The Counselors: Conversations with 18 Courageous Women Who Have Changed the World

By Elizabeth Vrato with Foreword by Bill Clinton

In The Counselors, some of our country's most interesting history-making women take time to share their stories of pain and triumph as though they were chatting with you over a cup of coffee with the hope that that their experience might help you along your way. In his foreword to The Counselors, President Bill Clinton writes, The accomplishments of the women in The Counselors are a testament to the power and promise of the American Dream and are sure to resonate deeply with many young women who have the desire and ability to make their own unique contributions to this legacy of progress. Janet Reno shares that she grew up in a log cabin, and her mother wrestled alligators. Pat Schroeder talks about serving in Congress and running for president. Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg discuss gender issues. The women leaders we meet are recipients of the Margaret Brent Award, which was founded by Hillary Rodham Clinton when she served as Chair of the ABA Commission on Women.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hillcrest Media Group
• Release date: May 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9780996127318

Book preview

Pioneers!"

Foreword

During the past four decades, America has made real progress on our journey toward equality and justice for all. American women, who just over eighty years ago were prohibited from voting, now serve at the highest levels of government. Women are also breaking through the glass ceiling of corporate management to lead some of our country’s most prominent businesses. And once denied the resources and opportunities to play organized sports, American women today are making sports history.

But this progress has not come easily or without cost. The women profiled in this book—all of whom have received the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award and three of whom I had the honor of appointing—share personal stories of their struggle to overcome barriers and of the women and men whose guidance, wisdom, and encouragement inspired them to persevere. These are stories of triumphs as well. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, whose grandmother was denied the right to vote, now sits on the highest court in our nation; Herma Hill Kay has seen the percentage of female students at Boalt Hall rise from 3 to 52 percent; Jamie Gorelick was sworn in as Deputy U.S. Attorney General to a female U.S. Attorney General by a female Supreme Court Justice when, just two decades before, not one of those positions had ever been held by a woman.

The accomplishments of the women in The Counselors are a testament to the power and promise of the American Dream and are sure to resonate deeply with many young women who have the desire and ability to make their own unique contributions to this legacy of progress. Today, more young women than ever are pursuing careers in law, medicine, government, and business and, like their predecessors, they need guidance to advance and excel. Just as the women in this book were empowered by the efforts and example of those who came before them, a new generation will be inspired and encouraged by the spirit and achievements of this remarkable group. The Counselors is a tribute not only to those who have successfully navigated the challenges of the professional world, but also to the mentors who helped them along the journey.

I know from my own experience the difference a strong positive role model can make, beginning with my mother, who, like several of the women profiled in this book, got up early, worked late, and still managed to put her children first. In high school, my band director and principal were role models I had the privilege of knowing personally, while from afar I admired President John F. Kennedy. With his optimism, passion for civil rights, and unshakable belief in America’s bright promise, he gave me hope for the future and an insight into its possibilities.

Now a grown man with many, but I hope not all, of my life’s accomplishments behind me, I continue to draw strength and motivation from both people I have known personally and those I know only from their stories: from Theodore Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr., to my good friends Daisy Bates and Yitzak Rabin.

As someone who has benefitted enormously from the example and counsel of role models like these; as the son and grandson of two women who were mentors in their own right; as the husband of an amazing woman who, with mentors of her own, was recently elected Senator from New York; and as the father of a daughter I hope will always be free to make her own way with inspiration from the women around her, I am proud to introduce you to the extraordinary women in The Counselors: Conversations with 18 Courageous Women Who Have Changed the World.

—Bill Clinton

December 2000

Preface

GOODNESS

This book is about goodness. The goodness of some of this country's most interesting history-making women to take time to share their stories about pain and triumph . . . as though they were chatting with you over a cup of coffee . . . with the hope that their experience might help you along your way. . . .

Lynn Hecht Schafran shares a different perspective on gender. Pat Schroeder talks about serving in the U.S. Congress and running for president. Louise Raggio talks about pursuing a pioneering career, not for its own sake, but in order to stay with her attorney-husband all day, after he returned from serving in WWII with post-traumatic stress disorder. Sandra Day O'Connor tells us about the old-fashioned separate spheres for women and men in American culture, the suffragettes and her zigzag path to the Supreme Court. Jamie Gorelick talks about how she finds work/life balance. Maureen Kempston Darkes discusses how changes in the business world instituted initially to help female employees today have become policies that benefit all employees.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg talks about gender discrimination. Other women discuss the intersection of race and gender issues for women of color. Others share the immigrant experience. Some talk about rejoining the workforce after taking time off to raise children. There are stories about mentors. And supportive spouses. And supportive parents who make sacrifices. And friends.

