CWL Committees
Meet the CWL Committees
The Board of CWL oversees numerous commitees that ensure that the organization stays true to its mission of advancing women in the legal profession and ensuring that our voice is a powerful one.
Below is a list of each of each CWL committee, the mission of each committee, the chair person and commitee members. We encourage you to join a committee, meet fantastic and energetic CWL members and help us advance our mission.
Affiliate Conference
Co-Chairs: Neda Mansoorian, Elizabeth Saviano
Members: Megan Lewis, Jacqueline Frederick
Duties: To plan and conduct an Affiliate Conference for members.
nmansoorian@mcmanisfaulkner.com, esaviano@esaviano.com
Amicus Committee
Chair: Lara Krieger
Duties: To identify issues for CWL board for potential CWL amicus participation and to make recommendations re same; to organize drafting of amicus briefs by CWL board members or CWL members and to review requests that CWL sign on to the amicus briefs of others and make a recommendation to the Board.
lkrieger@gmsr.com
Annual Dinner Committee
Chair: Nancy O’Malley
Members: Jacqueline Frederick, Jodi Swick
CWL's Annual Dinner, normally held in conjunction with CA State Bar Annual Meeting.
nancy.omalley@acgov.org
Awards Committee
Chair: Nancy O'Malley
Duties: Publicize awards, evaluate nominations, recommend nominations to the board, publicize award winners.
nancy.omalley@acgov.org
Bylaws/Affiliate Committee
Chair: Betty Fracisco
Duties: To act as expert on all questions regarding the bylaws; to research and make recommendations re proposed revisions to the bylaws; to organize and oversee certification process for CWL affiliates; to oversee outreach to and communications with current and potential affiliate.
bfracisco@sbcglobal.net
Community Services
Chair: Jacqueline Vitti Frederick
Members: Prudence Hutton
Duties: To identify and organize community service projects for the membership.
jvflaw@aol.com
Conference of Delegates
Chair: Jennifer Webber
Members: Megan Lewis
jwebber@fulpat.com
Corporate Sponsorship Committee
Chair: Eliza Rodrigues
Duties: To identify and contact corporations and law firms about sponsorships.
eliza20061@comcast.net
The CWL Foundation Committee
Chair: Carol Copsey
Members: Eliza Rodrigues, Kelly Robbins, Heather Smith, Suellen Anderson
Duties: To work as a liaison between CWL and The CWL Foundation in order to gain its support for CWL undertakings and/or to investigate ways to increase funding.
ccopsey@gordonrees.com
Finance Committee
Chair: Susan Formaker (Treasurer)
Duties: To assist the Treasurer in projecting an operating budget for the calendar year; to consider and report to the board on proposals for the expenditure of funds not contemplated in the budget; and to assist the Treasurer in the management of CWL monies.
International Women's Committee
Chair: Nanci Nishimura
Members: Heather Smith, Carol Copsey
Duties: To keep abreast of developments within the international women's community; to research and recommend positions re international women's issues to CWL board.
nnishimura@cpmlegal.com
Judicial Committee
Chair: Pat Sturdeveant
Members: Jacqueline Frederick
Judicial Advisor: Hon. Charlene Padovani Kiesselbach
Duties: To assign judicial evaluations and ensure that they are timely completed; to review and revise judicial evaluation procedures when necessary; to coordinate with the executive committee on communications with the Governor's office re judicial appointments; to coordinate, along with the Judicial Liaison, CWL's "So You Want to be a Judge"TM seminars.
patstur@sbcglobal.net
Legislative Committee
Co-Chairs: Elizabeth Saviano and Janet Vining Mitchell
Members: Myrna Britton
Duties: To develop CWL's Legislative Agenda for CWL Board Approval; to organize evaluation of proposed and pending legislation and recommend positions re same to CWL Board; with assistance of CWL office, to lobby legislators to further CWL's position on proposed and pending legislation; to draft insert to CWL's newsletters setting forth CWL's.
esaviano@esaviano.com, JViningMitchell@cox.net
Membership Committee
Chair: Sindee Smolowitz
Members: Kelly Robbins
Duties: To attract new and lapsed members to CWL and investigate additional member benefits.
ssmolowitz@tldlaw.com
Mentoring Network Committee
Chair: Lisa Widdecke
Duties: To obtain mentors and proteges in various regions of the state and match them according to practice areas and other interests.
LKWiddecke@duanemorris.com
Newsletter Committee
Chair: TBD
Assistant Editors: Janet Vining Mitchell
Nominating Committee
Chair: Karen M. Goodman (Immediate Past President)
Members: Jean M. Pledger, Nancy O’Malley
Duties: To notify board members of deadlines for officer elections and to encourage or solicit persons to nominate themselves.
kgoodman@goodman-law.com
Northern California Judicial Reception Committee
Chair: TBD
Members: Jodi Swick
Duties: To organize the Northern California Judicial Reception and work with CWL's Executive Administrator to procure sponsors for same.
Personnel Committee
Chair: Jean M. Pledger,
Members: Nancy O’Malley, Karen Goodman
Duties: To compile information for regular performance review for CWL personnel; to communicate evaluations to CWL personnel, to analyze whether additional CWL personnel are necessary; if additional personnel are necessary, to search for same; to research answers to personnel questions posed by CWL employees; to formulate official CWL policies on personnel matters for approval by the CWL Board.
jpledger@kleinlaw.com
Southern California Judicial Reception Committee
Chair: Wendy Ray
Members: Sindee Smolowitz, Betty Fracisco, Liz Jones
Duties: To organize the Southern California Judicial Reception and work with CWL's Executive Director to procure sponsor for same.
wray@mofo.com
Technology Committee
Chair: Jodi Swick
Members: Cherri Allison
Duties: To maintain and update website; to ensure that CWL office has requisite equipment and software to complete its tasks; to research new ways for CWL to use technology to reach new and existing members.
jswick@cbmlaw.com
