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Editor's Note: On May 5, 2020 Ms. JD participated in GivingTuesdayNow. Just over six months later, Ms. JD has established a new online community with over 1,000 members, a virtual law student leadership academy, and an upcoming pre-law bootcamp. We are so grateful for our community support, and ask that we continue to meet our goals again this Giving Tuesday. 

Ms. JD is responding to meet the needs of early career women lawyers and law students by launching the #WhyMsJD campaign to shine light on the many ways the organization promotes the success of law students and recent graduates and outline how the community can join Ms. JD in supporting this group.

#GivingTuesdayNow is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 – in addition to the regularly scheduled Dec 1, 2020. #GivingTuesday – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world. 

At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on. It’s a day for everyone around the world to stand together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where we are. 

Ms. JD seeks to improve the experiences of women law students and lawyers and help to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion to the legal profession. A big way that Ms. JD lives its mission is through various in-person events targeted to female law students and early career attorneys that focus on important issues these women may face, such as implicit biases, provides professional development opportunities, and allows attendees to build their network of mentors and supporters. These events include the Ms. JD Annual Conference, a one-day event featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, and networking; the National Women Law Students’ Organization (NWLSO) Leadership Academy, an intimate one-day leadership-focused intensive at Harvard Law School for 2Ls and 3Ls; Determined to Rise, a one-day academy in law and leadership for middle school girls grades 6-8 with fun and engaging workshops and speakers; and LaddHer Up, a one-of-a-kind retreat for early stage law firm associates and general counsels with a focus on professional development and career strategy building.

Due to COVID-19, Ms. JD has been unable to host these powerful events. Where possible, events, such as the Annual Conference, will be converted to virtual events so Ms. JD can continue to provide much needed resources to our community. Ms. JD also launched a webinar series to help our community adapt and thrive in these challenging times.

These programs are not only a valuable resource to the Ms. JD community, but they are also a main source of revenue for our organization. It is Ms. JD’s great desire to continue to support the advancement of women in the legal profession and to provide unique opportunities for women law students and attorneys to overcome barriers, achieve gender parity, and see great success. We cannot do this without your help and your generosity.

On this #GivingTuesdayNow, Ms. JD is encouraging our community to reach out to a current law student or early career attorney and see how they can support them in these challenging times, inviting law students and attorneys to spotlight mentors, sponsors, and organizations who have demonstrated a commitment to women in law, and asking those who believe that women’s victories are everyone’s victories to make a gift to Ms. JD to support and improve the experiences of women law students and lawyers for years to come.

People can show their generosity in a variety of ways during #GivingTuesdayNow, whether it’s helping a colleague, advocating for an issue facing women in the legal profession, sharing a skill, or giving to Ms. JD, every act of generosity counts. The global movement will emphasize opportunities to give back to communities and causes in safe ways that allow for social connection even while practicing physical distancing. 

“As a global community, we can mourn this moment of extreme crisis while also finding the opportunity to support one another. We each have the power to make an impact with acts of generosity, no matter how small, and to ensure the sustainability of organizations and services that are crucial to the care and support of our communities,” said Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday. “#GivingTuesdayNow is a chance for us to stand united and use grassroots generosity to show that we are all in this together, beginning to end. Even as many face financial uncertainty, generosity is not about size. From calling an elderly neighbor to chat to offering translation help; from showing gratitude to our healthcare workers to donating to your local food bank, every act of kindness is a beacon of hope in this crisis. We all have something to give, and every act of human consideration and kindness matters.”

Those interested in joining Ms. JD’s #GivingTuesdayNow efforts can visit https://ms-jd.org/about/our-impact/. Support Ms. JD today at https://bit.ly/msjddonate.

About Ms. JD

Ms. JD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to the success of aspiring and early career women lawyers. Ms. JD is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of law students and recent graduates and supported by a small group of independent contractors. Founded at Stanford Law School in 2006 by a group of female law students from Boalt Hall (UC Berkeley), Cornell, Georgetown, Harvard, NYU, Stanford, UCLA, UT Austin, the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, and Yale, Ms. JD is a 501(c)(3) incorporated in California. 

Serving as a unique nexus between the profession and the pipeline of diverse attorneys, Ms. JD provides a forum for dialogue and networking among women lawyers and law students. Ms. JD celebrates women’s achievements, addresses remaining challenges, and facilitates continued progress by bringing legal practitioners and law students together to share in an ongoing conversation about gender issues in law school and the profession. To learn about all the amazing things Ms. JD does and the volunteers that make it possible, please visit ms-jd.org.

About GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past eight years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to give. GivingTuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity and equity around the globe.

#GivingTuesdayNow is organized by GivingTuesday, in partnership with its global network of leaders, partners, communities and generous individuals. GivingTuesday is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.