Trial Magazine

The first WTLC Lobby Days was in 1997. During the Women Trial Lawyers Caucus (WTLC) Lobby Days, female plaintiff trial lawyers lobby members of Congress on a range of issues related to the civil justice system.

In 2019, 142 women from 37 states traveled to Washington, D.C., for WTLC’s biennial Lobby Days.

Attendees in front of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., for the 2019 WTLC Lobby Days.

In the last decade, half of AAJ’s presidents were female. Turn to p. 18 to read an interview with the first female president.

The LGBT Caucus’s debut CLE program in 2015 featured several prominent speakers, including David Boies, who argued Hollingsworth v. Perry, the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Proposition 8 (California’s anti-same-sex marriage law).

In the spring of 2019, AAJ Education held a seminar cosponsored by the Minority Caucus focused on planning and taking depositions. Complimentary for Minority Caucus members, the program went virtual in the spring of 2020. Also in 2020, AAJ held webinars focused on police misconduct, law firm diversity, and LGBTQ rights.

AAJ has joined many amicus curiae briefs fighting to overturn the doctrine of qualified immunity, including six briefs in the last two years.

The June 2017 and September 2019 issues of Trial focused on diversity and equality in the law. Topics included identifying implicit bias, increasing firm diversity, and embracing attorneys from all backgrounds.

In September 2020, Trial magazine introduced a new department,

Hear Our Voices, where AAJ minority trial lawyer members share their personal experiences and challenges. For more, turn to p. 36.

Almost 700 AAJ members self-identify as LGBTQ or as an LGBTQ ally. The LGBT Caucus was created in 2015 and unanimously approved by a general membership vote at the 2016 Annual Convention.

“Community creates comfort; visibility creates recognition. The founding of the LGBT Caucus was a watershed moment for all involved, both now and in the future. The caucus creates a space where its members—LGBTQ and allies—can discuss issues big and small, personal or client-related.”

—Zachary Wool, LGBT Caucus founder, Barrios Kingsdorf & Casteix

The WTLC and the Minority Caucus each award a $5,000 law student scholarship at annual convention. The Women for Justice Fund Mike Eidson Scholarship is given to a female student who demonstrates a commitment to a career as a plaintiff attorney or criminal defense attorney. The Richard D. Hailey Scholarship is given to a minority student who is interested in trial advocacy and demonstrates a commitment to AAJ and its mission.

A St. John’s University School of Law student receiving the 2019 Richard D. Hailey Scholarship at the annual convention in San Diego.

Diverse members represented half of speakers on AAJ Education programs and Trial authors in 2020.

39% of AAJ Section officers are women.

2010

• The Diversity and Inclusion Committee was created to promote and cultivate diversity and inclusion among the trial lawyer community and AAJ membership. Turn to p. 34 for information about the Leadership Academy, an initiative of the committee.
• The policies and procedures for AAJ’s Sections and Litigation Groups were amended to strongly recommend diversity in leadership of Litigation Groups and in the recruitment of new officers for the Sections. It has resulted in leadership being more diverse.
• Revitalization bylaw: AAJ amended its bylaws to provide for an additional Board of Governors seat per jurisdiction—with bona fide consideration given to at least one minority or female member who is 40 years old or younger or has practiced for 15 years or less.