University of Oregon School of Law

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women's law forum > election platforms

Candidates for Director:

Katie Green

I am running for Director of Women's Law Forum, because I think I can make some positive changes for our group and help organize a productive 2008-2009 year. I am going to be a 3L next year and am committed to continuing WLF's tradition of being a dynamic and powerful group at Oregon Law.

Here are some of my ideas:

Monthly Executive Board meetings scheduled on a specific day (like the first Tuesday of each month) to make sure we are getting enough accomplished as a board. I think email is a great tool for organizing and planning events, but sometimes sitting in a room together is what it takes to get things done.

We need to re-write our by-laws, and in doing so we can really solidify what we want to accomplish as a group. I think this should take place over the summer of 2008, and I am willing to head that effort myself to make sure it gets done before school begins.

We need to increase the involvement of our current general membership and reach out the next years 1L's. I want to relay the message that WLF is a positive group for all law students to get involved in, regardless of their political preferences or backgrounds.

I would like to set a calendar and schedule events first thing both semesters, so we all have sufficient time to plan events and make sure our budget is running smoothly.

I have worked at Planned Parenthood, for Max Baucus, Democratic Senator from Montana and at the Oregon Department of Justice. I have a passion for women's issues and strong organizational skills which will help me be an effective director of WLF.

Thank you for considering me for the Director of Women's Law Forum.

Anika Leerssen (1st choice Director, 2nd choice Conference Coordinator)

Dear WLF members:

As a 1L rep this past year, I've had the amazing opportunity to learn about WLF and gain experience from the 2L and 3L representatives on the Exec Board. It's been a great year and I've really enjoyed being part of an active and important student group at the law school.

I came to the group with a single idea for an event, and now I can't stop thinking about the endless possibilities! The exec board is just one cross-section of the phenomenal group of woman that make up the law school community - I would truly strive to increase the participation of the general membership in designing, promoting, and putting on more great opportunities for networking, conferences, and of course, gaining the advice from mentors that we simply can not learn about from our law books. ;)

I feel the strengths I would bring to the group is that I am a hard-working, friendly and energetic person. I'm truly a believer in the open forum, and I'd do my best to address all the concerns we would meet - determining the group consensus and representing all in the most responsible way.

I believe very strongly in this group's mission and its spirit, and I would be very happy to serve as its leader.

In the alternative, I am amenable to serve in the capacity of Conference coordinator, as this would also fulfill my desire to work hard at putting together great events on behalf of WLF.

Thank you for your consideration.

Ellen Range (1st choice Director, 2nd choice Conference Coordinator)

I decided to run for this position after reflecting on how to effectuate what I want to see at the University of Oregon School of Law. I think WLF is a great organization that invites its members to think of events/activities and then make it happen. As a Co-Director/Director, I would primarily see myself as a facilitator of the interests the members of WLF bring to the table. I would work to identify the interests and abilities of each member to encourage their meaningful participation. I also have a few ideas of my own. I would like WLF to have an event addressing how feminism has/is changing the legal field (see my description under the Conference Coordinator position). Aside from the discussions WLF facilitates, I would also like to see our group come together to volunteer for different women's organizations in the community. For example, there are great volunteer opportunities for groups to paint/furnish/fix up spaces at women shelters. I think this would be a great way for our group to connect with different organizations in the community and help out in a meaningful way. I also think empowering workshops, such as the salary negotiation workshop held this spring, are important for equipping women with the skills they need to succeed. I look forward to working with WLF members in the coming year to continue the legacy of stimulating discussions, public service, and supporting up-and-coming women lawyers.

Candidates for Conference Coordinator

Rachel Black-Maier

I am excited to be considered for the position of Conference Co-Director. I am familiar with the administrative complexity that comes along with law school event planning and had the opportunity to help with two law school events this year, the ORIL Symposium and the LRAP fundraising event. Both experiences have been enjoyable and challenging. I would be honored to help the WLF continue to bring amazing events to the law school community. The Roosevelt Rush, our primary event, is especially unique and exciting for both WLFers and the general law school community. I am committed, along with Hannah, to keep this tradition going as a mainstay of the WLF event program.

Additionally, I would like to see the WLF play a more active role in educating female law students about women's health. From talking with my cohorts, I have been shocked by the misinformation circulating about reproductive health. Last year's HPV event was a good start and I would love to help the WLF continue to take an active role in helping law students take charge of their sexual well-being.

Anika Leerssen (1st choice Director, 2nd choice Conference Coordinator)

Dear WLF members:

I believe very strongly in this group's mission and its spirit, and I would be very happy to serve as its leader.

In the alternative, I am amenable to serve in the capacity of Conference coordinator, as this would also fulfill my desire to work hard at putting together great events on behalf of WLF.

Thank you for your consideration.

Hannah Meisen-Vehrs

I would be honored to serve on the Women's Law Forum board for a second year. I bring a great deal of organizing experience and a stong passion for women's issue to the board. Being involved since the fall of my 1L year, I have helped organize the symposium on reproductive rights in Oregon and have recruited speakers for various events. This year I am proud to be taking a lead role in organizing the Eleanor Roosevelt Rush. Before attending law school I directed my school's Students for Choice group which included budgeting, recruitment, and marketing. I also worked for a year in teen pregnancy prevention in a predominantly bilingual latino community. Next year I hope to expanding the Roosevelt Rush to include alumni and community members to extend our networking opportunities beyond the law school. I would also like to see us put some serious efforts toward bringing a well known "legal celebrity" to speak. For example, we've discussed bringing Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who argued for Roe v. Wade.

