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Interview with Title IX Coordinator Allison Lyng O’Connell - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • March 31, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
I’m pleased to introduce Allison Lyng O’Connell, J.D., Title IX Coordinator and Clery Act Compliance Officer. After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law, Allison became an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. From there, she transitioned into Dartmouth College’s Title IX Program Coordinator, ultimately stepping into the lead Title IX Coordinator and Clery Act Compliance Officer role in August 2017. For those unfamiliar, Title IX is a United States Education Amendment signed in 1972 that states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the…
Friend or Foe? Technology In Our Everyday Lives: Connectedness & Connectivity
By Keisha M. McClellan • March 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Issues, Women and Law in the Media
Award-winning author and columnist, Thomas Friedman, declares that “[o]f course the world is not flat. But it isn’t round anymore, either.” I agree. Today’s technology fuses people to places, ideas, things, and other human beings. As Friedman explains, modern technology “empowers more and more individuals today to reach farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before” and that energy creates connectivity and collaboration across the globe. By example, the US is on the precipice of connecting faster than ever thanks to innovations in 5G technology. Everything from the speed with which we will watch videos on smartphones, interface with internet-of-things…
Re-Defining Success (Or Maybe DEFINING it ... for the very first time)
By Amy Impellizzeri • March 28, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Pre-Law, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Women and Law in the Media
From the beginning of time (or at least the first day of college!) I had exactly one professional goal in life – to be a lawyer. And not just any lawyer – a successful one. I wasn’t sure exactly what success would look like, but I knew this – I’d know it when I saw it. By 2009, I had been a corporate litigator for more than 13 years – nearly a decade of which had been spent at Skadden Arps. I had negotiated multi-million dollar settlements, and tried my first case before I was 30. I had won over…
From Paralegal to Associate: Are you still doing “office housework”?
By Nadia Ennaji • February 26, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
I recently read an article written by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant on women doing office housework.[1] It couldn’t ring truer to my ears than now. As a paralegal, it is your job to do all the admin tasks being delegated by the attorneys. But as an attorney, I somewhat still am asked to do those admin tasks on top of the workload of an attorney. Recently, during a trial, not only was I expected to do all the preparation for the trial, but I was also expected to put the exhibits together, and prepare the binders. What is one supposed…
The Olympics and Me Too - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • February 09, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
In honor of today’s Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics, I thought we would take a brief look at women’s participation in the Olympics. The Olympics have not always been, and it can be argued, continues to be hostile to women’s involvement. In fact, though the Olympic games in Ancient Greece included foot races for unmarried girls, women were banned from the first modern Olympics in 1896. Women’s involvement in the Olympics and sports, in general, were openly criticized by the founder of the Modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. According to the Baron, participation in sports destroyed a woman’s…
The Best Way to Leave the Law When You’re Burned Out? Don’t.
By Amy Impellizzeri • January 26, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Other Law School Issues, Issues, •Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
In 2009, I took a one year sabbatical from my 13+ year law career. I turned out the lights in my 42d floor office at 4 Times Square and left. Just a year. Nine years later, I often joke that I’m still on that one year sabbatical. The truth is, I’ve transitioned away from the active practice of law, and nine years has given me a fair perspective to understand how and why that transition has been so successful. In nine years, I’ve worked on the executive team of a pioneering start-up company, negotiated publishing contracts and a literary agency contract, launched…
Introduction - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • January 25, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Issues, Women and Law in the Media
Hello and welcome to On the Field: Women in Sports Law! I am really looking forward to learning more about this area together this next year. To all my sports fans, let me welcome you to this column in which we’ll investigate different sports organizations, their legal impact, and how women have shaped the sports arena. For those of you whose interests lie outside of sports, let me begin by saying I know that I may not be able to convince you of sports' merit. Besides the bloated budgets and expenditures on sports and related products that could go towards…
How to Survive Your Day in Court, Tips for Women
By Mark W • December 05, 2017 •Issues, Women and Law in the Media
If you have a legal proceeding to go through, first of all, you should arm yourself with patience. Days in court are stressful and long, even if you’re on the winning side. There are many aspects to be considered when it comes surviving these situations, but the most important thing is to give your best and stay collected throughout the process. For that reason, here are ten tips on how to survive your day in court. 1. Have the Costs in Mind In order not to get flabbergasted to the point of a heart attack when the list of costs…
Failure Turned Inside Out: Risk It All- The Anita Hill Story & Workplace Sexual Harassment
By Patricia Jjemba • November 04, 2017 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Legal Academia, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, •Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
This kind of behavior is what makes it extremely difficult to speak out against workplace harassment and assault. To date, more than sixty women in the film and production industry have accused acclaimed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and assault. At least two of these accusations have resulted in law enforcement officials and prosecutors opening criminal investigations that may lead to his indictment on rape and sexual assault charges. And while many may be interested in the salacious downfall of Weinstein for their own diabolical interests, there are those of us who appreciate the important conversations that have…