Women Criminal Defense Attorneys: Diversity in Action at ABA

At the recent ABA nominating committee the leadership slate shows diversity in action. During a “coffee with the candidates” session at the Midyear Meeting in Houston, six current or soon-to-be officers of the association were introduced to members. What was striking about the candidates is that there was only one man, while the other five candidates were women. This is obviously a shift in the optics alone and an important statement about the ability for women to reach positions of leadership in law. Recent statistics, which we have discussed on several occasions, show that women are still not reaching positions of leadership in law firms proportionately with the number of women in law. The diverse nature of our future ABA leaders will hopefully serve as both an example and a call for change.

Many of the women are running unopposed and although the formal election is still a year away, the Nominating Committee did formalize the selection of Linda Klein, who is a managing shareholder of a firm in Atlanta, as president-elect nominee. “It makes me proud,” said Klein of the diversity in ABA officers and candidates. “It gives me a lot of confidence in the future of our association, because diversity leads to the best decisions.” Klein will follow President-elect Paulette Brown who will become president in August.

The ABA has shown real commitment to advancing women in law with the development of initiatives such as the Commission on Women in the Profession. The increase of women in positions of leadership at the ABA demonstrates that initiatives of this nature work, and that confronting the challenges that women face in the field head-on works to open minds and doors for women.