BWLN Events

 

 

Sign up for our mailing list via our Contact page to learn more about upcoming BWLN programming.

NYU Law provides reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If possible, requests for accommodations for events and services should be submitted at least five days before the date of the accommodation need. Please email womensleadership@nyu.edu for assistance.

Unless otherwise noted, all BWLN events are free and open to the public. For Zoom events, attendees will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link and password after registering

Upcoming

Book Talk: Ruth Rubio Marin, author of Global Gender Constitutionalism and Women's Citizenship: A Struggle for Transformative Inclusion
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Virtual Event
REGISTER

Constitutions around the world are overwhelmingly the creation of men. How well are they doing at acknowledging equality – and advancing the rights of women? Ruth Rubio-Marin, professor of constitutional law at the University of Sevilla, offers a sweeping examination of this subject in her book Global Gender Constitutionalism and Women’s Citizenship, which covers a variety of topics including abortion and reproductive care, gender-based violence, political quotas, employment discrimination, and LGBTQ+ rights. Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Meltzer Center for Diversity Inclusion, and Belonging for a conversation with Professor Rubio-Marin about the role of constitutional law in achieving gender justice, both in the United States and across the globe, moderated by Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law and director of the Meltzer Center.
 

Panel Discussion: Mothers in Law
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
In-person event
REGISTER

A discussion of practical and systemic reforms needed to ensure that mothers can thrive in the legal profession. Featuring leaders from multiple disciplines — including Andrea Merediz Basham '02, Freshfields; Cassandra Deskus '18, Patterson Belknap; Sandra Ung, Member, New York City Council and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network, NYU Law. Alexis Julien and Ana Molina from NYU Law Women will be co-moderators. A networking reception will follow.

This event is co-presented by the BWLN and NYU Law Women.

Book Talk: Meredith Broussard, author of More Than a Glitch: Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Virtual Event
REGISTER

Join the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network and the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy at NYU School of Law for a book talk with Meredith Broussard, associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at NYU and author of More Than a Glitch: Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech.
 

BWLN Symposium: Women’s Rights and Backsliding Democracies
Friday, April 14, 2023
In-Person Event
REGISTER

The United States was designated a backsliding democracy in late 2021, when it appeared on a prominent European think tank’s annual global ranking. Today, half of the world’s democratic governments are on the decline according to a 2022 report, The Global State of Democracy.

Around the same time the U.S. made its debut on the list—still six months before the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, but with Texas S.B.8 already in effect, rendering abortion care all but inaccessible in the nation’s second most populous state—advocates raised real-time questions about the correlation between regression on abortion rights and degraded democracies. A New York Times article asserted that such a descent is precisely when “curbs on women’s rights tend to accelerate.”

We think that’s a proposition worth flipping on its head. Are democracies that have abysmal records on gender equity destined to falter? According to the United Nations, the trajectory of “de-democratization” is rarely analyzed initially through the distinct lens of gender equity and there are insufficient efforts to systematically examine the current implications. Our symposium will engage this critical conversation.

Welcome and Introductory Remarks

• Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, BWLN Executive Director, NYU Law

Morning Panel – Global
We’ve witnessed on the global stage the inextricable connection between the rise of authoritarianism and the struggle for women's rights. Anti-democratic forces clearly recognize—and fear—the power of women’s voices. What have recent uprisings shown us? And how can academics and advocates use those lessons to advance more robust democracy?  

• Alejandra Cardenas – Senior Director of Legal Strategies, Innovation, and Research, Center for Reproductive Rights
• Negina Khalili – Visiting Professor, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law; former Chief Prosecutor of Elimination of Violence and Harassment Against Women, Attorney General's Office, Republic of Afghanistan; former Professor of Law, Rana University, Kabul, Afghanistan
• Christine Ryan – Legal Director, Global Justice Center
• Moderator: Meg Satterthwaite ‘99 – Professor of Clinical Law; Faculty Director, Robert L. Bernstein Institute for Human Rights, NYU Law; UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers

Lunchtime – “Fireside Chat”

• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law, in conversation with Farai Chideya, Award-winning journalist and Host, Our Body Politic podcast.

Afternoon Panel – United States
While the timing of the U.S.’ inaugural inclusion on the 2021 list published by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance made it easy to point to Trump-ism as the culprit, the hard truth is that our democracy has been flailing—by failing women, particularly women of color, by design—since the nation’s founding. The U.S. ranks 46th in the world on maternal mortality, a crisis that is particularly acute for Black women; we are one of only six countries, and the only wealthy nation, without any form of national paid leave; and we are an outlier on constitutional equality. Panelists will explore whether these are the byproducts of a democracy in decline—or drivers of our downward spiral. And they’ll consider what an equality-based domestic democracy agenda should look like.  

• Chisun Lee – Director, Elections and Government Program, Brennan Center for Justice
• Ria Tabacco Mar ’08 – Director, Women’s Rights Project, ACLU   
• Victoria Nourse – Ralph V. Whitworth Professor in Law; Director, Center on Congressional Studies, Georgetown Law
• Dr. Jamila Perritt – President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health
• Moderator: Irin Carmon – Senior Correspondent, The Cut, New York Magazine

Ms. magazine and Rewire News Group, media partners on this event, co-published this preview written by BWLN Executive Director Jennifer Weiss-Wolf: Gender Equity Is the Center of Our Backsliding Democracy. You can also hear Jen discuss the event on the “Is Dobbs a Canary in the Coal Mine?” episode of the American Constitution Society’s podcast.

 

The End of Zero-Sum Politics
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Virtual Event
REGISTER

On issues of race, many Americans get stuck in a zero-sum paradigm,  assuming that advances for people of color will come at the expense of  white individuals.
 
Heather McGhee, policy expert and author of the New York Times bestselling book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, shows how that zero-sum mentality has thwarted progress in  a range of policy areas from housing to healthcare to education. McGhee  also offers a hopeful vision of how our country might transcend  zero-sum thinking and build solidarity across racial and ethnic groups, ultimately benefiting us all. Join McGhee for a  timely conversation on these topics with Professor Kenji Yoshino, Chief  Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law and director of the  Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

All attendees of this event will enter a raffle to receive a free copy of Heather McGhee’s book.
 
This event is part of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and  Belonging speaker series and is cosponsored by the Birnbaum Women's  Leadership Network and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law.