Sometimes the content could be called human interest—such as Janet Reno sharing that she grew up in a log cabin in the Everglades, and her mother wrestled with alligators. Sometimes the content is modern history, such as Joan Dempsey Klein having been a Rosie the Riveter. Literally. And some content is career advice or for self-examination, such as Margaret Marshall urging us all to make a secret list of how you would spend your time if you were to "ignore the shoulds of your life"!

As I would write up the stories I collected from many conversations, I spread out cards on the floor with the women's names and the topics each had discussed, to be sure the book's chapters were not repetitive and that they built upon each other and branched out across issues of interest to women (and men), both as a history and as something of a practical guide. I wanted to show the amazing tapestry of experience in the ethnic, racial, professional and geographical diversity of the women with whom I spoke.

One review said: "Like a sorority meeting of corporate and legal luminaries . . . The Counselors offers wisdom, insight, and personal stories from women at the top of their profession" (The American Lawyer). That was precisely what I had intended. I wanted the book to be:

—The inside scoop from recipients of the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award.

—A celebration of the modern American woman's journey.

—Lessons on the nature of leadership and developing leadership.

—A source of inspiration to make a plan or take a risk.

—A tool to use to improve the effectiveness of your career efforts.

—Stories to share with friends.

—Maybe your call to action?

In 2002, I was told the publisher couldn't categorize The Counselors easily: was it Women's History, Pop Culture, Career, Self-Help, or Legal? And I was subsequently told the publisher couldn't figure out how to sell it. Thus, the book went to out-of-print status relatively quickly. The book was well reviewed, featured on Book-TV, taught and talked about in schools and put in libraries. It was cited in other books, and people reached out to tell me how it helped them. Thanks to ebook publishing, it can now be more easily available; and digital formats allow for easier cross-referencing among topics.

Which brings us to 2015. While preparing an e-dition, these are some of the things I came across . . .

January

—Elle announces that the magazine is convening a board of 43 female powerhouses who are joining forces to improve the lives of women over the next thirty years.

—Viola Davis wins a SAG award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama for her portrayal of law professor Annalise Keating in the delicious legal thriller, How to Get Away with Murder (produced by Shonda Rhimes). The character is an African-American Ivy League law professor, and the award means that two women of color have succeeded in mainstream television. Diversity is the new normal.

February

—The New York Times publishes an article about Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a jurist and pop culture icon, sometimes referred to as Notorious RBG. Within the span of a few paragraphs, the article names the following people: Ginsburg, Gloria Steinem, Herma Hill Kay and Sandra Day O'Connor. (I shook my head, pulled out the book, and said: "She's Chapter 5, she's book blurb, Chapter 8, Chapter 13. Okay, it's a sign.")

—Mika Brzezinski announces a national conference tour related to her best-selling book, Knowing Your Value. The tour features daylong events for building community among women, coaching women to make a plan for success and providing opportunities for networking.

—Patricia Arquette, while accepting her Oscar for her role in Boyhood, makes an impassioned plea for wage equality for women. Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez—seated next to each other in the audience—whoop, holler and wave their arms in support.

—Working Women magazine publishes an article about how Johnson & Johnson doubled its percentage of female executives in the past year.

March

—A friend invites me to a local celebration for International Women's Day, March 8th. I review some information from the No Ceilings project (noceilings.org: identifying the progress of girls and women around the world over the past twenty years, as well as areas where progress is needed for girls and women in the future).

—Sheryl Sandberg's seminal book, Lean In, continues to be referenced by friends when we talk about work (and has been for the last two years).

—Further, some of the hottest topics in the news today concern leadership for women, education and immigration—which are some of the topics addressed by the women in this book.

* * * * *

So I concluded that The Counselors is more on-point and more relevant to American culture today than when it was released in that traditional print format. I sum it up like this: It is truer than ever that the story of women in American culture is a vibrant and changing story. The energy and dedication of a generation of women have transformed the world. The future depends on what we do with what they have done for us. We're not there yet, and we have unfinished business. As we continue to ascend, assimilate and integrate, it is now more important than ever to learn the stories of women who break new paths, open doors for others and crash through glass ceilings. Their stories—and their example—give us hope and confidence.

* * * * *

OLD BUSINESS/ NEW BUSINESS

2009: The very first bill President Obama signs into law, in January 2009, is the Lily Ledbetter Fair-Pay Act, restoring the protection against pay discrimination that the Supreme Court had struck down in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 510 U.S. 618 (2007). But the wage gap persists.

