National Law Journal, Washington's Most Influential Women Lawyers

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A time will arrive, perhaps soon, when singling out lawyers by gender will seem wholly unnecessary. Unfortunately, we're not there yet. Don't buy it? Try answering this question: How many major law firms can you name that are run by women — ditto practice groups, corporate law departments, advocacy groups, public agencies? Some of them? Certainly. Half? Not even close. Barriers have fallen and continue to do so, and the lawyers on our list of Washington's Most Influential Women have career paths that any lawyer — male or female — would envy. These are power players, and they were selected by the editors of The National Law Journal for work that places them in an elite tier. We are recognizing their work, their influence and the fact that they may have had to work a bit harder than many of their male colleagues to get where they are today. Here's to the day when that won't be necessary. — David L. Brown, editor in chief

[Excerpt]

Judith Sandalow
Children's Law Center

When Judith Sandalow became executive director of the Children's Law Center in 2000, the Washington nonprofit had only three staffers. Today, the center deploys a staff of 70, with more than 300 lawyers on its outside roster ready to serve pro bono as guardians ad litem for at-risk children, and Sandalow is a leading voice for children in the District of Columbia. While no one would claim the local abuse-and-neglect system never stumbles, Sandalow's group has done much to deliver real help to more children. She traces the center's growth to a lot of hard work and vigorous fundraising. In her early years at the center, Sandalow said, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) helped by proposing $1 million in earmarks for the organization. Sandalow urged Congress to send the money instead to D.C. Superior Court to build "capacity for high-quality children's lawyers" — which ultimately allowed the court to award a multiyear, multimillion-dollar contract to the center. Jonathan Smith, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, said, "Judith has built an absolutely spectacular organization...a powerhouse in the public policy arena." Sandalow has a personal stake in helping children consigned to the legal system. The same year she joined the Children's Law Center, she adopted two boys she had fostered. — Julio Menache

Full List of Washington's Most Influential Women Lawyers
Nan Aron, president, Alliance for Justice
Charlene Barshefsky, partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
Elise Bean, Democratic staff director and chief counsel, U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
Beth Brinkmann, deputy assistant attorney general, Civil Division appellate staff
Robin Conrad, executive vice president, National Chamber Litigation Center
Marianna Dyson, chair, Miller & Chevalier
Deborah Feinstein, partner, Arnold & Porter
Alice Fisher, partner, Latham & Watkins
Deborah Garza, partner, Covington & Burling
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, justice, U.S. Supreme Court
Jamie Gorelick, partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
Marcia Greenberger, co-president, National Women's Law Center
Elena Kagan, solicitor general, Solicitor General’s Office
Carolyn Lamm, partner, White & Case and president, American Bar Association
Debra Lee, chairman and CEO, BET Holdings Inc.
Linda Lipsen, chief executive officer, American Association for Justice
Marcia Madsen, partner, Mayer Brown   
Laura Miller, partner, Nixon Peabody
Patricia Millett, partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Heather Podesta, founder, Heather Podesta + Partners
Mary Ellen Powers, Washington partner in charge, Jones Day
Jane Sullivan Roberts, managing director, Major, Lindsey & Africa
Lisa Rickard, president, Institute for Legal Reform, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Kathryn Ruemmler, deputy counsel to the president, White House Counsel’s Office
Judith Sandalow, executive director, Children's Law Center
Linda Singer, partner, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
Melanie Sloan, executive director, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Sonia Sotomayor, justice, U.S. Supreme Court
Grace Speights, Washington managing partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
Cheryl Tritt, partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer
Christine Varney, assistant attorney general, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice
Helgi Walker, partner, Wiley Rein
Beth Wilkinson, partner, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison