ANNUAL CONFERENCE & DINNER
November 8, 2024
Hotel Nikko, San Francisco

222 Mason St
San Francisco, CA 94102

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Annual Conference

Friday, November 8, 2024
8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Conference Schedule:

8:30 a.m. Check-In and Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Welcome
9:05 a.m. Session 1: Protecting Voting Rights and Fair Elections in Perilous Times
10:20 a.m. Break
10:35 a.m. Wellness Activity
11:05 a.m. Session 2: My Body, My Choice: The Continuing Battle Over Reproductive Rights
12:20 p.m. Break
12:40 p.m. Special Recognition of U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee
12:50 p.m. Lunch and Keynote Speaker: Kimberly Ellis, Director, San Francisco Department on the Status of Women; Founder, Unbought – Unbossed
1:55 p.m. Break
2:15 p.m. Session 3: The Power of Choice and Reducing Microaggressions
3:30 p.m. Break
3:40 p.m. Session 4: DEI: Where Do We Go From Here?
4:55 p.m. Closing Remarks

The conference panels and confirmed speakers include:

Protecting Voting Rights and Fair Elections in Perilous Times

Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in its 2013 ruling in Shelby County v. Holder, states have enacted scores of laws and practices making it harder for people to vote – such as increasing photo ID requirements; placing restrictions on the use of drop boxes, curbside voting, and mail-in ballots; and reducing access to early voting. In the 2020 presidential election, dozens of frivolous lawsuits sought to overturn the election results, and Capitol Hill rioters sought to block the peaceful transfer of power. This panel will discuss these threats to American democracy and what lawyers, legislators, and public interest groups are doing to protect voting rights and fair elections.

• Laura Brill, Founder & CEO, The Civics Center
• Ian Kelley, Associate Professor, John F. Kennedy College of Law
• Brittany Stonesifer, ACLU of Northern California
• MODERATOR: Alice Shaw, CWL Affiliate Governor; Partner, Flicker Kerin Kruger & Bissada LLP, Menlo Park

My Body, My Choice: The Continuing Battle Over Reproductive Rights

Two years after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, one-third of American women live in states that ban abortion at six weeks or less. About 40% of American women live in states with limits up to 12 to 15 weeks. Since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, state legislators have expanded their attacks on reproductive rights – targeting reproductive care for young people, access to contraceptives, and access to infertility care, and criminalizing pregnancy outcomes. This panel will provide an update on the current state of reproductive rights in America, consider the protective measures being taken in states that support these rights, and share their insights about the future of reproductive healthcare and rights.

• Tracy Skaddan, General Counsel, Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest
• Christy Holstege, Of Counsel, Beaman Jacinto Law, Palm Desert
• Radhika Rao, Professor of Law, UC San Francisco Law School
• MODERATOR: Monique Fierro, CWL Affiliate Governor; Associate, Myers Widders Gibson Jones & Feingold LLP, Ventura

The Power of Choice & Reducing Microaggressions

On average, a working adult makes more than 70 decisions a day. Some are conscious decisions, and some are subconscious decisions. Every decision is a choice. Even choosing not to decide or choosing not to choose is a choice. All of these choices can have a far-reaching long-lasting impact. The Power of Choice enables participants to choose consciously and responsibly such that they are empowered by their choices, not victims of them.

In these times of ongoing microaggression, the power of choice is an essential tool for continued effectiveness and empowerment. In this interactive session practitioners will have the opportunity to discover their relationship with choice and develop new strategies to use this powerful resource at its highest level. This program will help attorneys and legal professionals navigate best practices in their interactions with their clients, colleagues, opposing counselors and in the courtroom. Practitioners will become equipped with the tools to reduce adverse interactions with clients, staff and other professionals and use their power of choice to improve their communication skills and overall practice.

• Sylvia High, CEO, Aiming High, Inc.
• MODERATOR: Pa’tanisha Davis Pierson, CWL President-Elect; Key Counsel PC, Antioch

DEI: Where Do We Go From Here

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard College, some states have sought to abolish Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts and some law firms and companies have stepped back from their DEI commitments. This panel will address the current climate, the state of the law, and the way forward for those committed to ensuring diversity in the legal profession.

• Terrance Evans, Partner, Duane Morris, LLP
• Jamie Dolkas, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Research, Equality Action Center, UC San Francisco Law School
• Quiana Washington, Valient Law Firm
• MODERATOR: Michele Anderson, CWL First Vice President; Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office

Annual Dinner

Friday, November 8, 2024
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Keynote Speaker:
Emma Rodriguez-Ayala
Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, Ariel Investments

Emma Rodriguez-Ayala is a trailblazer in the investments industry, with a career spanning roles in the investment management practice of major law firms to general counsel positions with multi-billion dollar asset managers. As CAO and General Counsel for Ariel Investments, she oversees legal, compliance, governance, investment operations, technology, and risk oversight. She is a founder and board member of Angeles Investors, a Latino-focused angel investing group, and is a member of the Latino Corporate Directors Association.

2024 Fay Stender Award:
Summer Stephan
San Diego County District Attorney

2024 Judith Soley Lawyer as Citizen Award:
Heather Rosing
CEO and President, Klinedinst, PC

2024 Nancy E. O’Malley Scholarship
TBA

Swearing-In of the 2025 CWL Board by California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero 

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