The CWBA EmpowHERment and PublisHERS Committee typically meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at Noon unless there are scheduling issues. New members always welcome!

The Zoom link will be included in your RSVP confirmation email.

The EmpowHERment and PublisHERs Committee does two very important things: identifying deserving CWBA members, organizations, and/or programs to submit as nominees for consideration for local and national awards, and amplifying the voices and accomplishments of our community members on the award-winning blog, The 1891. Committee members strategically identify fresh content and potential authors, as well as edit and even write articles and blog posts. The Committee prioritizes showcasing diverse authors and views. In addition, the committee vets nominees for the Annual Mary Lathrop Trailblazer Award and organizes the reception for the Mary Lathrop Award recipient at Convention each year. The Committee will also build a speaker database of honorees and featured blog spotlights. The Committee will work with the Officer of Communications on publicizing efforts, publications, and award winners.

For more information, please contact the Committee Co-Chairs: 
Hon. Colleen Clark and Katherine Carroll

Board members are encouraged to attend in person. For more information or for RSVP assistance, contact the CWBA office at (303) 831-1040. 

Join us in person on September 25 at Foley & Lardner LLP in Denver for the third session of our Path to Public Office Series, with a panel discussion and reception with light appetizers and refreshments. 

This program will feature an inspiring panel of women who have held or are currently in elected positions at various levels, sharing their experiences about running for and holding public office. Our goal is to educate and inspire women attorneys to run for elected office, obtain political appointments, and get more involved in campaigns and the political process.

MEET OUR PANELISTS:

• Lori Goldstein - Former school board member and current candidate for Colorado HD 29
• Reverend Lucia Guzmán - Former Senate Minority Leader
• Colorado Rep. & GOP Minority Leader Rose Pugliese 
• Kerry Tipper - Former State Representative and former Denver City Attorney, now Vice President, University Counsel for the University of Colorado System
• Colorado Rep. Jenny Willford - Organizer & Candidate Trainer
  
  

THANK YOU TO OUR HOST AND SERIES SPONSOR

The Bench Builders Judicial Committee typically meets the third Tuesday of the month from 6-7 p.m. NOTE: This month's meeting is rescheduled to Tuesday, September 30 due to a scheduling conflict with the Annual Judicial Conference. New members always welcome!

For more information, contact our Bench Builders Judicial Committee Co-Chairs Rebecca Cohn and Cynthia Sánchez.

The Inclusive Education and Training Committee (formerly Programs Committee) typically meets at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month over Zoom (or in person). 

The Inclusive Education and Training Committee is dedicated to fostering a culture of lifelong learning and professional development within the Colorado legal community with the lens of advancing women as leaders in the law. Through innovative and inclusive training programs, this committee will develop and deliver high-quality continuing legal education (CLE) opportunities that address the evolving needs of women legal professionals. The committee’s mission is to: design and implement CLE programs that reflect diverse perspectives, promote equity, and ensure accessibility for all members; highlight emerging trends and critical topics in the legal profession, including technology, diversity, and leadership development; and partner with law firms, legal organizations, and community groups to provide collaborative and impactful learning experiences. The Committee will be charged with bringing CLE programming to members consistently throughout the year (at least one per quarter). The Committee will work with the Officer of Professional Development on creating spaces for dialogue, growth, and empowerment. The co-chairs may also work closely with the Officer of Community Action and Advocacy to develop and implement community training opportunities.

For more information about this committee or the next committee meeting, please contact the Committee Co-Chairs Ellen Blatt and Leanna Gavin. 

The CWBA Board's Executive Officers, Board Members, and Leadership Advisory Council all meet together on the third Wednesday of the month in July, October, January, and April. PLEASE NOTE: THE OCTOBER MEETING IS A WEEK EARLY AND IS OCTOBER 8, 2025.

Board members are encouraged to attend in person. For more information or for RSVP assistance, contact the CWBA office at (303) 831-1040. 

Join CWBA members for a "meet and greet" opportunity for CU law students to gain information about the work of the CWBA and the many benefits of membership. 

The Convention Committee typically meets at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom the second Monday of each month unless there are scheduling conflicts.

The Convention Committee plans the CWBA's Annual Convention. Committee duties include organizing an exciting and educational annual convention with nationally recognized speakers, interesting and varied programming and entertainment, all to attract strong attendance and sponsorship, while coordinating with board members on fundraising, theme development, organizational and member needs, and event planning. 

To get involved or learn more, contact Convention Committee Co-Chairs Elizabeth Horton, Angie Nelson, and Megan Rettig. 

