Officers & Committees

2024-2025 Officers

Shardé Skahan

President

Sherry Patterson

President-Elect

Alisha C. Burgin

Vice President

Devon Hein

Treasurer

Tiffanie Spivey

Financial Secretary

Katuri Kaye

Recording Secretary

Moorisha Bey-Taylor

Corresponding Secretary

Heather Horn-Hudson

Parliamentarian

Hailey Tharpe

Historian

Pokuaa Enin

Newsletter Editor

Millicent Usoro

Member-at-Large

Sarah O. Clifton

Member-at-Large

2024-2025 Committees

Amicus Brief

The Amicus Committee evaluates pending cases raising legal and public policy issues affecting women and people of color.

Budget Finance

Co-Chairs: Devon Hein & Tiffanie Spivey

The Committee develops the operating budget and strategically works with the board to develop and support fundraising efforts.

Cocktail Sip

Co-Chairs: Bria Grant & Angel J. Jordan

The planning and coordination of BWL’s fundraiser, the Cocktail Sip, is this committee’s primary task.

Community Action

Co-Chairs: Neyilah Carter & Kathiana Aurelien

The Community Action Committee develops and implements activities to enhance the community and foster relations between the community and the legal profession. Annually the Committee gives holiday food baskets to needy families, donations to shelters for homeless women and children and expands its outreach programs to schools.

Education

Co-Chairs: Rachel Douglas & Nwadiuto Amajoyi

The Education Committee organizes and facilitates activities which enhance the educational development of law students and scholars in the community. The Education committee will coordinate the BWL/law student mentor program, panel discussions and fireside chats with law students, lawyers and law professors and bar tutorial programs in preparation for the February and July state bar exams.

Holiday Party Toy Drive

Co-Chairs: Leticia Kimble & Bria Saunders

The Holiday Party Committee organizes a holiday season party in which BWL and the John M. Langston Bar Association recognize new admittees to the State Bar and those members recently promoted. This year the Holiday Party will collect donations of toys and toiletries to be delivered to Prototypes and the Jenesse Center.

Hospitality

Co-Chairs: Hon. Marguerite Downing & Tatianna Metters

The Committee is a network for acknowledging significant life events that occur to members and colleagues.

Installation

Co-Chairs: Alisha C. Burgin & Laura E. Heyne

The Installation Committee plans the annual Installation and Awards Dinner, traditionally held in September. Planning usually begins in earnest during the spring. During the Installation, the incoming officers take an oath and are installed, the outgoing president is recognized for her achievements, and there are various honorees who are recognized for their achievements.

Internet & Publicity

Chair: Hayley Tharpe

The Internet & Publicity Committee coordinates enhancement and maintenance of the BWL web site, spearheads social media outreach, and seeks out new digital media for BWL’s promotions and relationships.

Judicial Endorsement and Evaluations

Co-Chairs: Hon. Yvette Roland, Hon. Latrice Byrdsong & Ibiere Seck

The Endorsements/Evaluations Committee conducts evaluations of candidates for judicial positions. The process starts with an application to the Committee and ends with a personal interview. Prior to the interview, the Committee sends out written questionnaires to references provided by the applicant. At least 20 written evaluations must be received by the Committee before an interview will be scheduled.

FORMS: Request for Endorsement | Policies & Procedures

Membership

Chair: Alisha C. Burgin

The Membership Committee plans and implements activities to increase and enhance membership.

Chair: Pokuaa Enin

The Newsletter Committee prepares and distributes a periodical on significant issues affecting BWL members.

Parents Group

Chair: Kendall Onyendu

The Parents Group is dedicated to providing programming and opportunities for fellowship for those members who are parents and legal professionals.

Pro Bono Service

Chair: Margo Bouchet

The Pro Bono Committee focuses on pro bono activities for BWL members to enhance the community and assist indigent members of our community with legal matters.

Program Planning

Chair: Sherry Patterson

The Planning Committee plans monthly meetings for the general membership and MCLE programs. The Committee also maintains the organization’s State Bar MCLE provider status.

Scholarship Fundraising

The Scholarship Fundraising Committee collaborates with the BWL Foundation to plan and produce an annual spring fundraiser to provide scholarships to law students and awards to community leaders.

Scholarship Selection

Co-Chairs: Crystal Hayes Hill & Noriya Bragg

The Scholarship Selection Committee coordinates the selection of scholarship recipients to be honored at the annual spring fundraising event. The process includes drafting essay questions, soliciting applicants, evaluating the essays and interviewing applicants.

