The 2025 Panels

The history of women and the law in the United States and Virginia has evolved unevenly from a time in 1769 when the colonies adopted the English system of coverture, decreeing that women could not own property in their own names or keep their own earnings (a system in place in all or some of the states until at least 1943), to 1920 when women were granted the right to vote nationwide to today with continued debate over ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution.  

Laws have often sought to “protect” or control women by limiting their employment and civic engagement. Over time women’s work days have been limited (1908), women have been prohibited from serving as bartenders unless their father or husband owned the establishment (affirmed by SCOTUS in 1948); women have not been allowed to serve on juries (finally repealed in all 50 states in 1973); and, until passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974, women were denied the right to obtain credit cards without their husband’s permission.  

In Virginia, more than half of the state’s public colleges were sex segregated until the 70’s or later in the case of VMI, which was forced by a lawsuit to admit women in 1996.Most startlingly, a man living in a home with his wife could legally rape her until 2002.   

While Virginians continue to be able to access abortion with some restrictions, the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning 50 years of precedent, has cast doubt on the continued validity of other laws like equal employment and equal pay laws dating to the 60s, no-fault divorce laws dating to 1969, and constitutionally recognized marriage equality protections. 

This panel will present a picture of this history and the way the law has impacted the lives of women across generations.

Faith Alejandro, Hon. Jean W. Cunningham, Hon. Anne Holton, Professor Elizabeth D. Katz, Sara Tandy
Claire G. Gastañaga, panelist & moderator

This panel will focus on the career paths of women in the law. With experience spanning more than four decades of service, the panelists will share their personal anecdotes and reflections on overcoming challenges and embracing opportunities.

The panelists represent the increasing percentage of women in the law over the decades, and their stories will take us on a journey through the evolving roles of women in the law, providing a glimpse into the varied contributions that women have made to the profession. Their legal careers include Supreme Court Justice, trial court judge, district court judge, corporate attorney, government attorney, law firm partner, law firm associate, real estate administrator, law school professor, criminal defense attorney, prosecutor, and Bar association president.

Hon. Devika Davis, Hon. Cleo E. Powell, Danielle Stokes, Lucia Anna “Pia” Trigiani
Hon. Angela E. Roberts, panelist & moderator

Many women in the legal profession often feel forced to conform to a stereotypical and traditional male culture and system without recognizing the ability to implement change. Yet more and more women leaders are stepping up to lead the charge when it comes to securing alternative schedules and developing other means of easing the tension between a career in the law and a personal life. Women lawyers often are more apt to question the status quo, and this panel will explore how women leaders have done and can continue to do so in various ways. Advocacy, activism, and allyship, including that of men, are important to shape an inclusive, progressive, and ultimately equitable profession. Strategies to be explored by this panel include law firm structures and choice of practice, use of artificial intelligence and other technologies, and effective time-management and billing practices. 

Tricia Dunlap, Rebecca Geller, Colleen Marea Quinn, Sarah Robb
Colleen Marea Quinn, panelist & moderator

This session will focus on cultivating dedicated mentors to impact and support successful women lawyers. It goes beyond the sharing of war stories, though the insights and lessons they teach are invaluable. It’s more than the Rules of Professional Conduct and professionalism, although again, they matter. At its core, this session emphasizes the importance of active listening and the creation of regular, routine spaces and opportunities to share and develop. A diverse panel of legal leaders will explore (1) what mentees need from a variety of perspectives, whether law student, solo practitioner, law firm attorney, in-house counsel, and government lawyers; (2) actionable and consistent strategies to support mentees effectively; and (3) the key experiences that shaped mentors along the way and what they hope to accomplish. In other words, how can we replicate the organic relationships that thrive in a structured and consistent way? 

Mallory Brennan, Sandra Havrilak, Rudene Mercer Haynes, Thomas Hiner
Renu Brennan, panelist & moderator