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Join Ms. JD—We’re seeking a Volunteer NWLSO Director!
By Katie Day • July 09, 2019 •Ms. JD, Law School, Features
Ms. JD is seeking a volunteer Director for our National Women Law Students’ Organization (NWLSO) program! NWLSO's goal is to support female law students, in whatever capacity that may be, from brainstorming events to connecting chapters and affiliates with potential speakers to providing a blogging platform where your writing will be featured on a site that receives over 27,000 visitors per month. Quite simply, NWLSO exists to support all women law students. The volunteer NWLSO Director will work with Ms. JD’s CEO to help grow and develop Ms. JD’s NWLSO program. This includes: -Compiling and sending a monthly NWLSO…
Something Blue: Embracing Your Blue-Collar Roots and Overcoming Self-Doubt
By Molly Timko • June 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers
For this month's post, I wanted to write an article about "impostor syndrome." While scrolling through LinkedIn, I noticed a recent post referencing "imposter syndrome." Cue feelings of self-doubt. So I quickly did a Google search of "impostor or imposter" and discovered that both versions are acceptable. Nevertheless, my inner critic started questioning whether I should do more research (out of fear of making an egregious grammatical error) or, just select one way to spell it, be consistent throughout the post, and move on with my life. Oh the irony! By now, you're likely familiar with impostor syndrome and its prevalence in the legal profession. In the 1970s, two clinical psychologist coined the phrase “impostor phenomenon” to describe…
You Can’t Be Everything to Everyone: Top Ten Pieces of Wisdom from In-House Mentors
By Jenny Patten • June 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues
As I come up on ten years of in-house practice, I’ve started to reflect on my legal practice journey up to this point. From the time I had to hide in the restroom to make a quick call to my outside counsel for confirmation on a particular point of law, seconds before I had to walk into a board meeting, to the closing where I was so exhausted I tripped over my own feet and faceplanted into the floor in front of about 20 executives, I’ve had a lot of memorable moments. Most memorable, though, are the lessons I’ve picked…
Tips from Jill McBride Baxter, Sports Agent - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • June 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jill McBride Baxter, a sports lawyer, and certified CFLPA and NFLPA sports agent. A graduate of University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, Jill has worked as a sports lawyer for over thirty years, representing professional athletes—including those in the NFL and MMA—athletic administrators, coaches, and media personnel. Ms. Baxter also runs a blog and podcast featuring sports law topics and helpful advice for those interested in sports law. As someone who’s had a successful career as a sports agent for over thirty years, Jill has a wealth of lessons about…
The FDA on CBD: What to Know Before Opening Shop
By Stephanie Carr • June 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence
Many people assume that any and all hemp-derived CBD products are legal and can be sold pursuant to passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. But those people are wrong and could unknowingly place themselves in legal jeopardy. For practitioners looking to break into the cannabis law field, understanding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA's) position on CBD products in food or cosmetic products is a good way to start. The 2018 Farm Bill exempts hemp and hemp-derived products, including CBD, from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). But the FDA has made clear that it retains authority to regulate products…
How to Get Leadership Positions to Build Your Practice
By Claire E. Parsons • June 10, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Ask most experienced attorneys how they built their practice and they’ll tell you they “got involved” in the community or professional organizations. Maybe this advice doesn’t always use the term “leadership” but that’s what it means. If you really want to “get involved” and build your reputation, you need to do some real work rather than just paying a membership fee and adding your name to a list. This may be a little scary for young attorneys, since it is easy to think that you haven’t paid your dues long enough to qualify as a leader. It may be easy to…
Something Blue: Bringing Blue-Collar Roots to the Legal Profession - An Interview with Melissa Green
By Molly Timko • May 29, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers
For this month's post, I am thrilled to feature an interview with Melissa Green, an energetic, enthusiastic, and compassionate attorney who specializes in Social Security Disability law. Melissa is the daughter of blue-collar workers and the first person in her family to attend and graduate from both college and law school. Could you tell Ms. JD blog readers about your background and what prompted you to apply to law school? I grew up in rural Maine and was the first person in my family to attend college. After college I became a high school teacher for about six years, then applied to law…
Hell No: Caster Semenya’s Fight for Bodily Integrity - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • May 29, 2019 •Ms. JD, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
On April 30, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ruled that the IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development) (“DSD Regulations”) were valid, and suspended Caster Semenya’s, and her co-party Athletics South Africa (South Africa’s athletics governing body), request for arbitration. This is just the latest development in a years-long inquiry into how athletics organizations define Caster Semenya’s gender and whether and in what type of body she is able to compete in as a female athlete. The Court of Arbitration for Sport was created in 1984 to provide independent arbitration and mediation for disputes…
Millennial Women: Estate Planning is for You Too!
By Iffy Ibekwe • May 10, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues, Features, •Myths & Truths
Millennial Lawyers are Powerful. I can say that because I too am a millennial lawyer. We are highly educated (sometimes in the school of hard knocks), talented, committed, innovative and ready to take on any challenge head-on. Watch out! The world is changing for women and millennials are leading the way for future generations: Around 72% of millennial women are in the workforce. [i] Although a gender pay gap still exists but is narrowing. [ii] More than 28% of millennial women start a business because they see an opportunity. [iii] Millennial women are more likely to have bachelor degrees than their male…