This program offers 1 participatory MCLE credit; 1 Elimination of Bias. You must register in advance to participate. 

Presented by the Patent Interest Group.

Women are 50.8% of the U.S. population.  Yet, in virtually every field, they trail behind men in their representation in leadership positions.  In its Women in the Workplace 2017 research study, McKinsey & Company found that, at major law firms, women attorneys constitute 45% of associates, but only 22.7% partners, and 19% of equity partners.  The in-house legal environment doesn’t reflect significantly better representation in leadership positions either.  While not providing the ultimate solution for obtaining gender parity in the legal field, this CLE program addresses a potential targeted tool women lawyers can use for career advancement and job satisfaction: cultivating sponsors.

The presentation will discuss, among other topics:

• the difference between sponsors and mentors;
• the role sponsors play in the advancement of women lawyers;
• how women lawyers can cultivate sponsors;  and
• whether one should consider being a sponsor (and how).

Julie Shepard litigates in trial courts nationwide.  She has defended her clients’ rights in trade secrets, copyright, trademark, patent, piracy, antitrust, unfair competition, fraud and related business tort cases.  She is leading the charge on ground-breaking technology and intellectual property matters in the rapidly evolving area of content distribution.  Her practice includes a focus on developing strategies involving new technologies, advanced media, internet law, privacy and content licensing.  In 2016, Ms. Shepard was part of the trial team that secured a $940 million jury verdict and permanent injunction in a significant trade secret case, one of the largest trade secret verdicts in US history, for which Ms. Shepard and the team received a  California Lawyer “Attorney of the Year” award.  The Recorder recognized Ms. Shepard for consecutive years, starting in 2016, in its “Women Leaders in Tech Law” lists for her work in the technology sector, and the Daily Journal also named her one of California’s “Top Women Lawyers” in 2017.   Ms. Shepard is a longstanding member of Jenner & Block’s Diversity & Inclusion and Associate Review Committees.