On April 15, 2015, The Center for Women in Law (CWIL) at the University of Texas Law School held its 2016 Awards Luncheon at the J.W. Marriott in downtown Austin. The landmark event was a sellout, with more than 450 in attendance, many of them UT alumni.
The program, with its speakers and honorees, drew a variety of people, from law students and law partners to librarians and CEOs, all of whom came to celebrate women leading the way toward change and progress across the legal profession. Ward Farnsworth, dean of the University of Texas Law School, and Gregory Fenves, president of UT-Austin, each spoke about the importance of gender and racial diversity in the law school faculty and University faculty; of inspiring young women to study law; and of creating opportunities for talented, ambitious young people to succeed in the legal world.
Among the highlights of the luncheon was the presentation of the Hortense Ward Courageous Leader Award to Michele Coleman Mayes. Currently Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for the New York Public Library, Mayes has also served as General Counsel for Pitney Bowes, Inc. and for Allstate Insurance Co.
Following the award was the keynote panel discussion with Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile and Republican commentator Mary Matalin. The conversation, while frequently energetic and filled with entertaining banter about life on the campaign trail, focused on the current state of politics and on women’s struggles in the professional world, as both recalled challenges they faced early in their careers, when they were often the only woman in the room. The discussion underscored not only how far women have come, but also how far they have left to go to achieve professional equality.
In that vein, CWIL released its latest paper at the luncheon. Titled “Power for Change,” the paper examines themes that emerged from the 2015 Women’s Power Summit and how they can be used to help advance women in law now and in the future.