The Bench Builders Judicial Committee typically meets the third Tuesday of the month from 6-7 p.m. New members always welcome!

For more information, contact our Bench Builders Judicial Committee Co-Chairs Rebecca Cohn and Cynthia Sánchez.

The October meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 22 at Noon. This committee typically meets the second Tuesday of each month at Noon unless there is a necessary schedule change, as is the case this month.  All members welcome to attend at any time!  

The MembHERship and Mentorship Committee is the recruitment arm, welcoming committee, and mentoring development leaders of the CWBA.  The Committee’s goal is to develop ways to increase membership (new and renewals), increase member participation (on committees, by attending events, etc.), and create and improve structures to inclusively welcome and engage new members. This Committee also manages the CWBA’s LIFT! mentoring program. It also works with law student members and liaisons to CU and DU Law to increase ties between women attorneys and law students with the goal of maintaining women in the organization through the transition from law school to practice. 

This Committee will have several fun event and networking planning opportunities throughout the year - to include the summer social and winter holiday party. The Committee will work with the Officer of Partnership and Development on growth opportunities for membership; on sponsorship opportunities for all membership events; and on sponsorship, publicity, and growth opportunities for the mentoring program.

For more information, contact MembHERship and Mentorship Committee Co-Chairs Kylie Ngu and Kara Chrobak.

Welcome, new members! Come join us to meet people, ask questions, and learn more about the CWBA. These virtual lunches are typically held quarterly (June, October, January, April) on the fourth Thursday at Noon via Zoom.

Let's walk and talk together in Fort Collins! 

Please plan to join us on Friday, October 24, 2025 with members of the CWBA Larimer Chapter.

Details and registration coming soon.

Join us for an opportunity for CWBA members to hear from judicial leadership about hot topics important to you. Attendees will also have the chance to ask questions.

Speakers:

Colorado Supreme Court Judges: Chief Justice Monica Márquez and Justice Maria Berkenkotter, along with Colorado Court of Appeals Judges: Chief Judge Gilbert Román, Judge Jaclyn Casey Brown, and Judge Christina Gomez. 

Join us for The 1891 Book Club. Be part of our discussion led by CWBA EmpowHERment and PublisHERs Committee Members Bethany Reece and Hon. Colleen Clark. The next book club read and discussion is My Beloved World by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “searching and emotionally intimate memoir” (The New York Times) told with a candor never before undertaken by a sitting Justice. This “powerful defense of empathy” (The Washington Post) is destined to become a classic of self-invention and self-discovery.

The first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Sonia Sotomayor has become an instant American icon. Now, with a candor and intimacy never undertaken by a sitting Justice, in this story of human triumph that “hums with hope and exhilaration” (NPR), she recounts her life from a Bronx housing project to the federal bench, a journey that offers an inspiring testimony to her own extraordinary determination and the power of believing in oneself. 

Here is the story of a precarious childhood, with an alcoholic father (who would die when she was nine) and a devoted but overburdened mother, and of the refuge a little girl took from the turmoil at home with her passionately spirited paternal grandmother. But it was when she was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes that the precocious Sonia recognized she must ultimately depend on herself. She would learn to give herself the insulin shots she needed to survive and soon imagined a path to a different life.

With only television characters for her professional role models, and little understanding of what was involved, she determined to become a lawyer, a dream that would sustain her on an unlikely course, from valedictorian of her high school class to the highest honors at Princeton, Yale Law School, the New York County District Attorney’s office, private practice, and appointment to the Federal District Court before the age of forty.

Along the way we see how she was shaped by her invaluable mentors, a failed marriage, and the modern version of extended family she has created from cherished friends and their children. Through her still-astonished eyes, America’s infinite possibilities are envisioned anew in this warm and honest book.

Join the Colorado Women's Bar Association, CU Women's Law Caucus, and DU Women's Legal Coalition to celebrate our collegiality, shared values, and love for the fall season at a Friendsgiving get-together in Denver. Because mentorship is central to each of our groups, this is a great opportunity for lawyers and students to connect in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

A little nervous to attend? Don’t know anyone? No problem! Friendsgiving attendees will receive a number that matches an attorney with two students. Your challenge is to find your matching group: at least one lawyer, a CU law student, and a DU law student! Food and beverage included with registration. Space is limited to participate in this cross-organizational festivity.

Board members are encouraged to attend in person. For more information or for RSVP assistance, contact the CWBA office at (303) 831-1040. 

Tentative date hold! Join us for a year-end celebration and holiday party with Colorado's diversity bars. We can't wait to celebrate with you!