Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021

Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, and the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Choose to Challenge.” The theme encourages us to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness of bias, and take action for equality, because from challenge comes change. 

In the spirit of #ChoosetoChallenge we would like to celebrate three women criminal defense attorneys continuing to work to improve women’s lives and careers during the ongoing pandemic.

First, we salute Karen Popp, Sidley Austin Partner and Co-Head of its White Collar Group, and Co-Founder and Global Chair of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA). Through Karen’s leadership, WWCDA has grown into a thriving and powerful association for women in the field. Her generosity and determination in creating a lasting legacy for women in the field is inspiring. In just a short period, WWCDA has grown to over 2,200 members across the globe. Karen leads by example. WWCDA’s growth is the direct result of Karen’s commitment and the efforts of a large number of volunteer members. Even Covid-19 couldn’t stop Karen Popp. During this challenging time, WWCDA found creative and new ways for women to continue to connect and collaborate. The Association launched a member only online community—WWCDA Connect—where members can share referrals and ideas on forums, share content on libraries, and schedule events in which WWCDA members from around the world can participate. A Covid Compassionate Relief Resource Library was made available to all members. The Association has continued to hold its Annual Meeting and other events virtually, put together a successful Awards Program honoring women, men, corporations and other organizations that promote women in the white collar field, and expanded its outreach by speaking out against racial injustice and forming a Diversity Committee actively pursuing ways to further inclusion and equality. Further, WWCDA created an award to honor the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, promotes the accomplishments of its members on social media platforms and  endorses current and former members seeking positions in Government. The numbers of programs, initiatives, and committee projects are too many to list here, but what we do want to highlight is Karen’s enduring drive to give back to women in the field and her guiding spirit to encourage women around her to do the same. She is the very essence of #ChoosetoChallenge for all she has done and is continuing to do to elevate women in the white collar field.  

Next, we celebrate Shirley H. Emehelu, Chiesa Shahnian & Giantomasi Partner and WWCDA Diversity Committee Co-Chair, for her critically important work effectuating WWCDA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the profession. The Diversity Committee is responsible for leading and supporting WWCDA’s efforts to promote Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA). In pursuit of that mission, the Diversity Committee is pursuing initiatives condemning racism and asserting WWCDA’s commitment to promote equality and inclusion. The WWCDA Diversity Committee is comprised of women from chapters around the world and has two teams. One team is external-facing and focuses on how WWCDA activities and initiatives can help promote equality in the United States and around the world. The Internal-Facing Team focuses on promoting and supporting diversity within WWCDA and the legal profession as a whole. Since Shirley has been Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee, the Committee has already organized and/or co-sponsored three virtual programs. One of these programs, Raising our Hands, discussed the importance of and procedure for applying for positions in the new administration. The panel also discussed the importance of ensuring that diverse voices were represented. The second program was a Conversation with Jessie Liu: Women in Legal Leadership that WWCDA co-sponsored with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association. And more recently the Diversity Committee organized WWCDA Poetry Café: A Black History Month Celebration of Poet Amanda Gorman. In addition to programming, mentoring opportunities are being explored by the Diversity Committee. Shirley Emehelu and her efforts to help WWCDA promote diversity both internally and externally is another perfect example of a woman who does #ChoosetoChallenge women around her and the greater legal community to remain focused on racial inequity and what we can do to ensure change. 

Finally, we recognize Michelle Shapiro, Arent Fox Partner and WWCDA Global Vice Chair and Development Committee Chair, for her invaluable leadership, ingenuity and execution on WWCDA’s outreach and internal programming and advancement of members and the Association. Michelle’s efforts have resulted in many successful WWCDA initiatives to help women connect and collaborate.  One specific example is the WWCDA Watercooler and WatercoolersPLUS events that Michelle created and spearheaded during the pandemic. The WWCDA Watercooler has provided opportunities for WWCDA members to regularly network with each other across the globe and share timely information regarding our practice area with one another. This has created a platform for women to stay connected through the pandemic on a monthly basis. Many of the Watercooler events are focused entirely on networking and connecting with women in the United States and around the world, including introducing chapter members from a newly launched chapter to the larger membership. There are also WatercoolerPlus events, which serve to provide valuable insight from panelists on cutting edge issues ranging from compassionate relief work, PPP criminal loan fraud investigations, our federal courts in the time of Covid, Covid era challenges relating to federal indictments, and even an upcoming event focused on examining the Supreme Court’s “Bridgegate” decision. This groundbreaking series, which was developed and inspired by Michelle Shapiro, is simply a small part of the impact that Michelle has had on the Association. She too is the epitome of #ChoosetoChallenge. 

Each of the women we have featured today have taken action to support and improve the lives of women attorneys, and we celebrate their achievements and contributions. We are grateful to work alongside such inspiring women, who #ChoosetoChallenge. Today, we must all reflect upon and renew our commitments to taking action to effectuate change.