President Messages

Happy Holidays OCWLA Members!

It is hard to believe that 2023 is coming to an end! I have been so honored to serve as the OCWLA President this year. Thank you for trusting in me to serve and lead this great organization. It has truly been an honor! 

We had a busy and fun-filled 2023. This year we held our first Business Referral and Speed Networking event, which we plan to make an annual event. We held numerous MCLEs on a variety of topics from Navigating AI in the Practice of Law to our Annual Equal Pay Day MCLE. We partnered with a number of Affiliate Bar Organizations and held free coffee meetups to give our members an opportunity to connect and network. Our book club continued to meet monthly and has been going strong for eight years now. 

Also, in partnership with the Unity Bar, we recommended four candidates to the bench who have been appointed. We also held our signature events, including our Annual Wine Tasting, our Membership Mixer, Past Presidents’ Tea, Women Judges Reception, where we had over 35 judges in attendance, and held our Annual Gala and Awards Dinner at the beautiful VEA Hotel. 

Thank you to our members, the OCWLA Board, and our many Sponsors who helped make 2023 a great year! Last week we held our Annual Holiday Party and Installation Dinner where the 2024 Board of Directors, the 2024 Executive Officers, and the 2024 Foundation Board were sworn in. I want to personally welcome Caroline Djang as the 2024 President of the OCWLA. 2024 will be a great year under her leadership. I look forward to serving as the 2024 President of the OCWLA Foundation and on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past President. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year, and I hope to see you all soon at an event in the new year.

Happy November OCWLA Members!

Thank you to everyone who came out for our 47th Annual Gala! We had a great turn out and it was a lovely evening honoring Kate Corrigan for Attorney of the Year, the Honorable Claudia J. Silbar for Judge of the Year, and the Orange County Bar Association for the Advancement of Women Award. The OCWLA and our Foundation collectively raised over $50,000 through sponsorships, the silent and live auctions, and through donations at the event. Thank you again for your ongoing support!

As a reminder, voting is happening right now for our 2024 Board of Officers and Directors! Please remember to vote online by November 8th. Our next MCLE, Ethics & Civility In Your Practice, will be held on Thursday, November 9th at Avenue of the Arts Hotel. We are thrilled to have the Honorable Michelle Bell and the Honorable Terri Flynn-Peister speak on such a relevant topic, and 1 hour of Ethics MCLE credit will be provided. We will announce the results of the Board elections at this luncheon. 

Finally, I hope to see you all at our Annual Holiday Party and Installation Dinner, which will be held on Wednesday, November 29th at Lido House in Newport Beach from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. You won’t want to miss this fun event. Sponsorships opportunities are available here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

1 Hour Ethics MCLE: 

Ethics & Civility in Your Practice

Join us on Thursday, November 09, 2023, from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM. at Avenue of The Arts Hotel, Costa Mesa. Speakers Hon. Michele Bell, Orange County Superior Court, Family Law Panel and

Hon. Terri Flynn-Peister, Orange County Superior Court, Felony Panel will be moderated by OCWLA Board Member Sayuri P. Espinosa, Rutan & Tucker, LLP.

Sponsorships Available!

OCWLA Installation Dinner & Holiday Celebration

Join us as we install our 2024 Officers & Directors of both OCWLA and the OCWLA Foundation on Wednesday, November 29, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at a new venue, the Lido House, Newport Beach. Thank you to our generous sponsor Bock & Plummer Attorneys at Law!

November Book Club Meeting

OCWLA Members Only

Join OCWLA members on Monday, November 27 at 5:30 PM

at Mimi’s Café in Tustin for a no-host dinner and discussion led by

Dana Heyde of Cottle Keen Lopiccolo & Heyde, LLP. This month's book is "Part of Your World" by Abby Jimenez. See you there!

OCWLA Book Club Holiday Party & Book Gift Exchange

Join us at the residence of a Book Club member in Orange for a holiday dinner (address provided upon registration). Please bring a drink to share and a new, wrapped book to participate in our book gift exchange!

OCWLA NEWS

Our Outstanding October

Happy September OCWLA Members!

