Queen's Bench does its work through its committees. They are the foundation of our mission to advance justice, promote gender equity, and foster professional development in the legal community, and they are how nearly every Queen's Bench leader got her start. Through the committees, members engage in amicus advocacy, legal education, policy work, mentorship, networking, and community service while addressing the issues facing women in the law across the San Francisco Bay Area.
Every committee is open to every member. To join one or more committees, email admin@queensbench.org with your full name and the committee(s) that interest you, or write to any committee directly using the links below. Not yet a member? Join Queen's Bench here.
Advocacy & Public Voice
Where Queen's Bench speaks: in the courts, in the Capitol, and in the appointments process.
Amicus Briefs
The Amicus Briefs Committee reviews requests for Queen's Bench to submit or join friend-of-the-court briefs and prepares the briefs authorized by the Board of Directors. The committee evaluates each case for alignment with the association's mission, contributing to the development of legal precedent on issues affecting women and gender equity.
Civic & Judicial Appointments (CJAC)
The Civic and Judicial Appointments Committee gathers and shares information with the Board and the membership on open positions across all branches and levels of government, including the bench, and on candidates for those openings. The committee encourages the best-qualified members to step forward, promotes member participation in elections, and communicates the association's Board-approved positions to appointing authorities.
Conference of Delegates
The Conference of Delegates Committee prepares and sends Queen's Bench delegates to the Conference of California Bar Associations (CCBA), the annual forum where California lawyers work together to improve state law. The committee drafts and submits CCBA resolutions on the association's behalf, giving members a direct hand in meaningful, substantive changes to California law.
Domestic & Sexual Violence
The Domestic & Sexual Violence Committee coordinates events, education, and advocacy for the membership on domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and on supporting survivors, from clinic volunteering to policy work. The committee carries forward the Queen's Bench Foundation's pioneering 1970s research and advocacy on behalf of survivors.
Legislative & Reproductive Rights
The Legislative and Reproductive Rights Committee studies and reports to the Board and the membership on legislative developments of special interest to the association, including legislation on reproductive health and reproductive justice, and leads campaigns communicating the association's Board-approved positions to the appropriate legislative bodies and representatives.
Education, Mentorship & Scholarships
Building the next generation of the profession, and keeping this one sharp.
Education
The Education Committee plans, schedules, and coordinates Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) programs for members. Queen's Bench Bar Association is an approved MCLE Multiple Activity Provider of the State Bar of California (Provider No. 2907).
Have an MCLE you'd like Queen's Bench to host? Email Committee to share your idea.
Mentorship
The Mentorship Committee plans and coordinates mentoring programs and events by and for members at every stage of their careers, from law students and new admittees to seasoned practitioners.
Signature programs include Get Into the Legal Loop (GILL), a Women's History Month service event held each March encouraging local students to pursue legal careers; the Law Student Liaison Program (LSLP), a leadership-development program for 2Ls, 3Ls, and 4Ls built around a capstone project; shadowing opportunities to observe hearings and alternative dispute resolution; and monthly committee meetings featuring facilitated discussions, guest speakers, and MCLEs on bar exam preparation, career and professional development, and resume and cover letter review.
Scholarships
The Scholarships Committee administers the association's scholarship funds for Bay Area law students and women lawyers, including the Agnes O'Brien Smith Scholarship and the Mildred W. Levin Scholarship. The committee recommends programs and recipients for Board approval and reports annually to the membership.
From the bylaws: committee members serve one-year terms, and two members of the public join the committee for decisions on the Smith and Levin scholarships.
Community & Member Life
Networking, belonging, wellness, and the signature events of the Queen's Bench year.
Business Development
The Business Development Committee advances members' interests in building their practices and partners with other professional associations and Bay Area businesses on cross-sector programming.
Signature events include the annual LEAADD Reception, which brings together Lawyers, Engineers, Architects, Accountants, Doctors and Dentists for cross-sector collaboration, and Cocktails and Couture, an annual networking event spotlighting the association's community partners, including local Bay Area businesses.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
The DEIB Committee celebrates the diverse backgrounds of Queen's Bench members and the greater Bay Area community. It supports projects spanning business development, education, mentorship, public service, legal and policy research, and advocacy in service of local students, attorneys, and diverse client populations.
The committee also serves as the association's liaison to the Minority Bar Coalition, fostering collaboration between Queen's Bench and our sister bar associations.
Events
The Events Committee assists and advises the Board on the association's signature events, including the Annual Gala, the Past Presidents Dinner, and the Judges Dinner, and supports the Board and committee chairs in planning social events for members and outreach to prospective attendees.
Membership
The Membership Committee oversees recruitment, retention, and engagement of members. The committee hosts events such as our annual Membership Information Session and the Annual Members Meeting and maintains our Membership Hub.
The committee also advises the Board of Directors on benefits, rates, membership tiers, and strategies to support meaningful member involvement in the bar association.
From the bylaws: the committee is chaired by the Second Vice President.
Sponsorships
The Sponsorships Committee builds and stewards the partnerships that fund the Queen's Bench year: the year-round Underwriter program, event sponsorships supporting our Gala, dinners, and community programming, and general contributions to the association and the Queen's Bench Foundation.
The committee works with law firms, businesses, and individual supporters to tailor packages to each sponsor's goals, from website and event recognition to complimentary memberships and priority job-board listings.
Wellness
Formerly known as the Employment/Work-Life Balance Committee, the Wellness Committee supports members' wellbeing across the demands of law practice. Its programming and resources span mental health, balance, and sustainable legal careers, including topics such as family and medical leave, parental leave, remote work, retirement planning, childcare, and workplace accommodations.
Association Stewardship
Caring for the association itself: its honors, its rules, and its hundred-year story.
Awards
The Awards Committee selects and advises the Board on nominees for Queen's Bench honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Service Award, and the Rookie Award presented at the Annual Gala, as well as nominations of Queen's Bench members for honors given by sister bar associations and other organizations, such as the Minority Bar Coalition's Unity Awards.
From the bylaws: the committee is chaired by, and generally consists of, at least two Past Presidents.
Bylaws
The Bylaws Committee conducts routine reviews of the association's bylaws and periodically proposes revisions to the Board of Directors and the membership. Proposed revisions are circulated to members in advance of the Annual Members Meeting, held each October or November.
History
The History Committee maintains and preserves the association's historical archives and leads programs celebrating more than a century of Queen's Bench history and tradition, from our Centennial Gala to the Queen's Bench Oral History Project.
The committee also supports legacy planning, researching and advising the Board on the initiatives and achievements of Past Presidents, lifetime members, and long-standing members of the association.
Join a Committee
Committee service is how nearly all Queen's Bench leaders began. Co-chair roles are filled from active committee members each year, and Board service grows out of committee leadership. Every committee is open to every member: email admin@queensbench.org with your full name and the committee(s) you would like to join, or reach any committee directly through the Email Committee links above. Standing committees are established under Article VI of our bylaws, and the Board may create special or ad hoc committees whenever a project calls for one. If you are not yet a member, join Queen's Bench here.
Committee descriptions are drawn from the association's bylaws and program records; chair assignments reflect the 2026 Committee Roster and are current as of July 2026. Chairs are appointed annually by the President with Board approval and are subject to change; corrections may be sent to admin@queensbench.org.