June 2016
President's Message: Summer Reflections: Spotlight on CWL's In-House Counsel Network
Kelly Robbins, Robbins Family Law
In the hazy days of summer, I am taking a minute to reflect on one of CWL's greatest member benefits - the In-House Counsel Network (IHCN). CWL Past President Eliza Rodrigues conceived and launched IHCN during her 2012-2013 term as president. Her IHCN initiative created a structure and forum for CWL members who work as in-house counsel to actively discuss issues and ideas unique to their position - employed by a company or entity to oversee legal matters, but who don't have a law firm or institutional environment that provides access to similarly situated colleagues. Her vision was to create that forum and establish the policy under which CWL welcomes in-house counsel members to get together to meet peers and colleagues statewide and across industries.
CWL's statewide presence makes this member benefit truly valuable and will move California forward in advancing the CWL mission. As one example, the IHCN will promote discussion of ways to assure that women attorneys are working on projects, as opposed to having the law firm bring a female to the initial meeting with in-house counsel. In this way and many others, step by step, project by project, the IHCN will create a more balanced future for this gender-divided society. Now, in 2016, our own Neda Mansoorian (CWL past president 2013-14) has put her amazing energy into IHCN and has built the program to feature another "Whiskey and Bites" event, along with the CWL IHCN signature "Puzzle" series, and a uniquely exclusive program retreat this fall.