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Women Judges Reception last week and thank you to all the judges who attended and supported this great event. We had over 30 judges in attendance. One of the missions of the OCWLA is the advancement of women on the bench. Over the past year, from 2021 to 2022, there was around a 3% increase in women on the trial court in Orange County. While this is great news, women still only make up 35% of the judges on the trial court in Orange County. The California statewide percentage of women judges on the trial court is 39.7%. The 4th District Court of Appeal has 40.9% women justices and the statewide percentage of women justices on the Courts of Appeal is 42%. The California Supreme Court is 57.1% women. 

While women have made substantial progress on the bench here in California and in Orange County, there is still much progress to be made. The OCWLA thanks the women judges who have helped advance women on the bench and within the legal profession, and thanks the many people who have supported them along the way.

Our Annual Gala is just five weeks away and will be held at VEA Newport Beach on Tuesday, October 17th. Make sure to register soon, as this event will likely sell out. Sponsorship opportunities are still available!

OCWLA WOMEN JUDGES RECEPTION

Thank You For Joining Us At The OCWLA Women Judges Reception!

The event was made possible by the generosity of our sponsors: 

Golden Gavel Sponsor: Law Office of Jennifer R. Johnson, APLC

Parking Sponsor: Gill Law Group, PC

Drink Sponsor: JAMS

Flower Sponsor: Aptus Court Reporting

Diamond: Bock & Plummer LLP

Platinum: Cox, Castle & Nicholson, Crowell & Moring

Gold: Everett Dorey LLP, Judicate West, Rutan & Tucker

Emerald: ADR Services, Inc., Allen Flatt Ballidis & Leslie, Citi Law Firm Group, Goodman Bail Bonds, Kennedy McCarthy & Rumm LLP, Manufacturers Bank, Montage Legal Group, Premier Uniforms, Santos Lloyd Law Firm, P.C., Sunwest Bank

Silver: Aptus Court Reporting, Ikuta • Hemesath LLP, Traut Firm 

OCWLA BOOK CLUB NEWS

OCWLA August Book Club: Thank you to all of our members who came to our book club this week! And a special thank you to Lori Cheyne for leading a wonderful discussion on Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. 

Happy August OCWLA Members!

We had an amazing July! We held our first ever Speed Networking Event that sold out! Leadership & Development Consultant Tracy Stayton provided excellent tips on giving an effective elevator pitch and provided tips for professional networking and business development. It was such a success that we plan to hold the event annually.

Also, our Women Judges Reception is less than a month away. It will be held on Thursday, September 7th at the Boardwalk Courtyard. This is a great event to meet and talk with the Women Judges in Orange County and will likely sell out, so be sure to register soon. Register here >

This year’s Annual Gala is also right around the corner, and will be held at VEA Newport Beach on Tuesday, October 17th. Sponsorship opportunities are still available!

UPCOMING EVENTS

August OCWLA Book Club

An OCWLA Members-Only Club. Join us for our monthly book club! This month we will be reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. The discussion will be led by Lori Cheyne of Aptus Court Reporting at 5:30pm on August 28th at Mimi's Café in Tustin!

OCWLA Women Judges Reception

Join OCWLA's Annual Women Judges Reception on Thursday, September 7th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Boardwalk Courtyard in Irvine. Sitting Judges are complimentary.

This event is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors: 

Diamond: Bock & Plummer LLP

Platinum: Cox, Castle & Nicholson, Crowell & Moring

Gold: Judicate West, Rutan & Tucker

Emerald: ADR Services, Inc., Allen Flatt Ballidis & Leslie, Citi Law Firm Group, Goodman Bail Bonds, Kennedy McCarthy & Rumm LLP, Manufacturers Bank, Montage Legal Group, Premier Uniforms, Santos Lloyd Law Firm, P.C., Sunwest Bank

Silver: Aptus Court Reporting, Ikuta • Hemesath LLP, Traut Firm 

The 2023 OCWLA Annual Gala 

Registration and sponsorship opportunities have opened for the 2023 OCWLA Annual Gala on Tuesday, October 17 from 5:00pm - 8:30pm at VEA Newport Beach. Join us in honoring the OCWLA Judge of the Year, the Honorable Claudia J. Silbar, Attorney of the Year, Kate Corrigan, and the Advancement of Women Awardee, The Orange County Bar Association.

OCWLA NEWS

Happy June OCWLA Members!

It is hard to believe that Summer is almost here! We had a busy May, starting with our Cinco de Mayo coffee meetup that we held with the Hispanic Bar of Orange County. 

