The Women in the Law Committee (WIL) exists (1) to encourage participation by women lawyers in local and international Law Society activities and units; (2) to help all Chapters in their organization and support of WIL sections; (3) to affirm to all Law Societ members the strength and contributions that women lawyers bring to their legal practices, communities, and families; (4) to facilitate communication among women lawyers throughout the Law Society; and (5) to promote fairness and equal opportunities for Law Society women lawyers. Each year the WIL Committee prepares and submits to the Executive Committee its Goals and Plan of Work for the year.
Women lawyers sometimes do not feel comfortable in the Law Society. Assuming that women are equally as important to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) as men and that women lawyers have equal and valuable contributions to make in furthering the purposes of the Law Society, the WIL Committee believes that communication both with male leaders and members and with LDS female lawyers will help create an environment where women will feel more comfortable and willing to participate. Creating an organized framework in which women can fill designated roles will help women feel more a part of the Law Society.
The WIL Committee consists of a chair, a vice-chair, a secretary, an Executive Committee liaison, a BYU law school alumni association liaison, and representatives of geographical regions. From time to time, others may be asked to join the committee or attend committee meetings for specific purposes. These others may include the Student Chapters Board liaison, the BYU law school WIL section chair, a representative from the Law Society Student Chapters Committee, etc. The WIL Committee meets monthly via conference call.
Each Law Society Chapter throughout the world is encouraged to have a Women in the Law section. Such sections will exist to further the purposes above stated. While a WIL section may not be possible at a given time in a Chapter, each Chapter is encouraged to work toward that goal. Even if only one woman lawyer can be found who participates in Chapter functions, that one woman should be invited onto the Chapter board to organize and direct Chapter efforts to (1) locate and involve more women in each Chapter and (2) hold Chapter events (lunches, humanitarian projects, seminars, etc.) that address issues that may be of particular concern to Law Society women lawyers. Each Chapter is encouraged (1) to have one woman board member who serves in this capacity and (2) to invite women to assume other leadership roles on the board.
Each Chapter that sponsors a Student Chapter should also have a WIL student representative. One female law student per law school or per Student Chapter should be designated to encourage women law students to participate in Chapter and WIL events, to facilitate communication between the Chapter and the women law students, and to assist the WIL section in the planning of events.
The WIL Committee has created and maintains a blog as a means of sharing news and discussion topics of interest to women attorneys in the Law Society. Men participants are also welcome. All are invited to submit news of WIL events or other law-related events of interest to the women of the Law Society by sending an email to jrclswomen@gmail.com. Interested readers can sign up on the blog site for email notifications of new blog postings. The blog is found at: www.jrclswomen.blogspot.com.
Chapters should include WIL-sponsored or targeted events on their annual calendar of events. For example, if a Chapter holds monthly luncheons or seminars, at least one and preferably two of those twelve annual events should be sponsored or organized by the Chapter’s WIL section. If a Chapter holds six annual events, at least one of those events should be sponsored or co-sponsored by its WIL section. Women should be heavily involved in planning and conducting these events. Such events may be either for all members of the Chapter or for just women members. It is recommended that at least one event per year for all members, both male and female, should be organized and conducted by the WIL section. WIL leaders are encouraged to sponsor or work closely with Chapter leaders in sponsoring at least one service event each year.
The WIL Committee is responsible for portions of the following two Law Society-wide events: (1) the annual leadership conference, usually held in October, and (2) the annual members’ conference, usually held in February.
On to Next Chapter (Student Chapters)
