CLA President

Women now represent 44% of all attorneys; we’re everywhere. It all started with Clara Shortridge Foltz. When Clara was just 15 years old, she eloped with an Iowa farmer 10 years her senior. By her 25th birthday, Clara was living in San Jose, California with her five children, abandoned by her husband who took what little money they had saved. The year was 1875. Read more

I don’t know if women still raise their daughters to, “mind their manners,” or if that is a thing of the past. My 29-year-old tells me she still hears the phrase, “Put your hands on your bellybutton” whenever she walks into a boutique or elegant store so as not to touch or disturb anything. Read more

To illustrate the difference between knowledge and wisdom, consider the tomato: knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. Read more

It is remarkable how much life can change based on one introduction, one invitation, one job offer, one course selection, and one opportunity to which a person says, “Yes!” Read more

The average person’s IQ is somewhere between 90 and 109; the mean result for most IQ tests is 100. The average lawyer’s IQ is 112, at least 20 points below Mensa membership. Read more

I don’t think you would argue with me when I say that, “business as usual,” doesn’t apply to CLA. We are thinkers and innovators in the legal profession, and I doubt that two days ever look the same for any of us. Read more

What happens when you get more than 150 lawyer leaders together for a day of planning, networking and learning?  You make new friends, gain insight, and construct new plans to better serve CLA members, the legal community, and beyond.  Read more

We are all familiar with quips such as, “Most people don’t plan to fail; they fail to plan,” and “Bodies in motion stay in motion; bodies at rest, stay at rest.” Notions that those who have written plans, a strong worth ethic, and a positive attitude, will more readily achieve their goals, is also nothing new. Read more

Quality leadership comes in all shapes and sizes based not only on the leader but also on the team being led and the mission of the group. It is relatively easy and stress-free to motivate and collaborate with a small group that has a shared vision. Add in 50,000 lawyers and you can expect every type of challenge and reward to surface! Read more

By Betty Williams, President of CLA One of the most remarkable things an attorney may do at some point in their career is to own their own firm. Lawyers do so for a variety of reasons. Some want to be their own boss, others see a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, some want to get away from the large-firm culture, and others may have no option depending on the hiring climate. I was surprised to learn… Read more