A Message from the President:

I am often asked, in this day and age, why do you need Women’s Bar Association in Rhode Island?

The simple answer is the problems that drove a powerful group of Rhode Island women to form the Women’s Bar Association in 1997 are still with us today: inequality of opportunities for advancement, social pressures of work/life issues and the difficulty of finding effective mentoring opportunities

 While great strides have been made, these are still very real issues that face women practicing law in Rhode Island.  These are complex issues, some of which were heightened with the pandemic.

As a specialty bar association, the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association can focus its considerable resources (that is, its women) on the issue of the advancement of women in the profession because we do not have competing demands for our time, talent and financial resources.

As an independent and voluntary bar association, we can step in to provide services for our members that other groups may not have the flexibility to do. This includes the ability to advocate for and provide visibility for issues traditionally of concern to working women.

 As committee and leadership positions are held by women, the women’s bar association gives endless opportunities for women to develop new leadership skills or to be recognized for their existing abilities.

While issues and concerns for women lawyers may vary, we do share a number of them. Being active in a women’s bar, women lawyers can find comfort from and mentorship opportunities with other lawyers who have faced similar issues.

For me personally, as a non-Rhode Islander who entered into the Rhode Island legal community in the second half of my career, the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association has given me the opportunity to expand my network, develop friendships and learn about areas of the law I didn’t know existed. 

When thinking about the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association, I think of the quote by the writer, poet and activist, Alice Walker: 

“I advocate that every woman be a part of a circle that meets at least once a month or, if you can’t do that, once every two months or every four months. But you have to have a circle, a group of people—smart, wise, can-do women—who are in the world doing their work, and you need to meet with them as often as you can so that they can see what you’re doing and who you are, and you can see the same. And you can talk to each other about the world and about your lives in a circle of trust and safety. It’s crucial for our psychological health and our spiritual growth. It’s essential.”

I am happy to have my circle in the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association.  I look forward to working with the board and executive team to continue doing great things for our members.  Because as we all know, when powerful women come together, anything is possible. 

Lisa M. Kresge, President 2024