GWILL is an opportunity for women and men to support and engage women in their professional roles, foster professional development of women as in-house counsel, and celebrate the many contributions of women in the legal profession.
Washington – The Association of Corporate Counsel Foundation (ACCF) hosted its seventh Global Women in Law & Leadership (GWILL) symposium and honors dinner. Organized in partnership with ACCF’s “Women In-the House Network,” GWILL is an opportunity for women and men to support and engage women in their professional roles, foster professional development of women as in-house counsel, and celebrate the many contributions of women in the legal profession. Over 200 people attended the three-days of virtual programming and in-person honors dinner at the United States Institute of Peace.
“This year’s Global Women in Law & Leadership event, with two days of impactful virtual programing and finally being back in person on the last day, was incredibly powerful,” said Jennifer Chen, executive director of the ACC Foundation. “From all the speakers to our incredible honorees, I’m confident everyone left with concrete ways to empower themselves and others. I thank everyone at ACC, ACCF, the WITH Network, and the US Institute of Peace for making this such a memorable event.”
This year’s honorees are Nancy Laben, chief legal officer of Booz Allen Hamilton, Michele Meyer-Shipp, chief executive officer of Dress for Success: Worldwide, and Gurinder Singh, corporate attorney and award-winning film director and producer. Each was recognized for their incredible work and advocacy to help women continue to advance in society and in the legal profession.
“Having practiced law in various settings for over 35 years, I’ve been a part of the evolution of the legal profession and experienced many of the challenges women faced first-hand,” said Nancy Laben, chief legal officer of Booz Allen Hamilton. “I am grateful to now be at a point in my life and career to discuss what I’ve learned with the next generation. Events like GWILL are important to create opportunities where everyone can share and support each other both personally and professionally, and I enjoyed being a part of it.”
“After four months as CEO, I know that Dress for Success Worldwide is exactly where I should be at this point in my career,” said Michele Meyer-Shipp, chief executive officer at Dress for Success. “All of us can point to someone who inspired us along the way, and it is important that we continue to pay that forward at every opportunity. No matter where we are in life or what we do, we can find ways to support women and bring along the next generation of female leaders, just as the ACC Foundation and the WITH Network do to encourage women in the legal profession.”
“It was an honor to be recognized at this year’s Global Women in Law & Leadership event,” said Gurinder Singh, corporate attorney and award-winning film director and producer. “While women are making incredible progress, a long road remains until true equality is achieved, especially around the world. That’s why events that allow us to come together and learn, network, and support each other are so important. I thank the ACC Foundation for organizing such an inspiring and rewarding event.”
Speakers included:
- Michelle Banks, Senior Advisor and Executive Coach, BarkerGilmore LLC
- Tiffany Banks, General Counsel, Nevada REALTORS(R)
- Bellina Barrow, Author, Attorney-at-Law, Tenoreque Legal
- Maria Cardona, Principal The Dewey Square Group
- Donna Coaxum, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, OSI Group LLC
- Tatia Gordon-Troy, Author, Founder and CEO Ramses House Publishing LLC
- Angela Han, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Amazon.com, Inc.
- Mariah Jacobsen, General Counsel, Northern Tool + Equipment
- Monica Johnson, General Counsel, Darigold
- Veta T. Richardson President and CEO, Association of Corporate Counsel
- Brianna Williams, Founding Attorney, Melange, A Williams Firm
- Kia Williams, Director Litigation Counsel Employment, Mattress Firm
Below are some of the session topics:
- Leveraging Our Stories to Build Our Strength
- Lawyer Life Hacks
- Spreading Your Wings – Leaving Legal to Lead with Passion
- Illuminating Your Value – How to Self-Promote Authentically
- Creative Solutions to Overcome Bias
- Shout to Success
- Women in Law Discovering the True Meaning of Success
- The Global Rise in Women Leadership
Select session recordings are available if interested. Please contact Dan Weber (marketing@acc.com) with any requests or additional questions.
About the ACC Foundation: The ACC Foundation – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – supports the efforts of the Association of Corporate Counsel, serving the needs of the in-house bar through research, leadership and professional development opportunities, and support of diversity and pro-bono initiatives. The ACC Foundation partners with corporations, law firms, legal service providers, and bar associations to assist in the furtherance of these goals. For more information, visit www.acc-foundation.com.
About ACC: The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is a global legal association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other organisations through information, education, networking, and advocacy. With more than 45,000 members in 85 countries employed by over 10,000 organisations, ACC connects its members to the people and resources necessary for both personal and professional growth. By in-house counsel, for in-house counsel.® For more information, visit www.acc.com and follow ACC on Twitter: @ACCinhouse.