About Us
The Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association (JWLA) was founded in 1982 to provide support and networking for women lawyers in Jacksonville, Florida. JWLA membership is open to all attorneys, male or female, in Jacksonville, Florida and surrounding counties. JWLA is a Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers.
JWLA’s mission is to actively promote gender equality and the leadership roles of its members in the legal profession, judiciary and community at large.
JWLA strives to accomplish its mission through CLE Luncheons addressing issues of importance to women and focused on achieving gender equality, networking receptions, supporting members for appointments to Florida Bar Standing Committees and JNCs, providing oversight of the JNC process, nominating deserving members for awards and recognition, and lobbying local and State government on non-partisan issues that align with the mission. Our Bylaws can be found here.
JWLA Past Presidents
1983-1984
Ann Finnell
1984-1985
Vickie Elder
1985-1986
Barbara Bost McGriff
1986-1987
Erin L. Denny
1987-1988
Janet E. Davis
1988-1989
M. Lee Fagan
1989-1991
Pat Vail
1991-1992
Tonia Yazgi*
Florida Association for Women Lawyers President 1995-1996
1992-1993
Kathy Sands
1993-1994
Kathy Wilson
1994-1995
Leslie Davies
1994-1995
Hon. Eleni Derke*
Elected to the Bench in January 1995
1995-1996
Jeanine B. Sasser
1996-1997
Sarah Sharp
1997-1998
Tracy Tyson Miller
1998-1999
Leslie Wickes
1999-2001
Margaret Means Calvin
2001-2002
Cheryl Lynn Virta
2002-2003
Amy Sullivan Croft
2003-2004
Paola Parra Harris
2004-2005
Paula Brice
2005-2006
Deborah L. Greene
2006-2007
Patricia M. Dodson
2007-2008
Susan Haag
2008-2009
Anita Pryor (Clark)
2009-2010
Mary Scott
2010-2011
Lindsay Tygart
2011-2012
Stephanie Harriett Wartenberg
2012-2013
Kathryn Naugle
2013-2014
Kate Mesic
2014-2015
Susannah Collins
2015-2016
Joanne Fakhre
2016-2017
Amelia Henderson
2017-2018
Jennifer Shoaf Richardson*
Florida Association for Women Lawyers President 2018-2019
2018-2019
Jamie W. Karpman
2019-2020
Sarah Mannion
2020-2021
Cyndy Trimmer