As you’ve probably seen in your inbox, membership renewal season is in full swing! If you haven’t already, please be sure to renew (or join!) today!
When you are a CWBA member, you will receive a “member price” for all our events and programs, get access to the listserv, receive notifications about judicial vacancies, support our lobbying work, have the opportunity to participate in our amazing committees, are eligible for our mentoring program, and know that you are supporting our mission of advancing women as leaders in the law!
And one small favor when you join or renew . . . tell us about yourself!
When you log on to the CWBA website to renew your membership, you have the option to edit your Membership Profile. Those who have already renewed can change or update their profiles at any time.
We would love for you to share information about yourself so we may better serve you and ensure that we are creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all. We will use this information in conjunction with the data collected from the recent membership survey.
Important note: Providing the requested demographic information is voluntary and will not be shared publicly.
Age and Years in Practice
The majority of people who filled out our membership survey have been practicing law for less than 10 years (79%) and over half (57%) of total respondents have been in practice less than five years. We’re curious if this is representative of our total membership numbers. We can better tailor our programs when we know what career stages our members fall into.
Gender and Pronouns
People of all genders are welcome to join the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, and it helps us to know what that breakdown is. We ask for pronouns so we can be respectful and avoid making assumptions when we contact you or refer to you.
Race, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, and Disability Status
Do you have a traditionally marginalized identity? In order to make sure we are creating an inclusive, supportive environment and using an intersectional lens when developing programs and initiatives, we need to understand what identities are represented in the CWBA. And if certain identities are not represented within the CWBA, how can we do more to make those without representation feel a sense of belonging?
Practice Area and Setting
We gleaned some insight in our members’ practice areas and settings from the membership survey, but it helps to know what these statistics are for our entire membership. When we plan educational programming – including topics selected for our Annual Convention – it helps to know who our audience is so we can make these programs as meaningful as possible.
CWBA Interests
You will also be given the opportunity to tell us how you would like to engage with the CWBA! If you let us know what committees you are interested in, you will be added to the list to receive meeting invites and other information. Do you want to serve as a mentor? We will contact you when our LIFT Mentoring Program gears up in January.
Are you interested in leadership opportunities with the CWBA? One stark takeaway from the membership survey was that when asked whether they know how to pursue a leadership role, lawyers of color responded ‘disagree’ at a rate two times higher than white respondents. We want to make sure that everyone who is interested in the leadership pipeline has the information and support they need.
President Emma Garrison at a recent "CWBA Walk and Talk" event
Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide information about yourself. Your insights are invaluable to making the CWBA the vibrant and dynamic community that it is!
Emma Garrison is an Assistant Attorney General in the Tax Unit of the Colorado Department of Law. Emma joined the CWBA in 2014, and has previously served as Co-Chair of the Convention, Membership, and Judicial Committees, and as the CWBA Secretary. She has also held many leadership positions in the Colorado legal community over the years, including Chair of the Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and Senior Vice-President of the Colorado Bar Association. Last year, Emma hosted On What Grounds?, CWBA’s virtual leadership café, and currently serves as the CWBA President.