The Allegheny County Bar Association Institute for Gender Equality was founded as a tool to aid in the enhancement of the presence of women in leadership positions in the Allegheny County legal community, the elimination of the gender wage gap, and the expansion of the avenues through which female attorneys can build successful careers.
The formation of the Institute was one of the recommendations of the Allegheny County Bar Association Gender Equality Task Force, which was formed after a 2005 Membership Survey showed little or no improvement in gender equality when compared to a survey that was completed in 1990.
The Institute’s inaugural sessions were held in the third quarter of 2009. IGE offers collaborative and goal-oriented programs designed to address issues facing female attorneys.
IGE programs have targeted two different groups: decision makers and practitioners. IGE decision-maker programs are designed for managing partners and other partner-level decision makers within a firm or their equivalents in a corporate legal department or agency. These programs are designed to create awareness and educate decision makers on gender-related issues that may impact their decision-making. IGE practitioners programs are designed for female attorneys who are interested in developing into future leaders and business developers. These programs have as their focus skill development and empowerment. To view IGE programming, click here.
Instructors are experts in diverse disciplines and come from several geographic areas.
Kellie Ware is the Director of the IGE. For more information about the IGE, contact Ms. Ware at 412-402-6658 or kware@acba.org.
