Griffiths Goyette

Anne Lawlor Goyette has joined Signature Resolution as part of the inaugural ADR team in their new Silicon Valley office opening in November 2024. Anne's webpage has also moved. You can now find it at the following link: https://lnkd.in/gvKrPVUG.

Anne Lawlor Goyette has joined Signature Resolution as part of the inaugural ADR team in their new Silicon Valley office opening in November 2024. https://lnkd.in/gvKrPVUG

#OnThisDay in 2020, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, died while in office. She was the first woman to lie in state in the United States Capitol.

This looks like an interesting webinar coming up in about an hour. There are new programs developed by state and local courts offering alternative pathways to resolving disputes for the high volume of civil cases filed in state courts. This is imagined to change the court experience for users, boost and strengthen community, and promote judicial efficiency. https://lnkd.in/g854Uf-4 #WebinarAlert #AlternativeDisputeResolution #StateCourts #LocalCourts #CivilCases #LegalInnovation #ADR

A little Monday mediation humor for the week. #MeditationHumor #Mediation #AlternativeDisputeResolution

This week’s Women in Law spotlight shines on Margaret Brent. Margaret Brent was the first woman in the New World to request the right to vote. Her life remains somewhat mysterious due to the lack of records from her early years. However, the existing accounts reveal that her actions were extraordinary, especially given the constraints faced by women in the 17th-century American colonies. Despite living in a male-dominated society, Margaret's assertiveness and independence were remarkable, even though they aligned with English law on paper. Margaret was an English immigrant who arrived in the Colony of Maryland in 1638 as an adult and unmarried, accompanied by a few of her siblings. It was highly unusual for a woman to emigrate as the head of her own household during that time. Margaret secured a land grant for herself, engaged in various business ventures such as trading tobacco and indentured servants, and frequently appeared in court to protect her interests and sue for debts. She became a prominent figure in the colony, both as a businesswoman and a landowner, and is recognized as the first woman in the English North American colonies to appear before a court of common law. In 1647, Leonard Calvert, the Governor of the Maryland Colony, appointed Margaret as the executrix of his estate. He entrusted her with ensuring the settlement's survival following the repercussions of England’s 1645 civil war. Margaret likely saved the Maryland Colony from violent mutiny by having the assembly transfer Leonard Calvert’s power of attorney to her, allowing her to secure additional resources to pay Calvert’s soldiers. It was during this time period that her most famous action occurred – requesting two votes in the assembly as part of trying to revolve the Calvert affairs. Despite her significant contributions, Margaret's actions were poorly received by the second Lord Baltimore, ultimately forcing her to leave the colony. She relocated to Virginia, where she lived until her death in 1671. Unfortunately the Brent family estates were burned by British raiders during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, resulting in the loss of detailed records, including Margaret's exact birth and death dates. [Image is a conjectural drawing of "Margaret Brent" by Edwin Tunis, ca. 1934, MSA SC 1480] #WomenInLaw #WomenInLeadership #WomensRights #FemaleFirsts #WomenInHistory

We are excited to share that Anne Lawlor Goyette has recently had another article published in Plaintiff Magazine. Take a look on our website, where the article is available to read in blog format, linked to Plaintiff's website or as a downloadable PDF. https://lnkd.in/gPDZdcD6 #ADR #WIDR #WomenInDisputeResolution #PlaintiffMagazine #ExecuteAnActionPlan

Assumptions- One common mistake in mediations is making assumptions about facts that aren't actually in evidence—and likely never will be. It's human nature to "fill in the gaps," but unless we listen closely and examine the facts with care, we often end up drawing the wrong conclusions.

Wishing you a fun, relaxing holiday!

This week’s Women In Law spotlight is on Paula Canny, a follow up from our last post about Elinor Falvey. Paula Canny is the recipient of the 2024 Women Lawyers' Section of the San Mateo County Bar Association annual Elinor Falvey Award. Paula is a criminal defense attorney with over 40 years of experience and is passionate about advocating for womens’ rights. In addition to her criminal defense work, she has also fought to address needed reforms within the Criminal Justice System in California, including advocating for people with serious mental illness. She believes serious mental illness is a public health issue - not a criminal justice problem. One highlight of Paula’s career is bringing lawsuits against various California Counties to require Sheriffs to provide menstrual products to women inmates without charge, and after two years of work, winning. Paula has dived into social justice programs addressing things such as human trafficking, and she has authored a book about her own personal journey healing from breast cancer. She also frequently commentates on local television and radio. Paula attended the University of San Francisco School of Law for her J.D. Paula’s achievements are well worthy of this award, and we are glad to share and spotlight her. [Picture from her website]. #WomenInLaw #WomenInLeadership #WomensRights #SocialJustice