Committees
As an all-volunteer organization, Queen's bench primarily fulfills its Mission through the work of dedicated members who are organized into Committees. Our Committee members work collaboratively in a fun, collegial environment to provide services to our Members, services to the Legal Profession, and services to the San Francisco Bay Area community at large. If you would like to develop personal and professional relationships with your colleagues and learn more about Queen's Bench, please contact the Queen's Bench Administrative Office or any Committee Chair to join one of our Committees!

Member Services Committees
Education
Business Development
Mentorship
Employment/Work-Life Balance
Programs
Awards
Membership
Newsletter
Marketing & Communications

Community Service Committees
Juvenile Hall Project
Domestic Violence
Amicus Briefs
Scholarships
Legislative Issues and Reproductive Rights

Legal Profession Service Committees
Conference of Delegates
Judicial Appointments

Juvenile Hall Project Committee
The Queen's Bench Juvenile Hall Project volunteers at the San Francisco Juvenile Hall at 375 Woodside Avenue (off Portola) on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.in Unit #5. We provide companionship, enrichment activities and mentoring to pre-teen and teenage girls in “lock up.” These children have historically been subjected to violent victimization. They typically have low self-esteem and are fearful about their future. We encourage the children to express themselves through arts and music. During 2007 and 2008, we have sponsored programs by the San Francisco opera, a Bay Area musician, Amy X Neuburg, and the former lead singer for Ray Charles, Dr. Mable John. We collaborate closely with the Juvenile Hall Unit Managers and counselors along with a number of community based organizations such as YTEC, Girls 2000 and the Women’s Community Clinic to develop programming.

Juvenile Hall Committee Co-Chairs

Patricia Bovan
Director, Contracts, Symantec Corporation
1313 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132
(415) 349-4444 (T)
(415) 349-4445 (F)
patricia_bovan@symantec.com

Kate Kalstein
Director of Policy & Planning
Edgewood Center for Children and Families
1801 Vicente Street
San Francisco, CA 94116-1237
(415) 235-9536 (T)
katekalstein@yahoo.com

Business Development Committee
The Business Development Committee provides a fun and collegial environment in which women attorneys can build networks of professional contacts and develop law practice marketing skills. The Annual L.E.A.A.D.D. (Lawyer, Engineers, Architects, Accountants, Doctors and Dentists) Dinner provides an opportunity for women in various professions to meet and hear speakers of common interest. Past years speakers have included Mayor Gavin Newsom and Senator Jackie Speier. The Committee also organizes lively cocktail mixers for women professionals throughout the year .

Business Development Committee Co-Chairs

Sophie N. Froelich
Nossaman LLP
50 California Street, 34th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111-4707
(415) 438-7293 (T) / (415) 398-2438 (F)
sfroelich@nossaman.com

Annie O’Donnell
Hedani, Choy, Spalding & Salvagione LLP
595 Market Street, Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 778-0800
aodonnell@hedanichoy.com

Scholarships Committee
The Scholarships Committee is responsible for awarding the Mildred W. Levin Scholarship and the Agnes O'Brien Smith Scholarship to outstanding law students at Hastings College of the Law and University of San Francisco School of Law respectively. The scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to students with financial need who exemplify the ideals represented by Judge Smith and Mildred Levin; students representing the ideals of intellect, determination, compassion and integrity. At Hastings, each applicant for a scholarship submits a resume and/or biographical statement and an essay entitled, "Qualities of a Good Lawyer." USF students submit a resume and essay titled, "Improving Public Perception of the Legal Profession." The Scholarships Committee reviews the applications and interviews final candidates.

Scholarships Committee Co-Chairs

Rebecca Hooley
Contra Costa County Counsel's Office
651 Pine Street, 9th Floor
Martinez, CA 94553
925-335-1800 (T) / 925-646-1078 (F)
rhool@cc.cccounty.us

Hon. Adrienne Jacobs Miller
San Francisco Superior Court
375 Woodside Avenue, Dept. # 5
San Francisco, CA 94127
415-753-7749 (T) / 415-753-7750 (F)
amiller@SFTC.org

Legislative Issues and Reproductive Rights Committee
The Reproductive Rights Committee was established to ensure that women's rights related to their reproductive health and welfare continue to be protected in our society. The Committee works on Pro-Choice related issues as well as issues related to parenthood in general and problems, as well as issues affecting working mothers in particular.

Legislative Issues & Reproductive Rights Committee Chairs

Mary Catherine Weiderhold
Law Offices of Mary Catherine Wiederhold
1458 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 533-0735
mcw@mcwrealestatelaw.com

Employment / Work-Life Balance Committee
The Employment The Employment / Work-Life Balance Committee reviews trends in the legal job market, communicates with legal employers about best practices for improving work-life balance and retaining women in the profession, and disseminates information and opportunities to Queen's Bench members to help them accomplish their own career and work-life balance goals.

