Resources
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Articles & More
Emily Chafa on IPR: Arabella Mansfield
I.O.W.A. Board Advisory Member Emily Chafa appeared on Iowa Public Radio's River to River program, sharing information and insight on Arabella Mansfield and her achievements. Listen to the program on IPR!
Editorial by Jennifer Smith on Appointing Jane Kelly
Read this editorial in the Corridor Business Journal urging the appointment of Jane Kelly to the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals.
White House Releases Women in America Report
The National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) announced the release of a White House Study on Women in America (PDF | HTML):
Here we are on the first week of Women's History Month — and the first comprehensive federal study on the status of American women since 1963 has been released.
The same trends apparent in the legal profession seem to hold true here too. We have passed men on education but still are being left behind in terms of salary and role.
A few highlights:
- At all levels of education, women earned about 75 percent as much as their male counterparts in 2009.
- The proportion of women working in management, business, and finance jobs has increased from 9 percent to 14 percent since 1983.
Surviving Corporate Change
To prevent career disaster, live by these three rules of career management:
- Expect Change
- Adjust quickly to change
- Build a strong professional network in good times
Download the whole article (PDF, 119KB) "Three Tips for Surviving Corporate Change," by Deborah Walker.
Puckerbrush Potluck on NPR The Puckerbrush Potluck, a tradition started by the late solicitor general of Iowa, Bess Osenbaugh, is carried on in her honor by the Polk County Women Attorneys and the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys. They sponsor a food contest at the Iowa State Fair, where each entrant must explain why the food they bring is important to them or how it has helped bring people together. George Davison, a Des Moines radio producer and attorney, attended the Puckerbrush competition and gathered stories for National Public Radio. Go to the NPR page for stories and recipes.
The Iowa Lawyer Articles I.O.W.A. member Jackie Armstrong wrote an article that was published in the December 2002 issue of The Iowa Lawyer. It is reprinted here with the author's permission (read PDF file). We are seeking submissions from I.O.W.A. members for inclusion in The Iowa Lawyer on a regular basis. If you are interested in writing an article, please contact Emily Chafa at emilychafa@msn.com to learn the logistics and schedule for this cooperative project.
Books
The Joy Diet, by Martha Beck
Clarity, by Ann Daly
download an excerpt (PDF, 85KB)
To Go Free, A Treasury of Iowa's Legal Heritage, by Patricia Acton
Cooperative Village, by Frances Madeson
(features the PATRIOT Act, ex-felons and a superlative solo practitioner, Hope P. Hardon, Esq. Called "smart, macabre satire of the War on Terror," by Washington City Paper, it was selected as the NOW NYC June '08 Book Club pick. Rated 5 stars on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com, readers have called it "deliciously subversive," "a blast of light in a dark time," "anarchically funny," "a mixture of uninhibited comedy and vehement politics," and an "hysterically funny antidote for whatever George Bush has managed to do to you.")
If you have any suggestions for recommended reading, send them to president@iowawomenattorneys.org.
Scholarship
LAW of Polk County provides this scholarship to non-traditional female law students committed to public service. For more information, view or download this flyer (PDF, 315KB) and this pledge card (PDF, 723KB) to contribute.
Links
Bar Associations
National Conference of Women's Bar Associations
National Association of Women Lawyers
Links to Other Women's Bar Associations
Iowa Defense Counsel Association
Iowa Association for Justice (Iowa Trial Lawyers Association)
ABA Career Counsel Website
Provides centralized access to ABA career information, as well as daily tips on finding jobs and enhancing careers. Information sheet on the ABA Career Resource Center (PDF, 42KB)
Other Resources
The Infinity Project (The Infinity Project’s mission is to increase the gender diversity of the state and federal bench to ensure the quality of justice in the Eighth Circuit.)
50-50 in 2020 Project (a bi-partisan, issue-neutral organization formed last year for the purpose of electing women to 50% of the seats in the Iowa Legislature, half of Iowa’s Congressional delegation, and the office of Governor by the year 2020, the 100th anniversary of woman suffrage in the U.S.)
Lorman Education (15% discount to IOWA members who sign up for Lorman CLEs. IOWA receives $25 toward our service projects for each registration made using our unique priority code. Contact the I.O.W.A. president for the priority code.)
Iowa Commission on the Status of Women
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Courts
Eighth Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa