Justice Matters Discussion Series Unites Legal Community

By Meredith S. Auten, President of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.

At the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, we continuously explore opportunities to engage the thousands of attorneys, law firms, corporate legal departments, and vendors who support the Foundation to raise awareness and critical funding for our civil legal aid community.

And so, I am delighted to spotlight this month the Foundation’s newest programming for the community: The Justice Matters discussion series! Through Justice Matters, the Foundation brings together thought leaders to promote ways in which the legal community can unite to deliver on the promise of equal access to justice. My father always emphasized to me the adage “for of those to whom much is given much is required” and we must constantly strive to be at the forefront in driving systemic change.

The Justice Matters series debuted with a celebration of fifty years of Title IX. Deborah Willig, managing partner of Willig, Williams & Davidson, recent honoree of the American Bar Association’s 2023 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award and generous supporter of the Foundation, moderated a dynamic and informative panel discussion that included: Amal Bass, Interim Co-Executive Director of the Women’s Law Project; Morgan Chall, CEO and Founder of Chall Sports Consulting; and Olympic athlete and Temple Head Coach Michelle Vittese.

In June, in recognition of Pride Month, the Foundation will sponsor our next Justice Matters discussion on creating an inclusive workplace for gender diverse/LGBTQ+ employees. Presenters will include representatives from our nonprofit partners, law firms, and private employers to discuss legal protections, best practices, and an educational presentation on gender identity and LGBTQ+ identities.

There are endless opportunities for these thought-provoking and change-driving discussions. We are just getting started. We welcome suggested topics, and we hope you will join us in this impactful dialogue. We also welcome sponsorship of any of these programs.

When it comes to removing barriers to justice and engaging the community in support of civil legal aid, I hope you will join us in Justice Matters!