Ellen Range (1st choice Director, 2nd choice Conference Coordinator

As a Conference Coordinator, I would like to put on a conference highlighting how feminism has changed and is currently changing the legal field. There are several facets to this: from changing dynamics in the workplace, to the practice (e.g., I have heard ADR described as the feminization of the legal field), to the law itself (challenging gender bias in the law). We can be proud of these changes and celebrate them, as well as discuss the work ahead.

I would bring to this position my experience as an event organizer. As part of the DIALOGUE Project in Seattle, I organized the "Rethinking American" conference that featured Pramila Jayapal from the Hate-Free Zone as its keynote. I really enjoyed the creative aspect of identifying different panel topics and soliciting panelist's involvement. As an organizer, I encourage involvement/participation by my team members by identifying their abilities and interests and encouraging them to pursue/develop that interest. I look forward to being involved with the Women's Law Forum in the coming year.

Candidates for Treasurer

Christina Vaninetti

I am currently a 1L and would like to get involved with the WLF because I think that it would be a perfect opportunity to become involved with a group that does some great things on campus and beyond. I would like to run for Treasurer because I think I can contribute most to the WLF in this position because I am very organized and responsible. I also really enjoy planning events and working with other people, so I would be happy to help out in any way. Thanks!

Candidates for Secretary

Haley Griffith

Greetings WLF members!

Here's a little bit about who I am and why I want to be a part of the WLF board.

I'm Haley, and I am currently a 1L. First semester I chose to not get involved with any groups so I could get a feel for how long my course work would take before I took on additional obligations. However, I knew that the Women's Law Forum was the group I wanted to be involved with, as Women's Studies has been a large part of my life for the last 5 years or so. Last spring I graduated from U of O with a major in Women's and Gender Studies. I discovered Women's and Gender Studies as a sophomore in undergrad with no idea what I wanted to do when I took a course to fulfill "multicultural" credits- don't ask me why learning from a non-patriarchal perspective should count towards learning about "other cultures", but I won't get started there... :)

The Women's and Gender Studies curriculum literally changed my life. My eyes were opened as I became aware of the ways that sexism, racism, and classism intersect in our lives and the mechanisms by which society maintains and perpetuates these forms of oppression. Women's studies gave me a framework for thinking about and understanding my life. Although I had no idea what I would do with a Women's and Gender studies major, I had become so passionate about the issues I was studying that I knew this was the path I needed to follow. I quickly added the major and became involved. In fact, it was after hearing Sarah Buel speak here at the law school (maybe it was WLF that brought her here?) that I became inspired to go to law school.

Being a part of a community of intelligent, conscious, supportive women was an incredible part of my undergrad experience. I would love to get plugged back into a community like that here at the law school. Being a part of the WLF board seems like a great way to do that. Also, because I just graduated with my Women's and Gender's studies major last year, I know quite a few people involved in women's issues at the U of O. I bet they could serve as great resources for us. Sorry this got long to read! Thanks for taking the time to read this if you got all the way down to this part :)

Sincerely,
Haley

Candidates for Public Relations Officer

Katherine Bosch

I would love to serve the Women�s Legal Forum as the Public Relations Officer. I have always been interested in women�s issues, and as an undergraduate, I wasn�t sure in what direction I would take this interest until I took a class on Women in the Law. Learning about the way the law had traditionally disenfranchised women in so many areas served as one of the primary factors in my motivation to come to law school to learn how I could contribute to the promotion of positive policy change for women. Now that I am here, as a Volunteer Intake Interviewer at Legal Aid I frequently encounter women who would benefit from information regarding how to obtain financial independence and their right to be free from domestic violence of all kinds, physical as well as emotional. I would love to see WLF continue to raise community awareness through its panels as well as to get involved in community outreach. As the Public Relations Officer I would use my strong organizational skills to garner participation in WLF from within the law school, other campus organizations, and the community. Please vote for me. Thanks!

Candidates for SBA Representative:

Leah Besson

Dear WLF members:

The Women's Law Forum is a unique group because it brings together women who are interested in diverse areas of the law, yet share a common interest in issues specific to women. In the competitive environment of law school, I think it is important to be a part of a group that is diverse, but also shares a common goal: to provide a place for women entering into this historically male dominated field to bring women's issues in the legal world to the forefront of discussion. I have experience in both outreach and "liaison" type work in several different settings. I founded and built a women's specific writing group at my undergraduate school, and also did outreach work for an English language program while living abroad in Istanbul, Turkey. I believe the jobs of both the SBA rep and PR rep share the important role reaching out to the law school community to both promote and inform students about the WLF. My interest in women's issues, and my desire to contribute to a supportive community of women make me particularly suited for either of these positions. I am very excited to be involved in the WLF in my 2L year (and longer!) and am looking forward to leading and helping out in any capacity needed. Thanks for reading!