COMMITTEES

LEGAL EDUCATION / PROGRAMS

The Legal Education Committee is responsible for developing and executing MCLE and related program events, including but not limited to arranging for speakers and publicizing the event. The Committee should endeavor to execute four or more events per calendar year on topics relevant to the SBWL membership.

NOMINATING

The Nominating Committee nominates the 2021 board of directors. The Committee must be made of  directors and regular members. The Committee also considers and recommends nominees for awards, including but not limited to CWL awards.  

MEMBERSHIP

The Membership Committee recruits and welcomes new members to SBWL and works to encourage continuing membership. The Committee maintains a current membership list, encourages and promotes membership to California Women Lawyer (CWL), and makes efforts to get new members involved in SBWL activities. The Committee serves membership through communications and networking.

The Membership Committee promotes and coordinates SBWL Mentoring Circles, and includesmaintaining communication with circle leads, assigning interested members to circles, and creating new circles as needed. The committee also plans and coordinates other networking opportunities for members, and maintains relationships with other community organizations including but not limited to Women Lawyers of Ventura County, Women Lawyers of SLO, CWL, SB Legal Professionals Association, SB Colleges of Law, SBCBA, Barristers, SB Pro Choice Coalition, Transition House, etc.

The Membership Committee develops, maintains and updates SBWL’s website at www.sbwl.org, social media, and publishes SBWL’s informative monthly electronic newsletter. There’s room on the committee for writers, editors, photographers, and novice website programmers — anyone with traditional journalistic flair or e-commentators. The committee also is SBWL’s contact with the local media, by keeping it informed about SBWL activities.

ADVOCACY

The Advocacy Committee develops, maintains and updates SBWL regarding judicial, legislative and litigation developments. The Committee monitors developments in legislation and keeps members informed. The Committee will continue to create goals and procedures for this committee to track legislation. The Committee also participates and monitors developments in amicus brief and related litigation, and keeps members informed. The Committee will consider and recommend amicus briefs that the organization can lend support to on issues that fall within the mission of SBWL. The Committee prepares a quarterly report regarding its goals and activities, and information regarding current developments to publish in the quarterly newsletter. 

The Committee monitors all developments relating to Santa Barbara County’s judiciary. It also meets with and evaluates potential judicial candidates, both for election and appointment. The Committee is responsible for implementing some of SBWL’s most important goals: increasing the number of women in Superior Court positions and educating qualified candidates for upcoming openings in those posts. The Judicial Committee also sponsors Judicial Candidate forums during the election process.

ANNUAL DINNER

The Professional Advancement Committee solicits, evaluates and presents nominations for the annual Deborah Talmage Attorney of the Year Award plans the Annual Dinner. The planning process includes securing a keynote speaker for the event. 

SANTA BARBARA WOMEN LAWYERS FOUNDATION COMMITTEES

PRO BONO

The Pro-Bono Committee strives to support the SBWLF mission to serve the Santa Barbara Community through pro bono legal services. The Committee is responsible for seeking pro-bono opportunities to serve the community, including services for women in crisis and need of legal services. The Committee also promotes and encourages members to provide pro-bono legal services.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Community Outreach Committee strives to support the SBWLF mission to participate in charitable and educational projects that are consistent with the mission and goals of SBWL, which include, providing role models for young people and promoting gender equality in the legal profession and society as a whole. The Committee is responsible for seeking and organizing opportunities for SBWL, SBWLF and their members to serve and participate in charitable and educational projects within the community. The Committee also encourages and promotes members to participate in charitable and educational project opportunities.

ONWARD & UPWARD

The Onward and Upward Committee strives to support the SBWLF mission to provide scholarships for high school students, undergraduates and law students. The Committee is responsible for developing and evaluating the scholarship process relating to scholarship opportunities, including the application, criteria, requirements and other aspects. The Committee also announces and promotes scholarship opportunities. The Committee evaluates and makes recommendations to the SBWLF Board regarding scholarship applicant-recipients. The Committee also assesses and proposes new scholarships consistent with the SBWLF mission. The Committee is responsible for providing recipient scholarship awards at the Onward and Upward event. 

The Onward and Upward Committee strives to support the SBWLF mission to recognize its donors who have supported the SBWLF mission. The Committee is responsible for evaluating and recommending to the Board the donor of the year, and also providing award and other recognition to the selected donor of the year. The Committee organizes the Onward and Upward event, which traditionally takes place in the fall, and also encourages members to attend. 

FUNDRAISING

The Fundraising Committee strives to support the SBWLF mission to fundraise and increase revenue of SBWLF to enable SBWLF to continue to serve the Santa Barbara Community. The Committee is responsible for seeking fundraising opportunities.