Every Voice Has Power and It’s Time to Amplify Yours: Register NOW for Convention!

The 2026 Colorado Women's Bar Association Annual Convention will be at The Hythe Vail this May 15–17 with a rallying cry: AMPLIFY: The Power in Every Voice. And if the speaker lineup is any indication, this year's convention is going to deliver on that promise in a big way.

The weekend kicks off Friday afternoon with an immersive workshop led by communications coach Laressa Watlington: AMPLIFY Your Voice: How to Speak with Confidence, Clarity, and Impact. This is a hands-on kickoff designed to help attendees arrive at the convention feeling grounded, present, and ready to connect — setting the tone for everything that follows.

Saturday morning opens with a breakfast keynote fireside chat that gets to the heart of what it means to practice law with integrity. CWBA President Alison Connaughty, Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell LLP, sits down with attorney and activist Rachel Cohen for Amplifying Courage: Speaking Truth in the Legal Profession — a conversation grounded in lived experience about how lawyers navigate ethical tension, institutional pressure, and professional risk while remaining committed to truth and the rule of law.

That momentum carries directly into the plenary session, Speaking Up For Our Communities & The Rule of Law, moderated by CWBA President-Elect Azra Taslimi, Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC. The panelists — Denver City At Large Councilmember Sarah Parady, Colorado Lawyers Committee Executive Director Kristin Bronson, and Wanda James of Colorado's 1st Congressional District and the CU Board of Regents — represent exactly the kind of women the legal profession needs to hear from right now. These are leaders who have translated conviction into action in courts, councils, and communities.

Lunch brings a keynote that is certain to spark conversation well beyond the convention. Constitutional law scholar, former ACLU President, and Senior FIRE Fellow Nadine Strossen takes the stage to discuss Free to Speak? The First Amendment in America (and the Law) Today, exploring the most contested free speech issues facing lawyers and the public, with particular attention to what's unfolding in Colorado and what it means for the profession.

The afternoon breakout sessions bring the convention theme down to earth in the most practical and empowering ways. 

• Melissa Hailey and Elizabeth Hart, founding partners of Hailey | Hart PLLC, lead a session on building a women-owned law firm — covering the real strategic and personal decisions involved in creating a practice that reflects your values. 

• Meanwhile, author and executive coach Megan Feldman Bettencourt of ClearLine Consulting offers something every attorney in the room likely needs: Your Resilience Toolbox for Challenging Times, an interactive workshop on understanding resilience from a psychological perspective and developing the tools to navigate stress, burnout, and the relentless demands of legal life.

  
  

The roundtable sessions round out Saturday afternoon with a range of voices and topics. 

• Building a Brand That Opens Doors: Personal & Firm Branding for Women Lawyers, presented by Georgina Miller, Crabapple Communications

• Dealing with Difficult Attorneys, presented by Maria Brooks

• Al from a judge's perspective, presented by Justice Maria Berkenkotter

• Talk to your Deathbed Self: Financial Planning for the Life (And Career) You Want to Live, presented by Lauren Deeley, Summation Wealth Group

• The Ethics of Social Media in the Practice of Law, presented by Janie Cox, Recht Kornfeld

• Finding Your Community: Balancing Work with Broader Service, Leadership, and Connection Goals, presented by Harshy Badhesha and Annie Sturges, Taft Law

• Find your calling to Pro Bono! Presented by Kristin Bronson, Exec. Dir., Colorado Lawyers Committee Navigating Mid-Career Transitions, presented by Sue Borgos

• Current issues in Al and Cybersecurity with MyTech

• Beyond the Revenue Ceiling: What It Really Takes to Scale a Women­ Owned Law Firm, presented by Vanessa Shaw, The Business Growth Academy

  
  

On Sunday morning we have a special live session of On What Grounds? Whisper Session. This will be a discussion hosted by 2025-2026 President Alison Connaughty and 2026-2027 President Azra Taslimi.

Beyond the programming, the convention offers everything that makes this gathering one of the highlights of the Colorado legal calendar: a First-Time Attendees Welcome Lunch, spa and fitness time, yoga, a hike, onsite professional childcare provided by Call Emmy, a Friday evening discussion with Colorado Attorney General candidates, and the beloved Annual Meeting and Passing the Gavel Celebration, capped off with a Saturday night karaoke dance party that has become its own convention tradition.

Karaoke Night 2025

This is a convention built for lawyers who believe their voices matter, who are committed to their communities, and who know that the work of speaking up, speaking out, and speaking truth is more important than ever.

Register now and join us in Vail.

---

Georgina Miller is a Colorado-based Fractional CMO and Brand Strategist. She founded Crabapple Communications in 2020, to help professional services firms, including solo and small law firms, grow sustainable by clarifying their value, and connecting with clients. She began her career in European public relations agencies, developing expertise in storytelling and its ability to bring businesses to life. Over the past 17 years, she has advised multinational corporations, local businesses, and start-ups on how to communicate authentically and effectively with their audiences. Connect with her at georgina@crabapplecomms.com or visit www.crabapplecomms.com.