We also had a great turnout at the California Women Lawyers’ 2023 Annual Conference, which was held here in Orange County. Thank you to everyone who turned out, and a big thank you to Tracy Hughes, who helped organize this great event. 

I was honored to present the Judith Soley Lawyer As A Citizen Award to OCWLA Past President and Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken, who has dedicated her life’s work to public service, the law, and making our community a better place.

As we step into Summer, please join us for our Annual Membership Mixer, which will be held on Thursday, June 8th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Zov’s in Tustin. Register here > Come meet the OCWLA Foundation Board and hear more about our upcoming Annual Gala. I hope to see you there!

NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES

Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship Available!

The CWL is now accepting applications for the Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to a law student whose prior, current, and or future activities demonstrate a commitment to issues affecting women and/or children in the community. Submit your materials by June 5!

OCBA Summer Social: Celebrating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Join friends from the Orange County legal community for a fun, outdoor social gathering on June 6, 2023 from 5:30pm to 8pm, featuring the presentation of the Lei Lei Wang Ekvall Award to

The Honorable Maria D. Hernandez, Presiding Judge, Orange County Superior Court

CLE Speaking Opportunities with CEB in Summer 2023

Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), a non-profit program of the University of California that serves the California legal community, is currently developing exciting legal education offerings and is looking for new subject matter experts to record 60–90-minute on-demand CLE programs for CEB Learning’s summer curriculum. CEB Contributors share their expertise with a statewide audience, while also promoting their work, improving their public speaking skills, and boosting their professional recognition. More than anything, CEB is interested in collaborating with attorneys to develop programs that share sophisticated legal expertise and provide more diverse perspectives in all practice areas. If you're an experienced California attorney who wants to develop and record a legal education program (or series!) with CEB, please complete the CEB Speaker Form. You can also contact the CEB Learning team at CEBLearning@ceb.ucla.edu. 

OUR MARVELOUS MAY 

Cinco de Mayo Coffee Meetup with the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County:OCWLA and OCHBA members met for a free coffee breakfast on May 5 at Corner Bakery Irvine/Tustin Marketplace. Thank you to Knobbe Martens for sponsoring this event!

CWL Conference and Judith Soley Award Reception Honoring 2023 Awardee Ashleigh Aitken: OCWLA and CWL members joined for an all-day conference on May 19 at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa. OCWLA Past President and Mayor of Anaheim Ashleigh Aitken was honored with the prestigious Judith Soley Award.

May Book Club: The discussion of the book The Husbands by Chandler Baker was be led by OCWLA Immediate Past President Dana Heyde of Cottle Keen Lopiccolo & Heyde, LLP at Mimi's Café in Tustin

Happy May OCWLA Members!

OCWLA Members, as we step into May we have some exciting announcements to share. Our 47th Annual Gala with be held this year at the beautiful VEA Hotel in Newport Beach on Tuesday, October 17th from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. Please save the date! We are excited to announce our award recipients, which include the Honorable Claudia J. Silbar for Judge of the Year, Kate Corrigan for Attorney of the Year, and the Orange County Bar Association for our Advancement of Women Award. Congratulations to these amazing awardees! 

We still have annual sponsorship opportunities, which include sponsoring our Annual Gala. You can find those here. There is still time to register for our free coffee meetup this Friday on Cinco de Mayo from 8:15 to 10:00 a.m. at the Corner Bakery at the Irvine/Tustin Marketplace. We are excited to hold this event with the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County, and thank you to Knobbe Martens for sponsoring this event. I hope to see you there! 

Finally, we are so excited to have the California Women Lawyers’ 2023 Annual Conference in Orange County this year. It will be held on Friday, May 19th at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa and includes 6 MCLE credits with panels from top women lawyers and judges addressing timely issues. The conference with be followed by the Judith Soley Award Reception honoring OCWLA Past President and Mayor of Anaheim Ashleigh Aitken! We hope to see you there!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Cinco de Mayo Coffee Meetup

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the OCWLA and the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County and enjoy a free coffee breakfast! Members and non-members are welcome to attend. May 5, 2023 8:15am - 10:00am at Corner Bakery Irvine/Tustin Marketplace. Please RSVP by May 4! Sponsored by Knobbe Martens

CWL 2023 Annual Conference

Featuring inspirational speakers and multiple panels of top women lawyers and judges addressing timely issues, the California Women Lawyers Annual Conference is a full-day conference held on May 19, 2023 at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa. 