Employment / Work-Life Balance Committee Co-Chairs

Mary L. Topliff
Law Offices of Mary L. Topliff
One Embarcadero Center, Suite 2300
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 398-9597 (T) / (415) 398-9599 (F)
topliff@joblaw.com

Leslie Hom
Career Coach for Lawyers
(415) 568-8608 (T)

Amicus Briefs Committee
The Amicus Committee looks forward to continued work on such varied projects and to assisting in issues of importance to women, their families and their communities, including domestic violence issues, equal pay, and equality at work and in public opportunities. We welcome your ideas and suggestions for future projects. If you are currently working on a case or issue which you would like Queen's Bench to support, or if you would like further information, please call the chair of the committee.

Amicus Briefs Committee Co-Chairs

Sarah King
Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin, LLC
Three Embarcadero Center, 7th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111-4024
(415) 434-1600 (T)
sking@howardrice.com

Sara Banola
Cooper White & Cooper
201 California Street, 17th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 765-0308 (T) / (415) 433-55 (F)
sbanola@cwclaw.com

Suizi Lin
Furtado Jaspovice & Simons
22274 Main Street
Hayward, CA 94541
(510) 582-1080 (T)
suizi@fjslaw.com

Education Committee
Plans, coordinates, organizes and contacts legal newspapers to advertise Queen's Bench educational events. Topics are chosen by Committee members. MCLE credit is provided to speakers and attendees. The Committee also keeps the MCLE credit forms for each program and makes them available to the State Bar, if necessary. The Committee oversees the MCLE renewal application process when required. Watch the Queen's Bench newsletter and website for upcoming MCLE brown bag lunch topics events. The Education Committee meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at Bingham McCutchen's San Francisco office located at Three Embarcadero Center, 24th Floor. Please contact one of the Education Committee co-chairs if you plan to attend.

Education Committee Co-Chairs

Michelle Mandel
1390 Market Street, Suite 310
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 626-5400 (T) / (415) 626-5420 (F)
mjmandel@yahoo.com

Natasha Baker
Curiale Dellaverson Hirschfeld & Kraemer
727 Sansome
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 835-9004 (T)
nbaker@cdhklaw.com

Awards

Awards Committee Co-Chairs

Hon. Ina Levin Gyemant
3701 Sacramento Street, #333
San Francisco, CA 94941

Lisa K. Rauch
Thomas Whitelaw & Tyler LLP
3 Embarcadero Center, 13th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111-4003
415-820-0400 (T) / 415-820-0405 (F)
lrauch@twtlaw.com

Conference of Delegates Committee

Conference of Delegates Committee Chair

Andrea Carlise
Patton Wolan Carlise LLP
1814 Franklin Suite 501
Oakland, CA 94612-3744
(415) 987-7500
acarlise@pwc-law.com

Domestic Violence Committee

Domestic Violence Committee Co-Chairs

Katherine Burke
Burke Family Law
44 Montgomery Street, Suite 3780
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 362-9549 (T) / (415) 362-9543 (F)
kburke@burkefamilylaw.net

Vanessa Hierbaum
Kaye*Moser*Hierbaum LLP
575 Market Street, Suite 2300
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 296-8868
vhierbaum@kayemoser.com

Judicial Appointments Committee
The Queen's Bench Judicial Appointments Committee is currently evaluating the role of Queen's Bench in the judicial appointment process. Recommendations regarding Queen's Bench's role in this process will be made to the Board of Directors at the end of 2007. Please contact the co-chairs if you have any input.

Judicial Appointments Committee Co-Chairs

To be determined

Membership Committee

Membership Committee Chair

Mentorship Committee
While Queen's Bench informally mentors women attorneys in many ways, our Mentorship Committee oversees a structured program to pair women attorneys with 2-9 years of law practice experience with seasoned veterans in the legal profession, in support of improving the long-term retention of women in the legal profession. Mentee applications from women who are admitted to the bar and have been employed as an attorney for two years are more are accepted annually, usually in January.

Mentorship Committee Co-Chairs

Alison Crane
Bledsoe Cathcart, Diestel
& Pedersen LLP
601 California Street, 16th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 981-5411 (T) / (415) 981-0352 (F)
acrane@bledsoelaw.com

Joanna Frazier
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
4 Embarcadero Center, 17th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 434-9100 (T)
jfrazier@sheppardmullin.com

Newsletter Committee

Newsletter Committee Chair

Lisa Freitas
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
One Market Street, Spear Street Tower
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 442-1173 (T) / (415) 442-1001 (F)
lf0726@msn.com

Programs Committee

Programs Committee Chair

Barbara L. Harris Chiang
Dillingham & Murphy LLP
225 Bush Street, 6th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 397-2700 (T) / (415) 397-3300 (F)
bhc@dillinghammurphy.com

Marketing and Communications Committee
Marketing and Communications Committee oversees Queen's Bench policies on use of its e-mail system and mailing lists, administers the Queen's Bench web site content, manages all paid Queen's Bench advertising contracts, and handles all Queen's Bench contact with the press.

Marketing and Communications Committee Co-Chairs

Kelly Robbins
Robbins Family Law
601 California Street, Suite 2100
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 788-5400 (T) / (415) 788-5455 (F)
kelly@robbinsfamilylaw.com