On Thursday 31 August OWLS hosted Anne Bond (leadership coach) and Vivienne Seaton (Institute of Directors) to speak on issues relating to women’s under-representation at board level and what we can about it. The interactive session had a practical focus with advice on how to:

• recognise our skill sets (know our worth!);
• develop confidence as professional women;
• overcome bias; and
• seek out appropriate board and leadership opportunities

Kathryn Beck and Chris Moore spoke to their work with the Women’s Advisory Panel to a capacity audience – addressing women’s access to and  participation at senior levels of the profession, pay equity issues and high attrition rates.

Statistics continue to reflect gender disparities in each of these areas. This is despite the fact that the number of women in practice is effectively equal to the number of men.

Empirical evidence confirms that genuine gender diversity in the workplace promotes productivity across an organisation. We all benefit.

The Women’s Advisory Panel continues to seek input from the profession in order to better understand the barriers for women in the hope that those barriers can be overcome.

This was OWLS’ third annual Diversity Event and was open to the entire profession. OWLS wishes to thank our colleagues who were able to attend and engage in the debate.

The OWLS committee was thrilled to have close to 30 OWLS members join them at Ombrello’s on Wednesday 5 July for an evening of delicious food and great company.  The dinner was a lovely, relaxing opportunity for OWLS members to catch up with one another over a fabulous meal and drinks.  Thank you to all who rugged up and came out on a cold winter’s evening and to Ombrello’s for hosting us all.

On Thursday 8 June OWLS held another successful and fun fundraising quiz night at the Kensington Hotel.  OWLS is very grateful to have raised more than $1500 to be put towards the history project marking the 30th anniversary of OWLS, and is thrilled to have raised more than $300 (being the proceeds from one of the raffle rounds) for the Women’s Refuge.  OWLS thanks all of the businesses below who so generously donated prizes for the raffles and to the Kensington for hosting us once again.  A big thank you also to everyone who attended and contributed to this fantastic fundraising night.

Seven Wise OWLS and fourteen OWLS members attended a wonderful speed mentoring evening at Gallaway Cook Allan on Thursday 25 May.  The format was much like that of speed dating and was a great way for the younger OWLS members to get to know our Wise OWLS better and to garner some really helpful advice and support from them.  OWLS is very fortunate to be able to have so many of its more experienced practitioners who are willing to be mentors to the younger members of the profession and it is at events like this that OWLS is able to make the most of their experience and wisdom.  Discussions took place on almost every conceivable topic and proved to be a fun and lively evening.  Thank you to Gallaway Cook Allan for hosting and to the Wise OWLS for their advice and support as well as the Wise OWLS sub-committee for organising a fabulous event.

On Monday 22 May, 45 female law students attended a forum run by OWLS where nine OWLS members answered a myriad of questions from the students on the topic “What we wish we had known at law school”.  The students were particularly excited to hear from younger practitioners and professionals in their first few years of practice and the session proved full of lots of great discussion and laughs.  OWLS has received really positive feedback from the students about the helpful advice that they received from the OWLS members on issues ranging from what panel members did at law school that helped them in the first few years of practice/work to whether grades from law school impact on opportunities past your first graduate role.  There was so much interest and such a great response to the event that OWLS plans on holding another in the same format in the second semester.  A big thank you goes out to the OWLS members who came along to be a part of the panel and to the OWLETS sub-committee for organising a wonderful event!

The OWLS Committee was delighted to host its annual Pink Ribbon Morning Tea at Gallaway Cook Allan on Friday 5 May.  It was wonderful to have more than 40 OWLS members attend and we are thrilled to have been able to raise nearly $600 for the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, an extremely worthy cause and one which, as women, we are only too happy to support.  Thank you to everyone who donated money and to those who helped to put on a delicious morning tea spread.  A big thank you also to Gallaway Cook Allan for hosting all of the OWLS and we look forward to putting on another great Pink Ribbon morning tea next year.

The OWLS Meet the Committee Drinks at Carousel on Wednesday 12 April was a wonderful evening and a great chance for OWLS and prospective OWLS to get together and have a drink and nibble.  Thank you to so many of you for coming out on what was a rather wet evening!  The OWLS Committee is looking forward to bringing you another year of entertaining, thought provoking and worthy events.

The OWLS Annual General Meeting was held at Ombrellos Bar and Restaurant on Tuesday 28 February 2017.  Many OWLS members turned out in support of the meeting and mingled over drinks prior to the meeting starting.

The AGM began with the 2017 Committee being established.  Once again we have a full OWLS Committee with a number of changes taking place.  Kim Jarvis stepped down as convener with Ruth Ballantyne taking her place.  Kim’s leadership, support and commitment to the role has been invaluable.  Shayne Milne has stepped into the role of deputy-convenor.  We have four new members, Becky Ensor, Emma Bourke, Shaan Ross and Megan Exton.  We are thrilled to welcome Megan on board who is OWLS’ first law student representative, a role which we hope will strengthen ties between OWLS and the female law students studying at the university.  Sarah Eckhoff, Anne McLeod, Lenore Brady and Louise Trevena-Downing have all stepped off the committee and we thank them immensely for their service and contributions over the years.

As well as general business matters, discussions were also held regarding the ongoing archiving/history project and the Marion Thompson Trust.

At the conclusion of the meeting OWLS members were fortunate enough to listen to a captivating presentation given by Professor Jacinta Ruru on her path to law and her role as the new co-director of Nga Pae o te Maramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence.

Members then stayed on for dinner, making the AGM a successful event for 2017.

Are you looking for a new challenge for 2017? New to Dunedin? New to the Profession? Hard working? Have you been on the Committee before?

THE OWLS COMMITTEE NEEDS YOU!

OWLS is looking for new and experienced practitioners to join the 2017 OWLS Committee. OWLS aims to provide networking and educational events for female practitioners in Otago. The Committee represents the diverse needs of our members and we need your help to achieve this!