Women’s Committee

Annual Tea Party

Every summer, FBANC Advisory Board Member and Trailblazer Award Recipient Ruthe Ashley hosts the FBANC Women’s Committee Annual Tea Party at her beautiful home.

Due to COVID-19, this summer’s tea party will be held virtually on Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Additional details to follow.

Pinay Powerhouse Conference

In 2016, Pinay Powerhouse founders Christine Start , Mari Bandoma Callado, Lorna Garcia De Guzman, Vanessa Candelaria and Jennifer Sta. Ana envisioned a women’s conference focused on empowering Filipina attorneys and aspiring attorneys as leaders in the law. 

With the support of the women of the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California (FBANC), Laurie Rose Lubiano, Katrina Romero, Jeanne Grove, Vanessa Leonardo, Angelica Leonardo and Carmelita Miller, the founders’ vision came to fruition in 2017.  Over 100 Filipina judges, attorneys, and aspiring attorneys attended the Inaugural Pinay Powerhouse Conference 2017 hosted by the Filipino Bar Association of Northern California in San Francisco, California.

Following the success of the inaugural conference, the Philippine American Bar Association (PABA), together with FBANC and other Filipino bar associations in the United States, hosted the second installment of Pinay Powerhouse in Los Angeles, California.  The third Pinay Powerhouse Conference was held on Oahu, Hawaii and the fourth Pinay Powerhouse Conference was scheduled to be hosted by the Filipino Lawyers of Washington (FLOW) in Seattle, WA but was postponed due to COVID-19.

Quarterly Luncheons

The FBANC Women’s Committee hosts quarterly luncheons all over the SF Bay Area to discuss issues affecting Pinay attorneys and provide mentorship opportunities and provide meaningful resources for our members. 

If you would like to host a luncheon, please contact Vanessa Leonardo at vanessaleonardo@fbanc.org

Mixers

The FBANC Women’s Committee regularly hosts mixers to provide networking and mentorship opportunities.

MCLE and Webinars

The FBANC Women’s Committee puts on MCLE and webinars on various topics such as:

• Mothers in Law panel on work-life balance as an attorney (May 2019)

• Practicing Law while Sheltering in Place (May 2020)

Women’s Committee Scholarships and Stipends

FBANC Foundation Hon. Eleanor Oducayen Women’s Committee Scholarship

This scholarship commemorates Judge Nisperos, California’s first Filipina American attorney and FBANC’s first President,. It is awarded to a to a college student or graduate applying to law school.  This scholarship is in the amount of $1,500*.

The amount of this scholarship may change.

FBANC Foundation Pinay Powerhouse Conference Stipend

Since 2017, the FBANC Women’s Committee and the FBANC Foundation has provided a stipend in the amount of $500 to $1,000 to a law student or recent graduate to attend the Pinay Powerhouse Conference.