Memorable Minutes: Opening Doors for Parents and Minority Attorneys

The Bar Association of San Francisco in 1990
by Michael G.W. Lee, 1990 BASF President

1990—the year I had the honor and privilege of serving as president of the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF)—was certainly a thoroughly exhilarating year for me since my first child, Christina, was also born on January 7th of that year. And, as a first-time Dad, and as the first ethnic minority president of BASF in its then 118 year history, I was determined to simultaneously thoroughly enjoy and make the most of both wonderful experiences and opportunities.

Since it’s been awhile, for the sake of accuracy, I scoured the Board meeting minutes from 1990, and assembled a sampling of some of my favorite highlights of that memorable year:

[Editor's note: The following items, dated and marked by indents, are excerpts from 1990 BASF board meeting minutes. Headings in bold have been added for emphasis.]

January 24, 1990

Minority Retention and Advancement
The Minority Retention and Advancement Seminar will take place on March 1 and will feature as discussion leaders Harvard Law Professor Charles Ogletree and management consultant Jacob Herring.

Concerning Right to Privacy and Termination of Pregnancy
MOVED/SECONDED/PASSED (with one dissent): The Association will co-sponsor the recommendation to the American Bar Association to recognize rights of privacy and equality guaranteed by the United States Constitution—and oppose legislation or governmental action that interferes with the confidential relationship between a pregnant woman and her physician, or with the decision to terminate the pregnancy at any time before the fetus is capable of independent life, as determined by her physician or thereafter when termination of the pregnancy is necessary to protect the woman's life or health.

February 14, 1990

Goals and Timetables for Minority Hiring and Advancement
Over 70 employers have signed on to the goals and timetables.

Minority Retention and Advancement
The Association and The Recorder are sponsoring a program in March for the managing partners on retention of minority attorneys. Ray Marshall and Mike Lee have been urging managing partners to attend the program. Mr. Lee thanked Ray Marshall, Barbara Phillips and Karen Hobin for all the work they have been doing on the Program.

March 14, 1990

Civil Rights Act of 1990
Director Lucas-Wallace made a motion to support the Civil Rights Act of 1990. The motion passed with two no votes.

September 26, 1990

Adoption of BASF Model Policy On Alternative Work Schedules for Attorneys
The following resolution was passed unanimously...:

WHEREAS, the Bar Association of San Francisco Association has historically been actively committed to the achievement of equal employment opportunity for women in the legal profession and

WHEREAS, the Association has expressed concern that the profession’s escalation salary structure and demands for billable hours are making it increasingly difficult for men and women lawyers to combine family and work responsibilities, and

WHEREAS, the Association recognizes that although men share in child rearing responsibilities, women continue to bear primary responsibility for the care of young children; and

WHEREAS, the Association believes that the profession must adapt to the changing reality of the two-working parent, and single-parent American family and its impact on children; and

WHEREAS, the Association in August 1989 declared that one of the major problems confronting women lawyers is the failure of many legal employers to formulate and implement policies permitting flexible work time options allowing for accommodation of parental and other responsibilities and further declared that “the Association is uniquely in a position to assist San Francisco legal employers in the formulation and implementation of alternative work time options”; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors directed the Subcommittee on Women of the Committee on Equality to study and recommend appropriate policies for provision of alternative worktime options for adoption by the Association and San Francisco legal employers; and

WHEREAS, the Subcommittee on Women has conducted an exhaustive study of this issue culminating in its recommendation that the Association endorse and urge adoption by San Francisco legal employers of a Model Policy on Alternative Work Schedules for Attorneys; and

WHEREAS, the substance of the proposed Model Policy, among its other provisions, affords partners and associates, in writing: (1) a presumption that a request for part-time employment to accommodate child rearing will be granted, subject to periodic review, with compensation to be calculated on a pro rata basis and benefits to be provided in full or on a pro rata basis. and (2) a provision that part-time associates will continue on the partnership track, although in some instances over a longer period, and that part-time associates are eligible for advancement to partner while working part time;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Association adopts the proposed Model Policy on Alternative Work Schedules for Attorneys and urges its adoption, in substance, by San Francisco legal employers, including large, mid-sized and small firms, corporate law departments, public employers and public interest firms;...

November 14, 1990

Report of the President
On October 18-20 the first Statewide California Minority Counsel Program Conference was held in San Francisco. Over three hundred lawyers and corporate representatives attended. Mr. Lee gave special thanks to Dru Ramey and Karen Hobin for organizing the Conference and to Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro for hosting one of the receptions for the Conference participants. Guy Rounsaville and Wells Fargo Bank were thanked for hosting the opening reception and for their enormously generous and ongoing support for the Program.

On November 3, the first Northern California Conference of Bar Leaders was held in San Francisco. President Lee thanked Dru for organizing a remarkable program.

November 28, 1990

Several large and mid-sized San Francisco firms have adopted the substance of the Model Part-time Policy.

1990 Award of Merit Recipients
Paul Gordon
Allen Kato
Iain McDonald
Linda Marks
Jeffrey S. Ross
Guy Rounsaville, Jr.,
Melissa Toben

[Editor's note: End of excerpts]

In addition to these responsibilities, at the outset of my term I made a vow to myself to attend at least one meeting of every BASF committee and section—which I actually may have accomplished—to express my profound interest in and support of their work, and to convey the bar’s appreciation for their tremendous efforts in the trenches of the bar. And, during my visits, I took the opportunity to share my thoughts on the profound benefits of diversity and inclusion in all of our bar’s myriad committees and sections.

Furthermore, during my term, whenever I could, I initiated informal dialogue with both majority and minority local Bay Area Bar Leaders to share, consider and collaborate on issues of common interest and concern.

Finally, I want to again acknowledge and thank the truly magnificent management and staff of BASF under the utterly spectacular and tireless leadership of my great friend and colleague Executive Director and General Counsel Dru Ramey. And, no account of my term as president would be complete without special kudos and thanks to the staff and volunteers of the bar’s Homeless Advocacy Project, led by the incomparable and unforgettable Tanya Neiman.