urn:taro:utsa.00091 A Guide to the Texas Women Lawyers Records, 1994-2005 April 5, 2006Encoded in XMetal 3 by Traci JoLeigh Drummond according to instructions in TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. March 26, 2008 Revised in XMetal 3 by Angela McClendon to standardize format, standardize subject headings, fix coding errors. Descriptive Summary Texas Women Lawyers Texas Women Lawyers Records 1994-2005 Materials are in English. MS 41 1.3 linear feet (about 900 items) University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections Texas Women Lawyers, formally established in 1994, is an umbrella group of women's bar associations and organizations created to share ideas and resources and speak effectively with a common voice on women's issues in the legal profession. The group provides assistance and information to other legal women's groups in Texas through networking, mentoring, legislative updates, and a database of member information including areas of practice. The group also sponsors quarterly socials in each region, coupled with informal and informational continuing legal education, to foster new and better relationships among women lawyers for business development, mentoring and friendship. The collection spans the years 1994 through 2005 and includes bylaws, correspondence, financial information, meeting minutes, membership lists, the organization's newsletter Women's Link, photographs, publicity, and a copy of the website. These materials primarily reflect the first three years of the organization, and include information about the coming together of Texas women's legal organizations to form Texas Women Lawyers. Of note is the correspondence that chronicles the communications between the women who worked to bring together representatives from women's legal organizations throughout the states. Historical Note

Texas Women Lawyers is an umbrella group of women's bar associations and organizations created to share ideas and resources, and speak effectively with a common voice on women's issues in the legal profession. The group began discussions in 1992 when Kathryn Tullos contacted leaders of women's legal groups in Texas during the Del Lago Bar Leaders' Conference. These contacts proved useful and allowed women's legal groups within Texas to share ideas. At the same conference a year later, Kelley Rodgers and Liz Zeck of Travis County Women's Lawyers' Association called a more organized meeting for the leaders of women's groups. With no space for this meeting at the conference, the women met in the foyer of the Del Lago Conference Center. It was agreed that the women should have a more formal arrangement for meeting and sharing ideas with one another.

At the 1994 Del Lago Bar Leaders' Conference, an official women's bar breakfast was added to the Saturday morning agenda to provide a forum for discussion. Kathryn Tullos, along with Ann Graham, Irene Jackson and Nancye Betherum talked about the need for a statewide network of women's bar associations. Later in 1994, Tullos saw Betherum at another legal conference and decided to call an organizational meeting for a statewide women's legal group. Betherum organized the meeting for October 1994 in Dallas, bringing together female lawyers from all over the state that would help organize what would be named the Texas Women Lawyers. Nancye L. Bethurem served as the organization's first president.

Texas Women Lawyers provides assistance and information to other legal women's groups in Texas through networking, mentoring, legislative updates, and a database of member information including areas of practice. The group also sponsors quarterly socials in each region, coupled with informal and informational continuing legal education, to foster new and better relationships among women lawyers for business development, mentoring and friendship. Past Programs and Achievements of Texas Women Lawyers include: Support of successful anti-stalking legislation (1996), support of an alimony bill (1996), presentation of a program entitled Violence Against Women (1996), co-sponsorship of a program entitled Achieving Maximum Success in the Practice of Law (1997), presentation of a program titled Women's Healthcare and the Law: Do Money, Power and Politics Compromise Women's Health? (1997), co-sponsorship of a program titled Professional Power through Communication and Negotiation (1998), and presentation of a program titled So You Want to be a Judge (1999).

Texas Women Lawyers is committed to the empowerment of women lawyers to achieve full rights, privileges and responsibilities in the legal profession. Through their network, they advocate the interests of women in the justice system and society. Texas Women Lawyers was created to coordinate, facilitate and promote women's issues in the law and in the profession.

Scope and Content Note

The Texas Women Lawyers Records span the years 1994 through 2005 and consist of bylaws, correspondence, financial information, meeting minutes, membership lists, the organizations newsletter (The Women's Link), photographs, publicity, and a copy of the website. These materials primarily reflect the first three years of the organization, and include information about the coming together of Texas women's legal organizations to form Texas Women Lawyers. Of note is the correspondence that chronicles the communications between the women who worked to bring together representatives from women's legal organizations throughout the state.

Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

 Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Texas Women Lawyers Records must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Texas Women Lawyer's Records, 1994-2005, MS 41, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

 Acquisition Information

Received as a gift from Jill Torbert and Texas Women Lawyers in 1997 and 1998 (Acc. 1997-019, 1998-021).

 Processing Information

Processed by Traci JoLeigh Drummond, Archivist, June 2005.

 Index Terms Organizations Texas Women Lawyers. Subjects Sex discrimination against women--Texas. Women--Texas--Societies and clubs--History. Women lawyers--Texas. Women's rights--Texas. Genres/Formats Minutes. Photographs. Correspondence. Newsletters. Bylaws. Local Subjects Lawyers/Judges Politics/Politicians Women's Groups Detailed Description of the Collection Texas Women Lawyers Records 1 Administrative 1 1 Articles of Incorporation, 1995 1 2 Bylaws, 1995 1 3 History and Mission, [1994-1995] 1 4 Resolutions, undated 1 Correspondence 1 5 1994 1 6 January-July 1995 1 7 August-December 1995 1 8 January-April 1996 2 1 May 1996-March 1997 and undated 2 2 Rejected Contributions Letters, 1995, 1996 2 3 Letterhead, undated. 2 Financial Information 2 4 Budget (Notes and Information), 1995 2 5 Banking and Account Reports, 1995-1996 2 Legislative Issues 2 6 Legislation of Interest to Texas Women Lawyers, 1996 2 7 Legislative Agenda for TWL, 1994-1996 and undated 2 Meetings 2 8 First Annual Meeting, undated 2 9 Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 1994-1996 2 10 TWL Retreat-Guadalupe River Ranch, October 1995 2 Member Lists 2 11 Directories Including TWL & TWL Members, 1995-1997 2 12 TWL Membership Lists, 1994-1995 and undated 2 13 Unidentified Directory/Member List, undated 2 Membership 2 14 Affiliate Members, undated 2 15 Membership Forms, 1995-1996 and undated 2 Newsletters 2 16 Advertising Rates and Policies for the Women's Link, 1995 2 17 Newsletters with Information about TWL, 1995-1996 2 18 Newsletter Reports, 1995 and undated 2 19 The Women's Link Newsletter, 1995-1997 2 Notes and Other Information 2 20 End of Year Report, Women and the Law Section, State Bar of Texas, June 3, 1995 2 21 Job Description and Applicant Information, 1996 and undated 3 1 Notes and Miscellaneous, 1995-1996 and undated 3 Participation & Outreach 3 2 Outreach to Other Legal Groups, 1995-1996 3 3 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting and CLE Seminars, 1995 3 4 Women and the Law Section, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Meeting, April 28, 1995 3 5 Women and the Law Section, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Meeting, March 22-23, 1996 3 Photographs 3 6 Events and Meetings, 1994-1996 and undated 3 7 TWL Scrapbook Photographs, 1994-1995 and undated 3 Publicity 3 8 Pamphlets & Flyers, 1996 and undated 3 9 Press, 1995-1996 and undated 3 Recognition 3 10 Certificates for Steering Committee Members, 1995-1996 3 11 Stars of Texas Bars-Local Bar Association Awards Program, 1995 3 Website 3 12 Texas Women Lawyers Website (print-out), 2005