Chair’s column

Although law school cured me for a year or two, I have always loved this time of year.

There is something almost magical about going back to school—new school clothes and shoes, new teachers and classmates, and the clean slate presented by the crisp, pristine white pages of a new spiral notebook.

All the newness inspires a sense of excitement and adventure, together with an eager anticipation of the opportunity to build on the knowledge and experience gained in years past.

That same inspiration accompanies the beginning of a new ISBA year, as we return from our summer hiatus, with new leadership and new committee members. I am honored to serve as the chair of the ISBA Standing Committee on Women and the Law this year, following in the footsteps of a long line of amazing leaders.

One of the proudest traditions of our committee is recognizing our members and others for their service and contribution to the legal profession and public. This is especially important because historically, women do not receive recognition for their contributions in the same way that men do. For example, men often are credited with being superior in crises. According to one communication expert, this is because men are indeed good problem solvers. Women, on the other hand, anticipate the problem, take steps to ensure that the crisis is averted, and therefore, receive little credit for their contributions.

Let’s continue to look for opportunities to promote our members and their work.

We can accomplish this by nominating deserving women and men for ISBA and other awards, and honoring them in this newsletter. ■