ACC will collaborate on events and projects to promote women in-house counsel around the world
WASHINGTON (March 31, 2020) — The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), a global legal association representing over 45,000 in-house counsel in 85 countries, is proud to announce its partnership with Next 100 Years, the new project from the team behind the First 100 Years, dedicated to achieving equality for women in law.
The First 100 Years project was created to chart the journey of women in law in the first 100 years since they were permitted to become lawyers for the first time. The Next 100 Years will be continuing this work, supported by the Law Society of England and Wales, the Bar Council, CILEx, and now ACC.
In March of this year, Next 100 Years founder Dana Denis-Smith (also founder and CEO of Obelisk Support) spoke at the opening of ACC’s London office. That same month, ACC’s Washington office hosted one of the photo pop-ups that contributed portraits to Next 100 Years’ #FacetheFuture campaign, celebrating women lawyers through photography.
ACC will support the Next 100 Years’ efforts to feature more women in-house counsel from around the world in its films interviewing pioneering women lawyers, as well as collaborating on events and projects like #FacetheFuture.
“ACC is proud to join the Next 100 Years project as an official partner in this important endeavor examining the history, current face, and future of women in the law,” said Veta T. Richardson, ACC president and CEO. “As a global organization with a diverse group of women in our membership, we fully support Dana Denis-Smith’s international efforts to celebrate the contributions of all women to the legal profession.”
“ACC has already shown itself a dedicated advocate for women in law,” said Dana Denis-Smith. “By working closely with a global organization for the first time, we will be able to involve women lawyers across the world in the project, celebrating their achievements, learning from other jurisdictions about how they are breaking down barriers to inequality and working together to drive change.
About The Next 100 Years: The Next 100 Years is the new project from the team behind the First 100 Years and is dedicated to achieving equality for women in law. The project aims to accelerate the pace of change by encouraging collaboration across the legal profession, improving the visibility of women in law and supporting the women lawyers of the future.
The ten-year project is powered by Spark21, a charity founded to celebrate, inform and inspire future generations of women in the profession. It builds on the success of the First 100 Years project which was created to chart the journey of women in law in the first 100 years following the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919, which paved the way for women to become lawyers for the first time. The five-year project culminated with the centenary celebrations in 2019. The Next 100 Years continues the work of the First 100 Years, capturing the inspirational stories of today’s pioneering women lawyers, educating the public on the legacy of the legal pioneers of the past and driving the change needed to create an equal future for women in the legal profession.
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 organizations through information, education, networking, and advocacy. With more than 45,000 members in 85 countries employed by over 10,000 organizations, 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.