Young Lawyers

Co-Chairs: Paige Poupart& Darianne Young

The purpose of the Young Lawyers Committee (YLC) is to (i) create a professional and social network for future and practicing young black women lawyers, and (ii) enhance the visibility of The Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.

Affiliate Organization Representatives

Black Women Lawyers Foundation

Representative: Alisha C. Burgin

In 1975, a small group of Los Angeles based African-American women judges and attorneys met to discuss the marked absence of an organization which addressed their needs in the legal field. The dialogue that ensued became the genesis of Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Inc. (“BWL”). BWL held its first scholarship event in 1975. Since then, BWL and its foundation, has awarded more than half a million in scholarships and grants to second and third year law students. In 1992, BWL established the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation (“BWL Foundation”) pursuant to California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Code, §5310(b). The BWL Foundation sponsors all of the charitable fundraising efforts of BWL, for which BWL intends to offer Internal Revenue Code §501(c)(3) treatment.

Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law

Representative: Margo Bouchet

Founded in 1982, by BWL and WLALA, the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law is one of the largest providers of family law and domestic violence assistance to low-income persons in Los Angeles. The focus of the Center’s efforts is on legal problems involving custody, visitation, support of children, domestic violence, and establishing parentage. As a Founding Organization BWL remains represented on its Board of Directors to ensure our members remain apprised of the overall management of the Center and active in supporting its mission.

Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)

Representative: Candice Green

LACBA was founded in 1878 and is one of the largest voluntary metropolitan bar associations in the country, with more than 16,000 members. LACBA serves attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals through 27 sections, committees, networking events, live and on-demand CLE programs, and pro bono opportunities, as well as public service and informational resources. Located in Downtown Los Angeles, LACBA is committed to helping its members throughout the entirety of their careers, from Barrister to Senior Lawyer or judicial officer, by helping them gain critical experience, access a network of legal professionals, both inside and outside of the courtroom, and various leadership opportunities to further our members' careers.

Los Angeles County Unity Bar

Representatives: Hon. Yvette Roland, Hon. Latrice Byrdsong & Ibiere Seck

The Los Angeles Unity Bar is a human rights and social justice organization committed to equality, fairness, and inclusion. It focuses on promoting a fair judicial selection process, ensuring that judges reflect the community they serve. The organization aims to recruit, support, and retain highly qualified judicial candidates who embody humility, empathy, intelligence, integrity, and community involvement. Its members include diverse bar associations such as the Asian Pacific American Bar, Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles, Mexican American Bar, and more. The Unity Bar fosters talent development through judicial endorsement workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities, striving to ensure access to justice and diversity within the judicial system.

National Bar Association

Representative: Ronni Whitehead Otieno

The National Bar Association (NBA) was founded in 1925 in response to the exclusion of Black lawyers from the American Bar Association and most local bar associations. Established by 12 Black lawyers in Des Moines, Iowa, its mission was to promote equal justice under the law and protect the civil and human rights of Black Americans. The NBA’s founders and members were instrumental in advancing landmark cases that helped dismantle segregation, from Plessy v. Ferguson to Brown v. Board of Education, and influenced key civil rights laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today, the NBA is the largest network of African-American legal professionals, with over 67,000 members and chapters worldwide.

California Association of Black Lawyers

Representatives: Michele Anderson & Tangela Terry

The California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) is a statewide organization serving more than 6000 attorneys and judges throughout the state of California. CABL held its first meeting in 1977 at the Airport Marriott with a goal to change the face of the judiciary and influence the course of life for African Americans. CABL’s first April meeting was sponsored and planned primarily by the leadership of the Charles Houston Bar Association and the John M. Langston Bar Association. They were assisted by the Black Lawyers of San Diego County (now the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association) and the Black Women Lawyers of California (now the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Inc.).

California Women Lawyers

Liaison: Trina Saunders

Since 1974, CWL has represented the interests of more than 30,000 women in all facets of the legal profession, influencing lawyers, educators, students and judges. CWL has consistently provided a high level of support and commitment to their individual career goals, and to the collective goals of women in law and society. As the only statewide bar association for women in California, California Women Lawyers maintains a primary focus on advancing women in the legal profession. CWL provides unique resources and support to its members. Whether it is helping new practitioners expand their client base or assisting experienced attorneys in securing positions on the bench, CWL is an invaluable resource for the professional advancement of women lawyers.

49 Years of Excellence in Service

48 Years of Excellence in Service

48 Years of Excellence in Service