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Remembering the Legacy of a Black, Queer, Feminist: Dr. Pauli Murray
By Amber Mason • February 17, 2016 •Ms. JD, Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
I attend the Howard University School of Law; home to famous and influential graduates such as Thurgood Marshall, Charlotte E. Ray, L. Douglas Wilder, and my ‘she-ro’, Dr. Pauli Murray. As you walk down the halls of Howard Law, you will undoubtedly stumble across not only Dr. Murray’s picture hanging from the walls, but a beautiful conference room, dedicated to the trailblazer. Interestingly, and almost assuredly unintentionally, this beautiful room reflects Dr. Murray’s character, spirit, and appearance. The room is both elegant and feminine, but with definite touches of a more masculine decorative style. It is comforting and inviting, but…
Strength in Numbers - To the Polls We Go
By Nutan Sewdath • February 11, 2016 •Features, First Women
On November 8th, 2016, we will elect the 45th President of the United States. Who are we voting for? What issues do we care about? Keeping up with the debates and polls can be a daunting task. In conjunction with going to school/work, working out, spending time with family and friends, keeping up with the elections is an easy task to write off. However, we need to pay attention. Here’s why. Voting is a hard-earned right. The suffragettes, worked tirelessly to give us the right to vote. From 1840-1920, women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony and…
A Woman of Wine and Business: An Interview with Bottle Rush Founder Tamara Lover
By Julie Silverbrook • December 12, 2015 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, First Women
This week, I interviewed my dear friend Tamara Lover about her company Bottle Rush, which she founded when she was pregnant with her first child and launched while she was pregnant with her second. The idea for Bottle Rush was born out of necessity. When Tamara, the co-founder, graduated from wine school her friends discovered they had their own personal sommelier on speed dial. As word spread, requests for the perfect wine pairing and gifts increased. A lot. Tamara quickly realized she needed to figure out a way to automate her services so that everyone could have their own wine expert at their…
Finding Inspiration in the New Year
By Christina L. Martini • December 11, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Careers, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, •Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Women and Law in the Media, Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, Myths & Truths, First Women, •Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
Dear Readers: I hope that you are enjoying this holiday season. It is hard to believe that the end of 2015 is upon us, and the New Year is just around the corner. As we finish year-end client work and administrative responsibilities over the next couple of weeks, it is a great time for us to take a step back and reflect on all that we have accomplished this year, and what we have left unfinished; what we did well, and what we could have done better; what we have won, and what we have lost; and whom we have inspired, and who…
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association - April President’s Message
By Marguerite Willis • April 13, 2015 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Legal Academia, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, •Internships and Clerkships, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, •Myths & Truths, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
April 14, 2015 is Equal Pay Day. Here are the reasons why this day should matter to everyone reading this letter. The History. Prior to 1963, it was legal for employers in the United States to pay women less than men for the same job. In 1963, women were earning 59% of what men were paid. Congress enacted the Equal Pay Act to eliminate this inequality. The Present. It has been over 50 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act and women still do not have pay equality. In 2013, among full-time, year-round workers, women were paid only…
Judge Mary Muse—- A True Inspiration
By Susan Smith Blakely • March 26, 2015 •Features, First Women
I was both amazed and inspired when I read an article about the recent passing of a beloved Massachusetts judge at the age of 94. Positive role models are so important to career success, and they do not get much more positive than Judge Mary Muse. What a life! You will recall my last blog on women over fifty, well here is one woman over fifty who made every moment count and left an incredible legacy. Mary Muse was a fierce advocate for women in the legal profession. She knew the challenges well. She raised four children during her years at…
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association - March President’s Message
By Marguerite Willis • March 09, 2015 •Ms. JD, Conference, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, •Mentoring and Networking, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Features, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
#Iwilltry, #InternationalWomensDay Sunday, March 8 is International Women's Day. Founded in the early 1900s to rally against injustices to women, International Women's Day focuses today on celebrating recent advances of women around the globe. March 8, as fate would have it, is also my birthday. I was named after my grandmother, Marguerite. On my 16th birthday, my grandmother gave me a ring that belonged to her mother. It was a simple gold band engraved with three words: I will try. As she handed me this gift, my grandmother said, Words to live by. And so, I have tried. I will…
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association - February President’s Message
By Marguerite Willis • March 09, 2015 •Ms. JD, Conference, Careers, Features, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
Happy Valentine's Day Last week, I was in a craft store looking for Valentine's Day decorations. As I walked through the picture section, I saw a poster that read, "Let her sleep. When she wakes, she will move mountains." I stood quietly for a while, just thinking. Young or old, thick or thin, tall or short, all of us have accomplished amazing things in our lives. All of us, some despite great odds, have graduated from law school and passed bar exams. All of us have been blessed with strength, intelligence and ambition. But some of us, I might say…
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association - January President’s Message
By Marguerite Willis • March 09, 2015 •Ms. JD, Careers, Law School, Features, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
Happy SCWLA New Year! Today, I begin my term as SCWLA's President. My theme this year will be "Back to the Future . . . for Women Lawyers in South Carolina." After spending last year celebrating our twenty years of success, we will spend this year looking toward the future and making our organization relevant and responsive to our members' needs. With your help and support, we will focus on activities that deliver value and fun, as well as state-wide programming that is reasonably accessible to everyone. We will also continue our efforts to grow our membership. So, as we…