Judith Soley Award Reception Honoring 2023 Awardee Ashleigh Aitken

Join OCWLA and CWL on May 19, 2023 at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa to honor OCWLA Past President and Mayor of Anaheim Ashleigh Aitken. 

May OCWLA Book Club 

An OCWLA Members-Only Club. Join us for our monthly book club! This month we will be reading The Husbands by Chandler Baker. The discussion will be led by Dana Heyde of Cottle Keen Lopiccolo & Heyde, LLP at 5:30pm on May 22nd at Mimi's Café in Tustin!

NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES

Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship Available!

The CWL is now accepting applications for the Nancy E. O'Malley Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to a law student whose prior, current, and or future activities demonstrate a commitment to issues affecting women and/or children in the community. Submit your materials by June 5!

OCBA Mentoring Committee Spring Mixer

Come to this fun and informative event on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at Callahan & Blaine in Santa Ana and find out more about the new “group” structured OCBA Mentoring Program and how the program can help benefit you in your career and practice development.

Finally, stay tuned for upcoming details on a spectacular new venue for our 47th Annual Gala, which we will be announcing soon! 

We also have Annual Sponsorship opportunities available that include sponsoring our Annual Gala. Please check out our packet here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Let's Zumba with Chapman Women Lawyers Association

Join Chapman Women Lawyers Association on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 5pm at Aitken Arts Plaza Field, One University Drive, Orange. This special Zumba class is free, and will be lead by The Honorable Erithe Smith. You won't want to miss this!

April OCWLA Book Club 

An OCWLA Members-Only Club. Join us for our monthly book club! This month we will be reading is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. The discussion will be led by Yvette Patko, OCDA's Office at 5:30pm on April 24th at Mimi's Café in Tustin!

Cinco de Mayo Coffee Meetup

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a free coffee breakfast with the OCWLA! Members and non-members are welcome to attend. May 5, 2023 8:15am - 10:00am at Corner Bakery Irvine/Tustin Marketplace. Please RSVP by May 2.

Sponsored by Knobbe Martens

CWL 2023 Annual Conference

Featuring inspirational speakers and multiple panels of top women lawyers and judges addressing timely issues, the California Women Lawyers Annual Conference is a full-day conference held on May 19, 2023 at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa. 

Judith Soley Award Reception Honoring 2023 Awardee Ashleigh Aiken

Join OCWLA and CWL on May 19, 2023 at Avenue of the Arts Hotel in Costa Mesa to honor OCWLA Past President and Mayor of Anaheim Ashleigh Aitken. The Judith Soley Award is presented at the CWL Annual Conference to a worthy recipient who has made a significant contribution to her community, extending beyond the practice of law, to devote time and effort to the public good and values through the tradition of public service and involvement, and who exemplifies the values and missions of California Women Lawyers.

KICKING OFF AN AMAZING APRIL

Elimination of Bias MCLE: Celebrate Equal Pay Day with the OCWLA!: Members and guests attending our presentation to learn how women litigators are fighting for Equal Pay in the workplace, and how the United States stacks up in terms of pay equity for women. Featuring attorney leaders in their field Lori Andrus and Shauna Madison, as well as Professor Andrew Penner, Director of The Center for Administrative Data Analysis at UCI (via Zoom).

RECOGNIZING OCWLA'S MEMBERS

Welcome New & Renewing Members!

Thank you & welcome Ashley Aceves, Julianne Avery, Katherine Bissett, Mina Brar, Susan Chace, Emily Cook, Morgan Gallagher, Sarah Hasselberger, Marsha Jones, Julia Kilpatrick, Cara LaChance O'Neill, Catherine Learned, Chloe Lee, Cindery Liang, Brigette Martinez, Laila Masud, Atrina Mirza, Nina Moreno, Gracie Naranjo, Lizzette Olvera, Lauren Ownbey, Rebecca Rogers, Busra Sahin, Angelika Sidoruk, Jacqueline Smart, Jamie Sprague, Jenny Tran, and Joanna Weiss. We are thrilled that you joined OCWLA! We look forward to seeing you at the next event.