March 2009 Women and the Law Newsletter

By E. Lynn Grayson

A message from Chair E. Lynn Grayson.

Peggy Klaus, a workplace communication and leadership expert, offered the following New Year’s resolutions to her friends. Her resolutions should be considered by everyone for 2009.

By Sandra Crawford

“Second-Hand-ShockTM" is the cumulative impact of the distress that clients’ trauma content stories have on the professionals helping them.

By Stephanie K. Nathanson

The Standing Committee on Women and the Law is looking forward to our upcoming program at the University of Illinois School of Law (U of I) on April 23, 2009.

By Amie M. Simpson

The author describes her work for the Will County Legal Assistance Program, which provides free civil legal services to low-income and senior citizen clients.

By Sharon L. Eiseman

In 2009, the Women Everywhere: Partners in Service Project (“WE”) will be celebrating its first decade by again doing what it has done so well since its founding in 1999: sending women and men volunteer attorneys and legal support staff into community service agencies on a specified day to provide legal and labor-intensive assistance to agency staff.

By Mona M. Stone

Workplace diversity training has been around for some time, but is growing in importance as the demographics of the working population continue to evolve.

By Annemarie E. Kill

The ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law, in conjunction with the ISBA Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services, the ISBA General Practice Solo and Small Firm Section Council, and the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, presented a program entitled “Ethically and Effectively Representing Clients with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Problems” at the ISBA Mid-Year Meeting on December 12, 2008. 

By Jane DiRenzo & E. Lynn Grayson

Chicago law firm signatories to the 2004 Call to Action (CTA) demonstrated success on each of its five goals. Many firms demonstrated real success on the front of advancing women into leadership. Overall, the Chicago legal community made material progress and established some best practices that fed the success of its efforts. Continued progress will be necessary, but the CTA facilitated focus and progress on this important issue.