Now Open: Call for Recommendations for ABA’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award

Each year, the NAPABA Margaret Brent Award Committee reviews the outstanding pool of well-qualified NAPABA members to select a woman to be nominated by NAPABA for the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. NAPABA is now accepting recommendations for the 2025 award cycle. The deadline to submit a recommendation is Wednesday, December 4, at 11:59 pm ET.

The Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, established in 1991, recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of women lawyers who have excelled in their field and have paved the way to success for other women lawyers. These women demonstrate excellence in a variety of professional settings and personify excellence on either the national, regional, or local level. Most recently, NAPABA nominated Gina Shishima, who was honored with this prestigious award in August 2024.

If you are interested in submitting a recommendation, please visit our webpage to learn more about qualifications and requirements.

Criteria

  1. The individual achieved professional excellence in her field AND
  2. Influenced other women to pursue legal careers, OR
  3. Opened doors for women lawyers in a variety of job settings that historically were closed to them, OR
  4. Advanced opportunities for women within a practice area or segment of the profession.

Nominees may be ABA members or nonmembers. Sitting members of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession may not be nominated.

Nomination Application Requirements

Nominators may be asked to register for a SurveyMonkey account if they still need to register before gaining access to the application portal.
A. Nominee’s Resume – Include the nominee’s resume or biography describing her background and contributions.

B. Award Criteria Narrative – In no more than three typed pages, provide specific, concrete examples for criterion #1 and at least one of criteria numbers 2 through 4 below:

  1. The individual achieved professional excellence in her field AND
  2. Influenced other women to pursue legal careers, OR
  3. Opened doors for women lawyers in a variety of job settings that historically were closed to them, OR
  4. Advanced opportunities for women within a practice area or segment of the profession.

C. Articles and Letters – To present a comprehensive picture of the nominee, please include (1) up to 10 news or magazine articles written by or about the candidate and (2) no more than 5 letters of support from individuals or organizations. The Commission relies on the entire nomination packet in selecting each year’s honorees. The limitation on articles and letters of support will be observed; anything in excess of 5 letters or ten articles will not be considered. A letter of support can have a maximum of 5 signatories only. For this category, the number of pages is capped at 80.

D. Complete Submission Package
Only complete submissions will be considered.

To submit a recommendation, go here.

Spring Internship Opportunity – Karis Consulting Group

Karis Consulting Group provides community organizing, strategic advising, and coalition-building support for Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations to empower the voice and capacity of the community. Interns will provide support for client work in a variety of sectors, gaining valuable community organizing skills and building relationships with top leaders in the nonprofit and government sectors. Individuals of all ethnicities and backgrounds located in the US are encouraged to apply.

About Karis Consulting Group (KCG)

Karis Consulting Group’s mission is to advance equity and empower communities to thrive by activating diverse voices and engaging in meaningful civic participation.

Internship Responsibilities

Interns will be expected to have strong administrative and communication skills.

  • Event Planning: Plan outreach, prepare memos, draft invitations, support fundraisers, manage logistics
  • Office Administration: Create/update spreadsheets, use office tools and Google Suite to manage tasks
  • Graphic Design: Design flyers using Canva
  • Communication: Draft emails, take meeting notes, strong writing and verbal skills for internal communication with firm and external stakeholders
  • Social Media/Podcast: Create social media posts

Compensation

  • Interns will receive $15 an hour.

Requirements

  • Applicants are expected to submit a resume, cover letter, and references (none from family members).
  • Open to high school graduates, college students, and graduate students
  • Interns are expected to work 10-15 hours per week. How you break up those hours can be discussed.
  • Interns must be located in the US but can work virtually (preference for DC or New York).
  • Application deadline is November 27, 2024 by 11:59 PM ET. 

​Apply here.

Student Outreach and Corporate Law Committees Host “Navigating OCI with Corporate Attorneys” Panel

On October 28, 2024, the Student Outreach Committee and Corporate Law Committee hosted a panel discussion titled “Navigating OCI with Corporate Attorneys” at Paul Hastings LLP. The event was designed to equip students with practical advice on navigating the On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) process, featuring insights from seasoned corporate attorneys and law firm partners. 

Moderators Joon Choe (Andersen Tax LLC) and Cat Tran (Columbia Law School ‘25) facilitated a dynamic conversation with panelists Kevin Lam (Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP), Tracy Feng (Partner, Paul Hastings LLP), Gordon Mak (Partner, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP), and Kyle Zhu (Senior Associate, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP). The discussion covered a range of topics critical to students preparing for OCI. 

The discussion began with panelists sharing what drew them to their practice areas and how their experiences at their firms shaped their careers. They emphasized the importance of exploring different practice areas early on and encouraged students to stay curious. When selecting a law firm, panelists advised considering factors like firm culture, mentorship, and growth opportunities. They suggested attending firm receptions and informational interviews to gain a better sense of each firm’s environment.

As OCI timelines have accelerated in recent years, the panelists recommended that students prepare in advance by updating resumes and starting to network early. They emphasized the importance of proactive engagement, advising candidates to build relationships with attorneys and mentors. To stand out in applications, the panelists suggested tailoring resumes and cover letters to highlight unique experiences and interest in certain law firms. 

Networking and interviewing were other key areas of focus. Panelists shared tips on building authentic connections, suggesting students follow up after events with personalized emails. For virtual interviews, they highlighted the importance of a professional setup and preparing thoughtful questions to ask interviewers. On diversity and inclusion, panelists recommended asking specific questions about firms’ D&I initiatives to gauge their commitment. The event ended with a Q&A session on international work opportunities and networking strategies, followed by a networking reception for further conversation and opportunities for attendees to connect with the panelists and each other.

We hope this event provided attendees with the tools and confidence to navigate the legal recruiting landscape. Thank you again to Paul Hastings LLP for their partnership, our panelists for their insights, and to all who attended, for making the evening a success.

To learn more about the Corporate Law Committee, please click here. To learn more about the Student Outreach Committee, please click here.