Where are the Black Women Lawyers in Leadership Positions?
An Open Discussion on Reasons for this Lack of Diversity and An Examination of Viable Solutions
Our esteemed panelists will share how they overcame discriminatory obstacles in the legal profession to attain their current positions. They will also discuss what actions can be taken to improve the number of Black women in leadership roles.
According to the National Association for Law Placement, as of January 2019, women of color accounted for 3.19% of partners at major U.S. law firms, with 1.38% Asian, 0.77% Hispanic, and 0.68% African-American. In 2018, white women accounted for 23% of general counsels at Fortune 500 companies. By contrast, women of color accounted for 6% of general counsels at Fortune 500 companies, with 1.8% Asian, 1% Hispanic, and 3.2% African-American (statistics from Minority Corporate Counsel Association).
Panelists:
Hon. Anita Josey-Herring, Associate Judge, DC Superior Court
Hope Goins, Staff Director, House Committee on Homeland Security
Fatima Goss-Graves, President & CEO, National Women's Law Center
Sylvia F. James, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Winston & Strawn LLP
Sandra Shaw, Vice President of Legal Affairs and Privacy Officer, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality (ended June 2020); prior in-house positions include Microsoft and AT&T
Facilitator:
Yolanda Hawkins-Bautista, WBA Past President & Associate General Counsel, Freddie Mac
No charge to attend, but registration is required: https://www.wbadc.org/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=7%2F16%2F20&eventid=