ERA.
Here is a link to a joint letter from WLGAN and the National Association of Women Lawyers, urging him to do so immediately while he still has this opportunity. We are on solid legal ground here, as the Amendment has been ratified by Congress and the requisite number of States. Opponents have erected numerous hurdles to the ERA for more than 100 years. Now is the time for bold action. While we recognize that ultimately this issue will be decided by the courts, it is far better to be fighting from a position of strength.
Recently, 46 Senators, led by Senator Kristin Gillibrand, sent a letter to President Biden seeking the same action we are asking for here. She was the Keynote Speaker at a Town Hall Tuesday night, and her message could not have been clearer. IT IS TIME TO MAKE EACH OF OUR VOICES HEARD. The more voices, the better. The website https://www.bidenpublishtheera.org/ offers multiple avenues – letter, phone and text — to contact President Biden and urge him to publish the ERA. You can also sign a petition and post to social media.
We have only 45 days left to make this happen. Join us. Let everyone hear your voice and ask others to do the same. Let’s help make it a reality.
Corrine Parver
Cory Amron
Lorelie Masters
Elaine Metlin
by WomenLawyersOnGuard | May 26, 2023 | Issues, Litigation, Women's Rights
With the $5 Million verdict in the E. Jean Carroll case in New York, we now know that even a prominent person who sexually abused someone many years ago can be brought to justice. And, additionally, that defaming the plaintiff can have significant consequences. (Slate article here.)
This was not the situation for the 86% of respondents to Women Lawyers On Guard’s nationwide sexual harassment survey (in the legal profession) who felt that they could not, or would not, report their abuse, or the 50% of those perpetrators who were reported who faced no consequences for their actions. See Still Broken.
With this verdict, not only was Ms. Carroll vindicated, but perhaps it may give others the courage to stand up against their abusers. We can hope that, with this public example, the times they are a changin’.
See Women Lawyers On Guard Action Network’s letter to Ms. Carroll here: WLGAN-Letterhead-E. Jean Carroll -5-19-2023 -pdf
by Women Lawyers on Guard Action Network | Mar 21, 2023 | Issues, Women's Rights
Fireside chat with Kate Kelly!
Run, Don’t Walk – Kate Kelly
Women Lawyers On Guard, the Women’s Bar Association of DC, and Jenner & Block, co-hosted a wonderful “fireside” chat with the renowned Kate Kelly, interviewed by the marvelous Michelle Kallen (a partner at Jenner and WLG Board member). The talk centered on Kate’s origin story (read her book, listen to her podcast, also named Ordinary Equality), and her fight for the Equal Rights Amendment.
Kate is a dynamo – funny, irreverent, and, most importantly, optimistic and uplifting (she told us of a group of 15-year-olds who are aggressively advocating for the ERA with a strategic vision twice their years.) Her book teaches us about many erased-from-history women who were instrumental in moving women’s rights forward in their day. It’s eye opening and graphically engaging -equally accessible to older and younger readers.
You can order a copy HERE. (All proceeds go to Kate and her publisher.)
