Ethics: Unconscious Bias Against Women in the Law

What You Will Learn

• How to recognize bias against women
• How to combat bias against women
• How to be an ally for women who are facing gender bias

Speakers

Carolyn E. Coffey is the Director of Litigation for Economic Justice at Mobilization for Justice, Inc. (MFJ). MFJ provides free legal assistance to New York City residents in the areas of housing, foreclosure, public benefits, civil and disability rights, employment, and consumer and family law, prioritizing services to vulnerable and under-served populations, while simultaneously working to end the root causes of inequities through law reform, impact litigation, and policy advocacy. Ms. Coffey also directly supervises MFJ’s Consumer Rights and Low-Income Bankruptcy Projects, which provide advice, counsel, and defensive and affirmative representation to low-income New Yorkers in state and federal court lawsuits and appeals. Ms. Coffey is the co-chair of the New York City Consumer Advocates Taskforce and is an adjunct professor at Cardozo Law School, where she teaches a consumer clinic seminar.

Kathleen Engel, Research Professor of Law at Suffolk University, is a national authority on mortgage finance and regulation, subprime and predatory lending, consumer credit, and housing and credit discrimination. H¬¬er publications include the book The Subprime Virus: Reckless Credit, Regulatory Failure and Next Steps. Professor Engel has advised numerous federal and state agencies on matters related to financing of loans. She sits on the boards of Consumer Reports, the International Association of Consumer Law, and NACA. She previously served on the Consumer Advisory Board of the CFPB and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors’ Consumer Advisory Council.

Beth E. Terrell is a founding member of Terrell Marshall Law Group PLLC, a plaintiff-side law firm in Seattle, WA. Beth concentrates her practice in complex litigation, including the prosecution of consumer, defective product, and wage and hour class actions. Beth has served as co-lead counsel on class actions resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements for consumers and workers. Beth co-chairs Practicing Law Institute (PLI)’s Consumer Financial Services Institute, and frequently presents on a wide variety of topics, including class actions, consumer protection, legal ethics, gender equity, and electronic discovery. Beth serves as President of the Public Justice Foundation Board of Directors and Chair of both the Northwest Consumer Law Center and the Washington Employment Lawyers Association.