History - Women's Bar Association

About the Women’s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania

The mission of Women’s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania dedicates is to promote opportunities for women in the legal profession and strives to end gender bias in the courts and legal profession. The WBA was formed in 1988 in response to an incident during a trial in open court, where a federal court judge refused to permit a female attorney to be addressed by her birth surname, which she chose to use professionally. This overt act of discrimination by a member of the judiciary gave birth in 1988 to the formation of the Ad Hoc Committee to Eliminate Gender Bias, the predecessor of the WBA. Further recognizing that the county bar association had no female attorneys in its governing body at that time, a group of prominent women attorneys organized the WBA to address the unique needs and concerns of women attorneys, to encourage women to seek judicial roles through appointments and election, and to end the gender and racial bias in the courts. In 2008, the WBA celebrated its 20th anniversary with an in-depth program on Women in Practice, followed by a reception presenting an Honorary Susan B. Anthony Award to Barbara M. Wolvovitz, Esq. In February 2014, we held our 25th anniversary celebration, honoring eight different individuals for their efforts in achieving the goals of the WBA. For our 30th year, we honored Carol Hesz, Esq., who served the WBA and women of Western Pennsylvania for more than two decades by steadfastly supporting equality in the profession, developing innovative programs, and mentoring numerous law students and attorneys. We look forward to future milestones and invite you to join us in serving the Western Pennsylvania legal community.

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