 

Past

Panel Discussion: Majority Rules
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Virtual Event

We are proud to celebrate Women’s History Month with Supermajority Ed. Fund and Ms. magazine. Please join us for a discussion about a new video and narrative series animating The Majority Rules – five fundamental values critical to achieving women's equality – presented by Reshma Saujani, Alicia Garza, Mariska Hargitay, Ai-Jen Poo, Cecile Richards, and others. The BWLN will co-host a Zoom discussion with the project’s creators at 7pm ET on March 8, International Women’s Day.

Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Speaker Series: Suzanne Nossel, author of Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Virtual Event

This event is co-hosted by the BWLN.

Freedom of expression is a core value of the United States and other democratic countries. Yet in recent years, free speech has become a site of intense conflict when it intersects with issues of diversity and inclusion. Such clashes can be seen in discussions about safe spaces on university campuses, race and LGBTQ+ education in K-12 schools, and hate speech regulation on social media.

Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America and author of Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All, argues that we need not choose between protecting free speech and advancing diversity and inclusion. But how can these values be reconciled? What should governments, tech companies, and educational institutions do when free speech threatens feelings of inclusion among marginalized people? When does protesting cross the line into censorship? In an era of book bans and heightened political polarization, finding answers to these questions is as important as ever.

Join Suzanne Nossel for a wide-ranging conversation on these topics with Professor Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law and director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

Book Talk: Advice to Thrive By: How to Use Your Résumé and Cover Letter to Build Your Brand and Launch a Dynamic Public Interest Career
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Virtual Event

Portia Allen-Kyle, a civil rights attorney and public policy expert, wants to help law students and new attorneys interested in public interest lawyering with their professional development strategy. The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center will host Ms. Allen-Kyle in a discussion of her book, Advice to Thrive By: How to Use Your Résumé and Cover Letter to Build Your Brand and Launch a Dynamic Public Interest Career. The Center is committed to building a deep bench of attorneys committed to public interest work, and this event will help students think about how to build their careers and do public interest work past the fellowship stage.

This will be an hour-long virtual event with an opportunity to ask questions. Attendees will be entered into a raffle to win a copy of the book! Please check out our event page for more information and register for the event today. This event is cosponsored by the BWLN.

Book Talk: Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow, authors of Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Virtual Event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging for a virtual book talk to celebrate the release of Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice by Kenji Yoshino and David Glasgow. Say the Right Thing is a practical, shame-free guide for navigating conversations about our differences in a time of rapid social change. Whether we’re managing diverse teams at work, navigating issues of inclusion at school, or challenging biased comments at a family barbecue, the book provides the tools to do good in our spheres of influence.

• Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law; Faculty Director, Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Co-author, Say the Right Thing
• David Glasgow, Executive director, Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; Co-author, Say the Right Thing
• Jennifer Weiss-Wolf (Moderator), Executive Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network

Public Justice & Private Harmony: An Evening with Former Attorney General Eric Holder & Dr. Sharon Malone
Wednesday, November 16, 2022, 6:00-7:15 p.m. EST
In-Person Event
Vanderbilt Hall, Greenberg Lounge, 40 Washington Square South

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for a conversation with Former Attorney General Eric Holder and Dr. Sharon Malone, moderated by the BWLN’s Executive Director Jennifer Weiss-Wolf. This event is co-hosted by NYU’s John Brademas Center and NYU Law’s Brennan Center for Justice; the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. Troy McKenzie, Dean and Cecelia Goetz Professor of Law at NYU Law, will deliver opening remarks.

From their shared commitment to public service, to the distinct leadership and influence they’ve brought to the fight for democracy and justice, we look forward to a one-of-a-kind discussion with an extraordinary couple, Former Attorney General Eric Holder and Dr. Sharon Malone. A limited number of signed copies of Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote. A History, a Crisis, a Plan. will be available for attendees; books can also be pre-purchased here.

FemTech and Privacy: Striking the Balance in a Post-Dobbs Reality (CLE)
Wednesday, November 2, 2022, 5:00-6:15 p.m. EDT
In-Person Event
Greenberg Lounge, Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South

In the aftermath of the leaked Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, warnings to period tracking app users went viral. The message? Ditch them immediately. Weeks later, a New York Times headline countered, “Deleting Your Period Tracker Won’t Protect You.” Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy for a panel discussion with academic, innovation, and advocacy experts who will explore how exactly such data is already or could be used — and misused. What privacy laws or legislation can be leveraged to protect FemTech users? And why does menstrual literacy — with or without tech tools — matter more than ever in our post-Dobbs reality?

Panelists

• Melissa Murray (Moderator), Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
• Dr. Caitlin Gerdts, Vice President of Research, Ibis Reproductive Health
• Ambreen Molitor, National Director of Innovation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Salomé Viljoen, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School
• Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Executive Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law 

 

NYU Law Forum—After Dobbs: The Future of Abortion, Privacy Rights, and Equality in the US
Wednesday, November 2, 2022, 1:10-2:25 p.m. EDT
In-Person Event
Greenberg Lounge, Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South

A conversation between:

• Chris Hayes, Host, All In with Chris Hayes, MSNBC
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network

 

Promoting Women’s Rights in Asia & Globally: Timothy A. Gelatt Dialogue on the Rule of Law in East Asia
Friday, October 21, 2022, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT
Hybrid Event
Lester Pollock Colloquium, Furman Hall, 245 Sullivan Street

The U.S.-Asia Law Institute holds the Gelatt Dialogue every year with a different theme but the same broad goal: to foster connection and improve understanding among the legal communities in Asia and the United States. Recent developments in the United States and Asia make this a good time to examine the state of women’s rights protection, with a particular focus on the interplay between domestic and international law and norms. Please see the event page for the full list of panels and topics. The dialogue is co-sponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network.
 

IGNITE the Vote!
Thursday October 13, 2022, 5:00-6:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for a special session with IGNITE —  the largest, most diverse movement of young women owning their civic engagement and political leadership in the United States. Hear from two former and current IGINITE Fellows, Yasmeen Metellus (Birnbaum Women's Leadership Fellow, NYU Law '24) and Amaya Flores (Columbia University), about pathways to political leadership outside of campaigning for or holding elected office. They’ll provide a Voter Education 101, too, about how to navigate elections here in New York this season. And IGNITE’s Northeast Program Director Jacelyn Matthews will share more about IGNITE’s leadership and mobilization programs and ways for NYU Law students can get involved.

About IGNITE: Since 2010, IGNITE has trained 20,000+ young women to discover and flex their political power. From a pilot program in Oakland, CA, IGNITE has become the nation's leading organization harnessing political ambition, community building, and leadership skills among young women.

Panelists

• Amaya Flores, Columbia University ’25; IGNITE New York Fellow, 2022-23
• Yasmeen Metellus ’24, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Fellow, NYU Law; IGNITE New York Fellow, 2021-22
• Jacelyn Matthews, Northeast Program Director, IGNITE

CDIB Speaker Series: Reproductive Justice After Roe with Loretta Ross
Thursday, October 6, 2022, 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event 

In the 1990s, activist and scholar Loretta Ross co-created the term “reproductive justice” and went on to co-found an organization—SisterSong— dedicated to its realization. For decades, Professor Ross has been a leading champion of the core principles of reproductive justice—the right not to have a child, the right to have a child, and the right to parent children in safe and healthy environments.

Join Professor Ross for a wide-ranging conversation with Professor Kenji Yoshino, Director of the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, about reproductive justice in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. What are the biggest challenges of this moment? What are the opportunities? And how can supporters of reproductive justice make progress in this daunting legal and political environment? This event is part of the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging speaker series and is cosponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network. For more information about the event and the speaker series, please visit the event’s calendar listing.
 

Book Talk: Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America
Monday, October 3, 2022, 1:00-2:15 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for a virtual book talk on Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America by Dahlia Lithwick. Lady Justice tells the gripping and heroic story of the women lawyers who fought the racism, sexism, and xenophobia of Donald Trump’s presidency — and won.

• Dahlia Lithwick, Author, Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America; Senior Legal Correspondent, Slate; Host, Amicus podcast
• Melissa Murray (moderator), Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law

 

Suddenly Silent: Strategies to Speak Up and Stand Out (for NYU Law students)
Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 5:00-6:30 p.m. EDT
Vanderbilt Hall 220

Do you find yourself looking for excuses not to talk in class? Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law for an interactive workshop to get you actively thinking and listening and contributing to classroom discussion. This event is open to current NYU Law students and is not open to the public.

• Emma Kaufman, Assistant Professor of Law
• K.M. Zouhary, Vice President, Leadership Initiatives, The Estée Lauder Companies
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network
• Randy Hertz, Vice Dean, Curriculum; Professor of Clinical Law

NYU Constitution Day 2022
Wednesday, September 21, 2022, 7:00-8:15 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

In celebration of Constitution Day 2022, the John Brademas Center of New York University and the NYU Steinhardt Verbatim Performance Lab (VPL) will use interview excerpts culled from data collected for VPL’s Portraits US: Polarization project and put them in conversation with a focus on the 14th Amendment: No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.

Participants

• Joe Salvatore (Introduction), Clinical Professor of Educational Theatre at New York University
• Jack H. Knott (Moderator), Dean, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development; Gale and Ira Drukier Dean’s Chair
• Dr. Karen Jackson-Weaver, Senior Associate Vice President of Global Faculty Engagement and Innovation Advancement, New York University
• Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Executive Director, Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network, NYU Law

The Enduring Effects of #MeToo
Wednesday, April 27, 5:30-7:00 p.m. EDT

Five years ago, #MeToo sparked a wave of high-profile resignations and conversations about sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. Join the Beyond #MeToo Working Group, Shearman & Sterling, the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, and Alcalaw LLP for a discussion of the long-term effects of a viral moment: Have workplaces changed for women since #MeToo? Who has been held accountable? Why have women of color had to wait so long to see public accountability under the #MeToo movement? And is the continued prevalence of harassment complaints a sign of the success or the failure of the #MeToo movement?

Panelists

• Carmelyn Malalis, Former Chairperson and Commissioner, New York City Commission on Human Rights  
• Emily Martin, Vice President for Education and Workplace Justice, National Women’s Law Center 
• Maria Cruz Melendez, Deputy Chief, Civil Rights Section, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
• Renee Tirado, Former Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Gucci 

Moderators

• Daniel Lewis, Partner, Shearman & Sterling
• Rebecca Boon, Partner, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP
   

Abortion is Essential to Democracy
Wednesday, April 20, 5:30-7:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual Event

Please join the Brennan Center for Justice, the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, and Ms. Magazine for a live-streamed conversation on the importance of abortion rights to democracy. It is a perilous moment for abortion rights in America. Texas law S.B. 8, banning the provision of nearly all abortions in the state, has been in effect since last September. New restrictions are being introduced and passed across the country. And the U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which poses a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade.

What are the democratic dysfunctions that have led to this pivotal point? How should we consider parallel affronts to participation and representation — the wave of voting restrictions and outsize role of big money in politics — and the anti-abortion agenda? Can we look to state courts to provide new avenues for protecting reproductive rights? And what is the legal and societal impact of criminalizing pregnancy and abortion, especially on communities of color?

• Michele Bratcher Goodwin (Moderator), Chancellor’s Professor of Law, UCI Law; Host and Executive Producer, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
• Lourdes Rivera, Senior Vice President, U.S. Programs, Center for Reproductive Rights
• Monica Raye Simpson, Executive Director, Sister Song
• Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, Women and Democracy Fellow, Brennan Center for Justice; Executive Director for Partnerships and Strategy, Ms. Magazine

Please visit the NYU Law calendar listing for additional information.

The Fight for Gender Justice, Part III: The Next Generation of Gender Justice
Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 6:00-7:15 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Georgetown Law Initiative on Gender Justice and Opportunity for the final event in The Fight for Gender Justice for the final event in The Fight for Gender Justice, a three-part speaker series presented by the BWLN and the Ms. Foundation. The speaker series, which began in Fall 2021 and continues through Spring 2022, convenes thought leaders from across advocacy organizations and the legal field to highlight the legal and advocacy battles at the forefront of the movement for gender justice.

This final program will focus on next-generation leaders and look ahead to the future of gender justice work. From empowering young people on gender justice issues to rethinking gender norms, the panel will explore how various advocates are laying the groundwork for long-term change.

• Aliya Horton and Manzili Kokayi (Welcome Remarks), Youth Advisors, Georgetown Law Initiative on Gender Justice & Opportunity
• Dr. Monique W. Morris (Introduction), President, Grantmakers for Girls of Color
• Sabrina Bernadel (Moderator), Equal Justice Works Fellow, National Women’s Law Center
• Shawnda Chapman, Director, Girls Fund Initiative, Ms. Foundation for Women
• Courtney Dankworth, Partner, Debevoise and Plimpton LLP
• Rebecca Epstein ’95, Executive Director, Center on Poverty and Inequality, Georgetown Law
• Nadra Nittle, Education Reporter, The 19th

Book Talk: The Farmer’s Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm
Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at NYU Law and the Institute for Public Knowledge at NYU for a virtual book talk on The Farmer’s Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine and the Fight to Save the Family Farm, the unforgettable true story of a young lawyer's impossible legal battle to stop the federal government from foreclosing on thousands of family farmers.

• Sarah Vogel ’70, Attorney; Author, The Farmer's Lawyer: The North Dakota Nine
• Burt Neuborne (Moderator), Norman Dorsen Professor of Civil Liberties Emeritus, NYU Law; Visiting Professor, Berkeley Law

Book Talk: Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality
Monday, March 28, 2022, 6:30-7:30 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, Law Alumni of Color Association, and the Women of Color Collective for a virtual book talk on Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality by Tomiko Brown-Nagin. The first major biography of one of our most influential judges — an activist lawyer who became the first Black woman appointed to the federal judiciary — Civil Rights Queen provides an eye-opening account of the twin struggles for gender equality and civil rights in the 20th century.

• Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Dean, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University; Author, Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality
• Sherrilyn Ifill ’87 (moderator), President and Director-Counsel Emeritus, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF)

Book Talk: Right Within and Inclusion on Purpose
Tuesday, March 22, 2022, 6:00-7:15 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; NYU Stern’s Center for the Future of Management; the Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation; the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; the Law Alumni of Color Association; the Women of Color Collective; the NYU Women’s Leadership Forum; and NYU Wagner’s Black Student Association for a discussion on the challenges women of color face in the workplace and how the workplace needs to change, featuring Minda Harts, author of Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace and Ruchika Tulshyan, author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work.

• Minda Harts, CEO and Founder, The Memo, LLC; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, Author, Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace
• Ruchika Tulshyan, CEO and Inclusion Strategist, Candour; Contributor, Harvard Business Review; Author, Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work
• Dr. Lisa Coleman, PhD (moderator), Senior Vice President, Global Inclusion and Strategic Innovation, New York University

The Fight for Gender Justice, Part II: The Equal Rights Amendment in the 21st Century (CLE)
Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 6:00-7:15 p.m. EST
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the ERA Project of Columbia Law School's Center for Gender & Sexuality Law, and NYU Law Women and OUTLaw for The Equal Rights Amendment in the 21st Century, the second event in The Fight for Gender Justice, a three-part speaker series presented by the BWLN and the Ms. Foundation. The speaker series, which began in Fall 2021 and continues through Spring 2022, convenes thought leaders from across advocacy organizations and the legal field to highlight the legal and advocacy battles at the forefront of the movement for gender justice. This panel will examine the history and current status of the Equal Rights Amendment while discussing how passing the ERA could help advance key gender justice issues including LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive rights with a focused consideration of trans rights. The panel event will convene top advocates and scholars of the ERA to explore how law students, attorneys, individual advocates, and others can help pass this long-pending amendment with wide-ranging implications for inclusive gender justice.

• Teresa Younger (Opening Remarks), President and CEO, The Ms. Foundation for Women
• Kate Shaw (Moderator), Professor of Law, Cardozo School of Law
• Alexander Chen, Lecturer on Law; Founding Director, LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic, Harvard Law School
• Ting Ting Cheng, Director, ERA Project, Center for Gender and Sexuality Law, Columbia Law School
• Serena Mayeri, Professor of Law and History, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
• Darren Rosenblum, Professor, McGill University Faculty of Law

Intersecting Identities: Gender, Race, and the Politics of Supreme Court Nominations
Thursday, March 3, 2022, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EST
Virtual event
NYU Law calendar listing

Please join NYU Law’s Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; Law Alumni of Color Association; Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law; Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; American Constitution Society; Black Allied Law Students Association; Women of Color Collective; and Law Women for a panel discussion on the pending Supreme Court nomination and confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. The dynamic panel of experts will discuss Judge Jackson's nomination and address questions including: Why are diversity and representation so central to the current nomination conversation? How do jurists’ identities and backgrounds inform their work on the bench? What other measures of diversity on the Court should we be talking about? How have critics used gender and race to distract from conversations about potential nominees’ qualifications? And how might Judge Jackson’s confirmation shift the overall dynamics on the Court in years to come? 

• Melissa Murray (Welcome Remarks), Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
• Alicia Menendez (Moderator), Journalist; Anchor, American Voices with Alicia Menendez
• Debo Adegbile ’94, Partner, WilmerHale
• Aimee Allison, Founder and President, She the People
• Tiffany Gardner ’01, CEO, ReflectUS

My Name is Pauli Murray: Film Screening and Talkback
Thursday, February 24, 2022, 5:30-8:00 p.m. EST
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the Law Alumni of Color Association, the Black Allied Law Students Association, If/When/How: Lawyering Reproductive Justice, OUTLaw, and the Women of Color Collective for a screening of My Name is Pauli Murray (2021). The documentary, directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen, tells the story of Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, the non-binary Black attorney, activist, poet, and priest whose ideas influenced Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall.

The screening will be followed by a talkback with co-director Julie Cohen and Dr. Brittney Cooper, with introductory remarks by Professor Melissa Murray. Audience questions may be submitted on the registration page for consideration during the discussion.

• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
• Julie Cohen, Filmmaker; Co-Director, My Name is Pauli Murray
• Dr. Brittney Cooper, Author; Associate Professor, Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Rutgers University

Book Talk: Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers
Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EST
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality at NYU, the Institute for Public Knowledge at NYU, Law Women, and NYU Law Review and for a virtual book talk on Deborah Tuerkheimer’s new book, Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers, which examines why we are primed to disbelieve allegations of sexual abuse — and how we can transform a culture and a legal system structured to dismiss accusers.

• Deborah Tuerkheimer, Class of 1940 Research Professor of Law, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law; Author, Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers
• Emily Sack ’91 (moderator), Professor of Law, Roger Williams University School of Law; Adjunct Professor, NYU School of Law

On the Divide: Film Screening and Talkback
Friday, February 4, 2022, 4:00 p.m. EST
Virtual event

Please join NYU’s Center for Media, Culture and History; Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies; and Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality; and NYU Law’s Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for a screening of On the Divide, followed by a post-screening talkback. On the Divide follows three Latinx people living in McAllen, Texas who, despite their different views, are connected by the most unexpected of places: the last abortion clinic on the U.S./Mexico border. As threats to the clinic and their personal safety mount, they are forced to make decisions they never could have imagined. Post-screening discussion with filmmakers Maya Cueva and Leah Galant with Elizabeth Sepper (Professor of Law, University of Texas at Austin). Moderated by Cynthia Lopez (Executive Director, New York Women in Film & TV).

Please see the Center for Media, Culture and History website for more information.

2021 Events

Brennan Center LIVE: Justice on the Brink: Twelve Months That Transformed the Supreme Court
Wednesday, December 1, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EST
Virtual Event

The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a seismic shift in the history of the Supreme Court, cementing a conservative majority on the bench as the country experienced a pandemic, underwent a divisive presidential election, and witnessed the Capitol insurrection. In her new book, Justice on the Brink, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times writer Linda Greenhouse provides a behind-the-scenes look at the twelve months that reshaped the Supreme Court and the years of conservative activism behind the rise of Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Join us for a conversation with Greenhouse moderated by professor Melissa Murray of the NYU School of Law.

Produced in partnership with NYU’s John Brademas Center and the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network at NYU School of Law

Speakers:

• Linda Greenhouse, Senior Research Scholar in Law, Yale Law School; Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times; Author, Justice on the Brink: The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Rise of Amy Coney Barrett, and Twelve Months That Transformed the Supreme Court
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law, Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU School of Law; Co-author, Reproductive Rights and Justice Stories

Analyzing Texas SB8 and Looking Ahead to Dobbs: A Roundtable Discussion on Reproductive Rights and Abortion Law
Wednesday, November 17, 2021, 12:45-2:15 p.m. EST
Virtual Event

Please join the N.Y.U. Journal of Legislation and Public Policy, the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, and NYU If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice for a virtual roundtable discussion on current legislative and constitutional attacks on the right to abortion.

Panelists

• Melissa Murray (Moderator), Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
• Aziza Ahmed, Professor of Law, UCI Law
• Maleeha Aziz, Community Organizer,Texas Equal Access Fund
• Dr. Ghazaleh Moyaedi, DO/MPH, OB/GYN, Texas
• Julie Rikelman, Senior Director, Litigation, Center for Reproductive Rights
• Elizabeth Sepper ’06, LLM ’07, Professor of Law, Texas Law

The Future of Universal Family and Medical Leave
Tuesday, November 9, 2021, 3:45-5:00 p.m. EST
Virtual Event

The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without a minimum standard of paid family or medical leave, even though universal paid leave enjoys strong public support. But Congress is currently considering legislation to create a national paid family leave policy in the United States as part of Biden’s Build Back Better bill. What is at stake for working families and employers? What are the larger policy implications of paid family leave for economic recovery, inequality, and the welfare of families? Join the Berkeley Center for the Study of Law and Society, the Berkeley Center for Law and Work, and the Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network for an expert panel talk about what universal paid family leave will mean for American working families.

• Catherine Albiston (Moderator), Jackson H. Ralston Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology, UC Berkeley
• Jody Heymann, UCLA Distinguished Professor, Fielding School of Public Health 
• Vasu Reddy, Senior Policy Counsel for Economic Justice, National Partnership for Women and Families
• Sharon Terman, Director of the Work and Family Program and Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Aid at Work

Book Talk: The Family Roe: An American Story
Tuesday, November 2, 2021, 6:30-7:30 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the Brennan Center for Justice, If/When/How, and the Women of Color Collective (WoCC) at NYU Law and the Institute for Public Knowledge at NYU for a virtual book talk on The Family Roe: An American Story by Joshua Prager, which tells the story of the hidden lives behind Roe v. Wade (1973) — from its plaintiff Norma McCorvey to the activists and bystanders whose lives intertwined with the case — and traces a half century of struggle over abortion in America

• Joshua Prager, Journalist; Author, The Family Roe: An American Story
• Trevor W. Morrison (Introduction), Dean; Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law, NYU Law
• Melissa Murray (Moderator), Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women's Leadership Network, NYU Law

Please visit the NYU Law calendar listing for additional information.
 

The Fight for Gender Justice, Part I: Protecting Gender Identity & Expression for America’s Youth
Tuesday, October 19, 2021, 6:00-7:15 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, OUTLaw, and the Ms. Foundation for Women for the first event in The Fight for Gender Justice, a three-part speaker series that will convene thought leaders from across advocacy organizations and the legal field to highlight the legal and advocacy battles at the forefront of the movement for gender justice. “Protecting Gender Identity & Expression for America’s Youth" will bring together top activists and attorneys fighting to protect the individual right to gender expression and freedom from discrimination. The panelists will discuss the anti-trans legislation pending across the U.S. that aims to restrict access to gender- affirming health care, participation on sports teams consistent with their gender identity, and other recent restrictions.

Panelists

• Melissa Murray (Welcome Remarks), Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
• Sam Ames (Introduction), Director of Advocacy & Government Affairs, The Trevor Project
• Ruth McFarlane (Moderator), Chief Advancement Officer, Ms. Foundation for Women
• Taylor Brown, Staff Attorney, LGBTQ & HIV Project, ACLU
• Hayley Gorenberg ’92, Legal Director, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
• Andy Marra, Executive Director, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
• Asaf Orr, Senior Staff Attorney/Transgender Youth Project Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights

This event has been approved for one New York State CLE credit in the category of Areas of Professional Practice. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional; it is appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted attorneys. Out-of-state CLE: NYU School of Law is an accredited provider of CLE in New York State. If you are seeking CLE credit for a different state, we recommend you consult with your state’s CLE Board to ascertain regulations on reciprocity.

NYU Law Forum: Demanding or Demeaning? Powerful Workplaces and the Cuomo Scandal
Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 12:45-2:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

The executive summary of a report released by New York Attorney General Letitia James in August states: “We, the investigators appointed to conduct an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, conclude that the Governor engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment under federal and New York State law. … We also conclude that the Executive Chamber’s culture—one filled with fear and intimidation, while at the same time normalizing the Governor’s frequent flirtations and gender-based comments—contributed to the conditions that allowed the sexual harassment to occur and persist. That culture also influenced the improper and inadequate ways in which the Executive Chamber has responded to allegations of harassment.”

Drawing on these findings and other reporting on allegations that ultimately prompted Governor Cuomo’s resignation, panelists at this Forum will discuss how workplaces—particularly those that hold themselves out as “demanding”—often also end up being demeaning. What leads to a workplace with this kind of culture? What are the tradeoffs for working to improve cultures from the inside versus calling out problems from the outside? Did the way things played out with Governor Cuomo represent a triumph or failing of #MeToo? What does a powerful, professional workplace of respect look like?

This program is co-hosted by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network at NYU Law.

Panelists

• Deborah Archer (Moderator), Professor of Clinical Law and Co-Faculty Director, Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law, NYU Law; National Board President, ACLU (moderator)
• Christina Cauterucci, Senior Writer, Slate Magazine; Coverage includes “Andrew Cuomo’s Dinosaur Excuse”
• Debra S. Katz, Partner, Katz, Marshall & Banks; Practice concentrates on employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, and whistleblower claims
• Shelley Ross, President, The Cure Alliance; Former Executive Producer at ABC and CBS; Author of recent New York Times op-ed on sexual harassment
• Maria Vullo ’87, CEO, Vullo Advisory Services; Superintendent, New York State Department of Financial Services during Governor Cuomo’s administration (2016-2019)

Suddenly Silent: Strategies to Speak Up and Stand Out (for NYU Law students)
Tuesday, October 12, 2021, 4:30-6:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Do you find yourself looking for excuses not to talk in class? Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law for an interactive Zoom workshop to get you thinking on your feet, actively listening, and contributing to classroom discussion. This program will feature:

• Emma Kaufman, Assistant Professor of Law
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network
• Andrew W. Williams, Director, Lawyering Program
• K.M. Zouhary, Vice President, Leadership Initiatives, The Estée Lauder Companies

This event is open to current NYU Law students and is not open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, please see the NYU Law events calendar listing.
 

Book Talk: The Feminist War on Crime: The Unexpected Role of Women’s Liberation in Mass Incarceration
Thursday, October 7, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Peter L. Zimroth on the Administration of Criminal Law at NYU Law and the Institute for Public Knowledge at NYU for a virtual book talk on The Feminist War on Crime: The Unexpected Role of Women's Liberation in Mass Incarceration with Aya Gruber, in conversation with Rachel Wechsler.

• Aya Gruber, Professor of Law, University of Colorado Law School; Author, The Feminist War on Crime: The Unexpected Role of Women's Liberation in Mass Incarceration
• Rachel Wechsler, Research Fellow, Peter L. Zimroth Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, NYU Law

Please visit the NYU Law calendar listing for additional information.

BWLN Symposium: The Marshall Plan for Moms: What Would It Mean for America to Put Care First?
Friday, September 24, 2021, 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. EDT
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network (BWLN) and the Marshall Plan for Moms for the BWLN's annual symposium on The Marshall Plan for Moms: What Would It Mean for America to Put Care First?.

10:00-10:05 a.m. EDT: Welcome
10:05-10:15 a.m. EDT: Opening Remarks - Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU Law
10:15-11:15 a.m. EDT: Panel 1 - Taking Stock: America’s Care Economy in 2021

• Caitlin Millat ’18 (Moderator), Climenko Fellow and Lecturer in Law, Harvard Law School
• Mara Bolis, Associate Director of Women’s Economic Rights, Gender Justice & Inclusion Hub, Oxfam America
• Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO, National Women's Law Center
• Betsey Stevenson, Professor of Public Policy and Economics, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
• Haeyoung Yoon, Senior Policy Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance

11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. EDT: Panel 2 - Looking Forward: Reimagining an Equitable Care Infrastructure

• LaToya Baldwin Clark (Moderator), Assistant Professor of Law, UCLA Law
• Tim Allen, CEO, Care.com
• Rhian Horgan, Founder & CEO, Silvur
• Rep. Grace Meng, Member, U.S. House of Representatives (NY-6)
• Dr. Aisha Nyandoro, CEO, Magnolia Mother’s Trust/Springboard to Opportunities

1:15-2:15 p.m. EDT: Leadership Roundtable - Reflections on a Marshall Plan for Moms

• Jennifer Weiss-Wolf (Moderator), Vice President for Development, Brennan Center for Justice
• Gary Barker, President and CEO, Promundo
• Bernard C. Coleman III, Chief Diversity and Engagement Officer, Gusto
• Sarita Gupta, Director, Future of Work(ers) Program, Ford Foundation
• Dee Poku, Founder, The WIE Suite

2:15-2:30 p.m. EDT: Closing Remarks - Reshma Saujani, Founder, Marshall Plan for Moms

Attendees will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link and password after registering.

This event has been approved for 3.5 New York State CLE credits in the category of Areas of Professional Practice (1 credit per panel or 3.5 credits for attendees who attend all three panels). The credit is both transitional and nontransitional; it is appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted attorneys. Out-of-state CLE: NYU School of Law is an accredited provider of CLE in New York State. If you are seeking CLE credit for a different state, we recommend you consult with your state’s CLE Board to ascertain regulations on reciprocity.
 

BWLN/All Places/Beyond #MeToo Panel, Part II: Investor-Driven Diversity
Tuesday, September 14, 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event
 

Please join NYU Law’s Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; All Places; and the Beyond #MeToo Working Group on Corporate Governance, Compliance, and Risk for a conversation focused on how investors can act as allies to advance diversity goals. The panel will cover how investors can drive companies’ approach to corporate governance, particularly as regards diversity, inclusion, and belonging; how regulators influence diversity decisions at companies; and how investor diversity can contribute to board and company diversity.
 
Panelists

• Jessie Gabriel (Welcome Remarks), Founder and CEO, All Places
• Kelly Williams ’89 (Moderator), CEO, Williams Legacy Foundation; Founding Board Chair, Private Equity Women Investor Network
• Solange Fernandez Brooks, Chief Executive Officer, New America Alliance
• Erica Duignan, Co-Founder and General Partner, Reign Ventures
• Pamela Gibbs, Director, Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

This event has been approved for one New York State CLE credit in the category of Areas of Professional Practice. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional; it is appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted attorneys. Out-of-state CLE: NYU School of Law is an accredited provider of CLE in New York State. If you are seeking CLE credit for a different state, we recommend you consult with your state’s CLE Board to ascertain regulations on reciprocity.
 

Book Talk: Ladies Get Paid: Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth, and Taking Command of Your Career
Thursday, August 12, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event
 

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for a virtual book talk with author Claire Wasserman about her recent book, Ladies Get Paid: Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth, and Taking Command of Your Career.

• Claire Wasserman, Founder, Ladies Get Paid; Author, Ladies Get Paid: The Ultimate Guide to Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth and Taking Command of Your Career
• Cathy Cramer ’88, Chief Executive Officer, Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)

This event is free and open to the public, but registration via Zoom is required.
 

BWLN/LAA/LACA Panel: #FreeBritney: The Dynamics of Sex, Money & Power
Wednesday, July 21, 2021, 1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event
 

Britney Spears’ challenges to her ongoing conservatorship reveal stark truths about how the American legal system can suppress individual rights under the guise of protection. Join NYU Law’s Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the NYU Law Alumni Association, and the Law Alumni of Color Association for a conversation about the broader legal implications of #FreeBritney and how the current cultural moment intersects with the ongoing reproductive and racial justice movements. This event is free and open to the public. Attendees will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link and password after registering.