2012: With Sarah Palin, the Republican Party joins the Democratic Party in nominating a woman for the first time to the second highest office in the land.

January 2014: In his State of the Union address, President Obama calls the gender wage gap wrong and an embarrassment, adding, "It's time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a Mad Men episode."

June 2014: The White House hosts a Summit on Working Families, to set an agenda for a 21st century workplace that supports working families (e.g., national paid family leave benefits).

August 2014: As part of a U.S.-Africa summit, First Lady Michelle Obama and Laura Bush host a symposium of first spouses from nearly thirty countries, where they promote education and opportunity for African women and girls. Mrs. Bush tells the crowd, Only countries where all people are involved can be successful.

December 2014: The World Economic Forum reports the United States ranks 65th in the world on the issue of equal pay, with American women making approximately 66% of what a man makes for doing the same job.

March 2015: Three women serve on the U.S. Supreme Court (30%); twenty women serve in the U.S. Senate (20%); and eighty-four women serve in the House of Representatives (19%).

March 2015: High-profile female CEOs include Marissa Mayer at Yahoo, Meg Whitman at Hewlett-Packard, and GM's first female CEO, Mary Barra. Yet, fewer than thirty of the Fortune 500 companies have a woman as their CEO. And women's representation in Fortune 500 leadership positions (Executive Officer positions, Board seats) has stagnated.

REST IN PEACE

One of the eighteen remarkable women I met and wrote about has passed away: Louise Raggio (the Mother of Family Law in Texas) in January 2011, at the age of ninety-one.

My revered mentor for over two decades, Jerome J. Shestack, passed away in August 2011. I was at his deathbed a few hours before, and I served as one of his pallbearers in a raging rainstorm that stripped away everything of those there (hairstyles, makeup, ironed clothes, polished shoes) except a raw, gut-wrenching grief that lingers. (His wife, Marciarose, an Emmy-winning broadcaster, continues to be both friend and family.)

Then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a statement mourning Jerry, noting, He was a committed public servant and a dogged defender of human rights. She stated, He was unwavering in his commitment to the highest of American values and international human rights standards. Jerry was an effective advocate for the causes—and people—he cared about because he had a rare mix of wonderful qualities: optimism, resilience, humor, a thick skin, and a way of making everyone feel at ease.

Jerry had received the ABA Medal in 2006. It is the association's highest honor. The announcement of the award said, Where individuals have suffered, Jerry has helped them. His tireless efforts have served not just American jurisprudence, but have truly served the world.

ONWARD & UPWARD

President Clinton authors the foreword of this book. Since leaving office, President Clinton has continued to play a lead role on the world stage, with the progressive programs and goals of his family’s foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative. He also became a grandfather (of a little girl) and has campaigned vigorously for fellow Democrats who share his values.

The women in these pages continue to break down barriers and make headlines. For instance, Patricia Wald's lifetime of service (and work specifically on the post-invasion Iraq Intelligence Commission and the Constitution Project’s Guantanamo Task Force), earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

New female trailblazers continue to receive the Margaret Brent Award, such as the current Chairwoman of the Securities Exchange Commission, Mary Jo White (the first female U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York).

In 1987, before she attained recognition by her first name alone, Hillary Rodham Clinton was working to help women. She served as the first chair of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession. In that capacity, she launched the Brent Award. She was given a special Margaret Brent Award in 2005 and the ABA Medal in 2013.

Clinton had just been elected as the first female U.S. Senator from New York when this book was released. She next served for four years as our country's third female Secretary of State. And, at the time of this writing, she is the frontrunner to be elected President of the United States in 2016.

IN CONCLUSION

I very much enjoyed meeting each of the women profiled here and learned quite a bit in the process. I hope you'll enjoy these stories and find something in them that inspires you on your journey.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth J. Vrato

March 2015

Introduction

Mentors, Role Models

I can personally vouch for the difference mentors and role models make.

I literally became a lawyer because of Jerry Shestack. My mother was a part-time secretary at his law firm while completing her college education. She told him she had a daughter who was going to be a lawyer someday (I was sixteen). Jerry said, Well, get her in here. Let me see this future lawyer.

My mom took me in to visit his office on a school holiday. I remember the feeling of fear, apprehension, and excitement while she introduced me to him. He questioned me about school, told me about his practice, and took me under his wing. I wanted to be just like him.

Jerry was an internationally recognized lawyer who served as the President of the American Bar Association. He was