The Utah Center for Legal Inclusion and Women Lawyers of Utah co-hosted a CLE screening event of the documentary ‘Balancing the Scales’ at the Megaplex Theatre at the Gateway on November 17, 2022. The evening included a catered dining experience by Zao’s Asian Cafe, movie snacks, the film screening, and a presentation by attorney filmmaker Sharon Rowen, moderated by former Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham. See a quick social media recap here.
The evening started off with a warm welcome to Sharon Rowen, a trial lawyer and filmmaker based in Atlanta who founded both the law firm Rowen & Klonoski and the film production company R&K Productions. Her documentary, Balancing the Scales, tells the story of women lawyers in America, and has been broadcast nationwide on public television as well as presented to audiences across the globe on both gender equality and filmmaking for organizations including the US State Department, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Microsoft, Verizon and Prudential, and hundreds of law firms, bar associations and universities. We are grateful to her willingness to join us in Salt Lake City for this film screening and discussion.
We then heard from two of the event’s Gold Sponsors: Art Berger, the Managing Director of Ray Quinney & Nebekker, and Greg Matis, the Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Intermountain Healthcare’s legal office. Each of them underscored the importance of discussing these crucial topics and their own organizations’ commitments to gender equity.
Then the documentary film ‘Balancing the Scales’ was shown. It depicted interviews of female legal professionals conducted over two decades – including interviewees like Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, civil rights attorney Gloria Allred, and Roe v. Wade attorney Margie Pitts Hames – and provided an insightful look at the story of women lawyers in America. Interviews also included state Supreme Court and Appellate Court justices, women equity partners, minority women, associates, and students. They tell their own remarkable and often hilarious stories that felt relatable to the audience. The film also explored how discrimination has shifted from overt to subtle, and why women are leaving the profession. Finally, the film explained why women being promoted to top positions is good for both society; and for firms’ bottom lines – ending on a hopeful and encouraging note.
Following the film, participants had a chance to dive deeper into the topics of women in the legal profession through a moderated discussion with Sharon Rowen and former Justice Christine M. Durham. They discussed questions such as how women in the legal profession manage their work life and their home life; how women can engage men to partner as allies; and what firms can do to be more equitable.
We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors. Without them, this event would not have happened and we would like to thank them for their support of this film, the cause, and women in the legal profession in Utah. The firms and companies who sponsored the screening event are:
GOLD SPONSORS
Workman Nydegger
Intermountain Healthcare
Ray Quinney & Nebeker
SILVER SPONSORS
Women Lawyers of Utah
Wilson Sonsini
Hone Law
Rocky Mountain Advisory
BRONZE SPONSORS
Lone Peak Valuation Group
Kirton McConkie
If your firm or organization had an idea for an event that you would like to sponsor or partner with UCLI on, please contact us at .
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