Panelists

• Alexis Hoag ’08 (moderator), Assistant Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School
• Adam Cohen, journalist; author, Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck
• Jasmine E. Harris, Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
• Ria Tabacco Mar ’08, Director, ACLU Women’s Rights Project
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network

Book Talk: Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance by Moya Bailey
Wednesday, July 14, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. EDT
Virtual event
 

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law; the Black Allied Law Students Association (BALSA); and OUTLaw at NYU Law and the African American Policy Forum for a virtual book talk on Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance with author Dr. Moya Bailey. Please see the NYU Law calendar listing for additional information.

• Moya Bailey, PhD, Associate Professor of Communications, Northwestern University; Author, Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance
• Vincent M. Southerland, Assistant Professor of Clinical Law; Director, Criminal Defense and Reentry Clinic; Co-Faculty Director, Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law, NYU Law

Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance is available for purchase from NYU Press; Café con Libros, a womxn-of-color-owned business; and many other booksellers.
 

BWLN/PCCE/Beyond #MeToo Panel: Beyond Diversifying Your Board
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:00-1:15 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event 

Please join NYU Law’s Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement and the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for Beyond Diversifying Your Board, a conversation with the Beyond #MeToo Working Group on Corporate Governance, Compliance, and Risk. As new rules and regulations governing board diversity grow commonplace, this event explores the next step: how to ensure all board members can exercise their power to effect change and enhance diversity efforts throughout their organizations. The expert panel, moderated by PCCE Executive Director Alicyn Cooley, will discuss practical strategies new corporate board members can use to assert themselves and influence the rest of their boards, as well as ways boards can empower their members to effectuate change.

This event is free and open to the public.

This event has been approved for 1.5 New York State CLE credits in the category of Areas of Professional Practice. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional; it is appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted attorneys. (Out-of-state CLE: NYU School of Law is an accredited provider of CLE in New York State. If you are seeking CLE credit for a different state, we recommend you consult with your state’s CLE Board to ascertain regulations on reciprocity.)

Panelists

• Alicyn Cooley (Moderator), Executive Director, Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement, NYU Law
• Lisa Fairfax, Alexander Hamilton Professor of Business Law and Director, GW Corporate Law and Governance Initiative, George Washington University Law School
• Teri McClure, Former member of Executive Management Committee and General Counsel, UPS; Board member, GMS, Inc., JetBlue, Lennar Corporation, and Fluor, Inc.
• Myrna Soto, Former Chief Strategy and Trust Officer, Forcepoint; Board member, CMS Energy/Consumers Energy, Spirit Airlines, Popular Inc., and Ginger

 

CDIB Speaker Series: OK Boomer, Let’s Talk: Making Peace in the Generation Wars
Thursday, April 8, 2021, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event 

Millennials are lazy hypersensitive narcissists. Boomers are selfish hoarders of jobs, resources, and political power. What’s behind this generation war, and how can it end?

In her book, OK Boomer, Let’s Talk (2020), NYU Law alum Jill Filipovic ’08 explores generational inequalities across a range of subjects—from jobs to housing, climate to technology, family to culture. Join Ms. Filipovic in conversation with Kenji Yoshino, Director of the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, to discuss what’s needed to achieve generational equity in legal workplaces and beyond.

This event is part of the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging speaker series and is co-sponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network. For more information about the even and the speaker series, please visit the event’s calendar listing.

This event has been approved for one NY CLE credit in the Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias Category. The content of this program is appropriate for both newly appointed and experienced attorneys; however, newly appointed attorneys are ineligible to earn credit in the category of Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias.

 

2020-21 Jacob K. Javits Professorship Lecture: “Democracy, Inequality, and Civil Unrest”
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 2:30-4:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

The 2021 Javits Professorship has been awarded to Professor of Clinical Law and Co-Faculty Director of the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law Deborah Archer, and Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network Melissa Murray.

Join Professor Archer and Professor Murray as they discuss events surrounding the 2020 election, heightening tensions around police shootings, widening income and social inequality, and how the demands for debate and exchange that are vital to democracy are affected when individual voices are suppressed or subordinated in order to maintain public safety. Trevor Morrison, Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law, will moderate the conversation, which will open with a welcome from Deputy Provost C. Cybele Raver, Ph.D., Professor of Applied Psychology at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Carla Javits, President of The Marian B. and Jacob K. Javits Foundation and President and CEO of the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), will provide closing remarks.

The Jacob K. Javits Professorship at NYU was established in 2008 with generous support from The Marian B. and Jacob K. Javits Foundation. The Professorship honors the memory and accomplishments of the four-term U.S. Republican Senator from New York, the late Honorable Jacob K. Javits, an alumnus of the NYU School of Law, and perpetuates the values and intellectual integrity for which he stood. It is awarded to a distinguished individual—an academic, lawyer, policymaker, journalist, historian, philosopher, or former elected official—whose work focuses on an issue close to Senator Javits’s interests: health, civil rights, labor, foreign policy, rights of individuals with disabilities, education, and fairness in employment and economic security for working Americans.

 

Book Talk: Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life’s Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union by Amanda L. Tyler and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Monday, March 22, 2021, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the NYU Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation for a book talk on the upcoming book, Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life’s Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union by Amanda L. Tyler and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

• Amanda L. Tyler, Shannon Cecil Turner Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; Law Clerk, Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court of the United States (1999-2000); Co-Author, Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life’s Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union
• Trevor W. Morrison, Dean and Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law, NYU School of Law; Law Clerk, Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court of the United States (2002-2003)

This event is co-sponsored by the NYU Brademas Center.

Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life’s Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union is available for purchase from McNally Jackson and many other booksellers.
 

Gender Expression & Client Service in the Courtroom (CLE)
Monday, March 15, 2021, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Especially when clients face a loss of life or liberty, what balance of conformity to expectations and authenticity results in the most effective advocacy from attorneys who don’t fit the straight white cisgender male norm that judges and juries still expect to see? Where can your identity be an asset to your client? Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and OUTLaw for a discussion on the tightropes women, nonbinary, and transgender attorneys walk in the courtroom to provide exemplary client service. This event is free and open to members of the NYU Law community and the public.

• Madalyn Wasilczuk ’13 (moderator), Director, Juvenile Defense Clinic; Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, LSU Law
• Gabriel Arkles ’04, Senior Counsel, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
• Dany Greene ’18, Attorney, LGBTQ Practice, The Bronx Defenders
• Lisa Hoyes ’99, Assistant Dean for Public Service, Public Interest Law Center, NYU Law

This event has been approved for one New York State CLE credit in the category of Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias. While the content of the event is appropriate for both newly appointed and experienced attorneys, only experienced attorneys are eligible to earn credit in this category.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration via Zoom is required. 

Further information, including panelist biographies, may be found in the panel’s online program.

BWLN Symposium: Politics, Power, & Women’s Leadership
Friday, March 5, 2021, 1:00-5:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Please join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network for our 2021 symposium on Politics, Power, and Women’s Leadership. The half-day symposium will explore how we can transform 2020’s historic levels of civic engagement into long-term gains through sustained work in the political and legal spheres. Co-sponsored by the N.Y.U. Journal of Legislation and Public Policy and the Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law, the symposium will highlight policies and legislation to support and help return women to the workforce as we build back better from this “She-cession,” as well as discussing the wide range of ways to sustain and deepen civic engagement in the coming years. The day will conclude with a keynote conversation between Representative Katie Porter (CA-45) and Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law and faculty director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network at NYU Law. Please see below for a full schedule and our list of panelists.

This event is free and open to the public.

This event offers up to a total of 3.5 CLE credits in New York State in the Areas of Professional Practice. The credit is appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys. (Panel 1: 1 credit, Panel 2: 1 credit, Keynote Conversation: 1 credit)

Schedule (all times ET)
1:00-1:10 p.m.: Welcome and Introductory Remarks
1:15-2:15 p.m.: Panel 1 - Rebuilding Better: Working Together to Strengthen the Social Safety Net & Return Women to the Workforce
2:45-3:45 p.m.: Panel 2 - Maintaining Momentum: Harnessing Women’s Civic Engagement into 2021 and Beyond 
4:00-5:00 p.m. - Keynote Conversation: Being the Leader You Want to See in the World with Representative Katie Porter (CA-45) and Professor Melissa Murray

Panel 1: Rebuilding Better: Working Together to Strengthen the Social Safety Net & Return Women to the Workforce (1:15-2:15 p.m. ET)
• Sylvia Law ’68 (moderator), Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law, Medicine, and Psychiatry Emerita, NYU School of Law
• Melissa Boteach, Vice President of Child Care and Early Learning, National Women’s Law Center
• Ann O’Leary, former Chief Of Staff, Office of the Governor of California
• Maribel Hernández Rivera ’10, District Director, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
• Brittny Saunders, Deputy Commissioner for Strategic Initiatives, New York City Commission for Human Rights

Panel 2: Maintaining Momentum: Harnessing Women’s Civic Engagement into 2021 and Beyond (2:45-3:45 p.m. ET)
• Kelly Dittmar, PhD (moderator), Associate Professor of Political Science, Rutgers-Camden; Director of Research and Scholar, Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers-New Brunswick
• Amanda Brown Lierman, Executive Director, Supermajority
• Emily Cain, Executive Director, EMILY’s List
• Nsé Ufot, Chief Executive Officer, New Georgia Project
• Lala Wu, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Sister District

Keynote Conversation: Being the Leader You Want to See in the World (4:00-5:00 p.m. ET)
• Representative Katie Porter (CA-45), in conversation with
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, NYU School of Law

 

For more information, please visit the online symposium program.

Women of Color Collective Honors Chantá Parker ’06
Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Join the Women of Color Collective (WoCC) for their annual event honoring alumnae of color for their outstanding achievements in the field of law. The 2021 WoCC Woman of Distinction Award will be presented to Chantá Parker ’06, Managing Director of the Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit. This program is co-sponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Office of Alumni Relations. Visit the NYU Law calendar listing for more information.

Law Women Honors Susan Herman ’74
Thursday, February 11, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Join Law Women for their annual event honoring alumnae who have been groundbreakers in the field of law. This program is co-sponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Office of Alumni Relations. The 2021 Law Women Alumna of the Year Award will be presented to Susan Herman ’74, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. Visit the NYU Law calendar listing for more information.
 

The 8th Screening and Discussion
Friday, January 29, 2021, 5:00-7:30 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

The 8th (94 mins, 2020, directed by Aideen Kane, Lucy Kennedy, and Maeve O’Boyle) traces Ireland’s campaign to remove the 8th Amendment, a constitutional ban on abortion enacted in 1983. The film follows the country’s transformation from a conservative state in thrall to the Catholic church to a more liberal secular society. It features voices from both sides of the debate, while highlighting the dynamic pro-choice leaders that drove the change, such as veteran campaign activist Aibhe Smyth.

This event is free and open to the public.

This program is co-sponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, the Center for Religion and Media, NYU Cinema Studies, the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, Glucksman Ireland House, and Irish Screen America.

Post-Screening Discussion

• Anna McCarthy (Moderator), Professor and Chair, NYU Cinema Studies
• Aideen Kane, Director, The 8th
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network
• Aibhe Smyth, Activist

A recording of the post-screening discussion is available on the NYU Center for Media, Culture and History’s website.

 

Book Talk: The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are by Alicia Menendez
Thursday, January 28, 2021, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Eastern
Virtual event

Join the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network; the Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging; the Latinx Law Students Association (LaLSA); and the Women of Color Collective (WoCC) at NYU Law for a book talk on The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are, featuring:

The Likeability Trap is available for purchase from Café con Libros, a womxn of color-owned business, and many other booksellers.

 

NYU Law Forum—Crisis in Washington

Friday, January 15, 2021, 1:00 PM - 2:30 p.m.
Virtual event

Urgent concerns raised by recent and ongoing events in Washington have prompted us to schedule this extraordinary Forum, even as the Law School remains on winter break. Dean Trevor Morrison will moderate a discussion among NYU Law experts in constitutional law, criminal law, and national security. This program is co-sponsored by the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network and the Reiss Center on Law and Security.

Participants

• Rachel Barkow, Vice Dean; Charles Seligson Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Center on the Administration of Criminal Law
• Preet Bharara, Distinguished Scholar in Residence; Adjunct Professor of Law; Host, Stay Tuned with Preet
• Ryan Goodman, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Professor of Law; Faculty Co-Director, Reiss Center on Law and Security; Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief, Just Security Trevor Morrison, Dean; Eric M. and Laurie B. Roth Professor of Law
• Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network
• Andrew Weissmann, Distinguished Senior Fellow; Adjunct Professor of Law; Partner, Jenner & Block; Author, Where Law Ends: Inside the Mueller Investigation; Senior Prosecutor, Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller (2017-2019)