Dear Members, Colleagues, and Friends,

Between the snow, school delays and early closings, multiple varieties of germs and sicknesses going around, and general post-holiday malaise, January seemed to have lasted about 82 days this year.  However, we did it!  We made it to February, and March is in sight!  I hope this message finds everyone in good health and excited for a great year ahead in 2024. 

In February we are celebrating Black History Month.  In honor of Black History Month, our bar association celebrates our diverse membership.  I encourage members to work on your firm’s diversity pipeline by building relationships with diversity-focused organizations and legal associations and creating internship and mentorship programs focused on diverse talent, support locally owned black businesses, learn more about African American lawyers who have helped shape jurisprudence in the United States and/or explore the ABA’s 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge © for more ideas and educational opportunities. 

I also wanted to take a moment to reflect on the passing of trailblazer, retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.  Members have shared with me their memories of her visit with MRWBA in 2009 on the 35th anniversary of its founding in 1974. Debra Prillaman shared with me that she remembered “how quietly impressive she was, persevering during the same year of her husband's death.” Our website  History describes the event as follows:

"The MRWBA celebrates its 35th Anniversary with a kick-off reception with the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice (Retired) of the Supreme Court of the United States, and a luncheon with the Honorable Cleo E. Powell, Judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia. 2009."

Justice O’Connor truly paved the way for women in the legal field.  While she was the first, we now have four women currently on the Supreme Court of the United States and this representation means so much to so many women in the legal community.

We are very excited about the slate of programming we have coming up in the back half of our bar year.  Be on the lookout for invitations to our upcoming Mentorship luncheon in March, our Legislative Breakfast in April and our Business Meeting and Women of Achievement Award Ceremony in May.

Keep up to speed on our great slate of programs and events being offered this bar year from luncheon programs, mentorship events and membership events.  Please note that our events calendar is live and we will continue to update, so mark your calendars now.

Mary Hunt
MRWBA President