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In 1976 a small group of women attorneys gathered in an empty courtroom to
discuss ways to combine their strengths to improve opportunities for women
attorneys and promote recognition of their capabilities.
With few exceptions, women attorneys were unique at that time, and men held the
judicial positions as well as the majority of the prominent positions within
Houston's leading law firms.
From its humble beginnings, AWA has emerged as a leading organization that has
opened its doors to male and female judges, licensed attorneys from law firms,
solo practices, corporations and government sectors, and laws students. "AWA is
all about relationships, " said Cameron Vann, a former president, citing the
group's annual reception for the judiciary as an example.
The judicial reception grew out of a dinner meeting in the 1980's where judges
who thought they treated women attorneys "just fine" and members who had a
completely different perception of the situation cleared the air. The reception
has since become an annual event where AWA members and local judges are able to
mingle in a social atmosphere.
The organization is determined to keep those lines of communication open by
hosting events which offer interaction between attorneys and the judiciary. Not
to be overlooked, however, is the AWA's sponsorship of a judicial screening
committee to review qualifications of judicial candidates and to provide
recommendations to its members and the community. Over the years, candidates
have come to regard the AWA screening as one of the strongest in the state.
"At times members have wondered whether there was still a need for a woman's
organization," Vann stated, "and that question has always been answered 'Yes!'
Not only do AWA's memberships have a sense that we've made things better, but
we provide a networking opportunity for solo practitioners as well as attorneys
from law firms, corporations, and government entities."
Members have learned the value of being part of a group where they can compare
"war stories" and come to find answers to questions. It provides an opportunity
for litigators and corporate attorneys to develop friendships with lawyers who
practice family, probate, criminal, and other types of law. The organization
also affords a ready source of qualified attorneys to whom members can refer
clients, friends, and family when there is a need for practitioners in other
specialties.
AWA's monthly meetings include state bar CLE accredited presentations on
various subjects of interest. These might include stress management for
attorneys, grandparents' rights, same-sex marriages, lawyer advertising, law
practice management, financial planning, immigration law, sex and clients, and
the role of in-house counsel. Additionally, members serve as mentors for law
students and recent graduates striving to find their way in the practice of
law.
Having established itself as a viable, thriving organization, the AWA found yet
another way to serve the legal community. In the 1990's, the AWA Foundation was
initiated under the leadership of several remarkable AWA members. The
Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to women law
students at each of the area's three law schools.
It is funded through monies raised by ticket sales and donations, and an annual
silent auction and gala. Women law students from the University of Houston Law
Center, South Texas College of Law and Thurgood Marshall School of Law apply
for the coveted scholarships each year. Each school's winner receives her check
at a ceremony during the judicial reception.
"We've come from a handful of women in an empty courtroom to over 7,500 female
attorneys in Harris County alone," Vann said. "We may not have all of them as
members, but it's nice to know that we're able to help a few of those up and
coming women that will take on the challenge of law."
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PRIMARY OBJECTIVES