BHWA Board Position Descriptions

President

The job of the president is to organize and facilitate the many different aspects of BHWA. Ultimately, the president should be willing to dedicate significant time and energy into every major event and provide support to all the other board members in their projects. The President is responsible for developing the agenda for regular board meetings at which the calendar of events is created, major events are planned, and key decisions are made. The president is also responsible for communicating the activities of the organization to the membership, the general email list, and the student body via general meetings, emails and BBB announcements. The president is also responsible for writing reimbursement checks and assisting the VP of finance in completing funding applications. The President serves as the primary contact for BHWA within the organization, and with the Boalt administration, alumni, law firms and general community. The president should also use the summer to begin coordinating and planning the Fall membership recruitment process (which can be difficult with board members spread all over the place). This position could be filled by either one or two people.

Vice President of Finance/ Treasurer

This job is integral to all the activities of BHWA because it is responsible for getting funding for meetings and events, except fundraising from firms connected to Barrister’s Ball and the HHK Fellowships. The bulk of funding is derived from the Graduate Assembly (GA). This requires the Treasurer to register with the GA, do a brief training, fill out and turn in applications for events & resources, and submit reimbursement forms & receipts once the event has taken place. This requires the VP to stay informed about GA deadlines and solicit information from other board members about upcoming events and funding needs. This person also solicits funding from the Boalt Hall Students Association (BHSA), as available. The VP is in charge of managing the organization’s checking account, though the President also has access. Additionally, this person, along with the vice president of operations, ensures that member information is processed and added to the member email list after dues are paid. This is a big job that requires an ability to work with numbers, meet deadlines, comply with application requirements and an ability to creatively describe events to maximize funding.

Vice President of Operations

The main job of the Vice-President of Operations is to maintain and take care of the lounge. This includes shopping for all the supplies, ensuring that the lounge stays clean and organized, purging the fridge, and getting things fixed when they break. The VP of Operations is also responsible for coordinating any building and space issues with the Office of Student Services. The VP of Operations should be enthusiastic about maintaining the lounge as a physical space that functions as a safe and supportive environment for women. It's best if the Vice-President has access to a car. It is very difficult to perform a lot of the duties in a timely manner without one.

Programming Chair or Co-Chairs

This position co-ordinates regular events for BHWA, including faculty teas, , 1L Advice Series and other topical lunches. The Women's Leadership Forum which takes place in the spring semester is the largest event put on by the programming chair(s). The other teas and lunches which happen throughout the year require much less planning, yet still a significant amount of time in both publicizing and putting on these events (with the help of the rest of the board, of course!). The position also works closely with the activism chair to plan activities throughout the year to promote relevant issues and increase BHWA's visibility.

Herma Hill Kay Fellowship Chair

Duty of the fellowship chair is to manage the summer fellowship. If you are organized about the HHK fellowship chair position it can be very low stress. It involves fundraising, meaning you touch base with the three law firms who have sponsored in the past with thank you letters and preferably a report including words from this years' fellows. You should also do a mailing campaign to alumni which generates a significant amount of money. You will work with Professor Kay to set a date for the reception and will organize that reception in April. You will also work with the CDO in the applications process, arrange the voting and tally the vote among BHWA members. You should also run a session publicizing the fellowship.

If you already have other leadership roles with other organizations but are looking for a manageable contribution to make to BHWA this would be a great fit for you. The fellowship is a very independent program to run and should be done in consultation with the rest of the Board, but you can manage it largely on your own. It's been fun to try and make some improvements and changes to the program, such as increasing the funding this year. All in all it's been a positive experience that we would recommend to anyone who is organized and wants to make a contribution to BHWA and advancing women's rights and gender equality!

Barrister’s Ball Chair

This job is to put on the Barrister’s Ball which is in the Spring and has been the flagship fundraiser for the HHK Fellowships. The 2009 Ball will be the 10th Annual one. Though the event is in the Spring, the work begins in the Fall with scouting out and booking a location. The chairs are also responsible for coordinating with committee volunteers for publicity, decorations, food, beverage to put on the event. The chairs also oversee all the volunteers for the evening and ensure things are running smoothly. This year we had one chair and previous years have had one or two.

Mary Dunlap Activism Chair

The BHWA Activism Chair has the role of organizing events that deal with issues important to BHWA and women in the law, as well as connecting BHWA with the larger Boalt community and the legal community outside of Boalt. The Activism Chair has great freedom and flexibility to create projects that are interesting and necessary. For example, a past Activism Chair was responsible for creating the Women's Leadership Forum, which has become an amazing annual event. The Activism Chair may also serve as a contact for outside groups who want to work with BHWA, such as law firms and other student organizations. In the past, the Activism Chair has taken on projects such as Domestic Violence Awareness Events, heading a team for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, organizing panel discussions, and making the t-shirts and mugs. The Activism Chair should be willing to help with other major BHWA events throughout the year. This is a highly flexible position with a lot of autonomy that is also rewarding and exciting!