Association for Women Lawyers honors women judges with 9K run/walk

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The Association for Women Lawyers found a way to preserve the celebration and camaraderie of Women Judges’ Night with its first “When There 9K” run/walk.

AWL’s flagship event usually draws hundreds of people together to honor women in the judiciary. But because of restrictions on gatherings brought on by the pandemic, top officials at the organization decided to try something different.

The “When There Are 9K” run/walk began on March 15, which would have been Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s 88th birthday. The title is a tribute to Ginsburg’s famous answer to when there will be enough women on the Supreme Court: “When there are nine.”

The run/walk was a weeklong event with 240 participants, who completed the about five-and-a-half miles on their own time. In a show of support, runners and walkers submitted photos to AWL’s Facebook page and other social media throughout the week.

“People are looking for opportunities to get outdoors and network with the legal community,” said Attorney Renee Nawrocki, the president of AWL.

Nawrocki said the event got a terrific response from participants. She credited Attorney Jeunesse Rutledge, AWL director of special events this year, with working tirelessly to plan a safe way to carry on the spirit of Women Judges’ Night.

“People miss people,” Nawrocki said. “They miss getting together. (The 9K) gave people something to look forward, to talk about and to give back to the profession through these scholarships.”

Proceeds from the run/walk will benefit the AWL Foundation’s scholarship program for female law students attending Marquette University Law School and UW Law School. Nawrocki said these scholarships have provided more than $160,000 worth of financial assistance to more than 70 law students in the past 20 years.

A number of run/walk participants are already asking if the 9K will become an annual event. The board hasn’t discussed the possibility yet, but Nawrocki is open to the idea. She said AWL is also putting together a series of wellness and self-care programs to help members recover from what’s been a stressful year.