ABOUT USA community of legal professionals dedicated to leadership, mentorship, service, and advancing women in the legal profession. |
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Welcome
Empowering Women. Strengthening the Legal Community. Since its founding, the Collier County Women's Bar Association (CCWBA) has been committed to supporting women in the legal profession while promoting excellence, professionalism, leadership, and service throughout Collier County. Today, CCWBA brings together attorneys, judges, legal professionals, law students, and affiliate members who share a common goal: building a stronger legal community through education, mentorship, advocacy, and meaningful relationships. What We Do: Professional Development: Educational programming and CLE opportunities designed to keep members informed and engaged. Networking: Monthly luncheons, special events, and leadership opportunities that foster meaningful professional relationships. Mentorship: Supporting attorneys and law students through guidance, collaboration, and professional growth. Community Service: Partnering with local organizations and charitable initiatives to make a positive impact throughout Collier County. |
Our Mission The purpose of the Collier County Women’s Bar Association is the “promotion, recognition and encouragement of the contributions of women within the legal profession and judiciary, improvement of the administration of justice and the elevation of judicial standards, promotion of the study of law particularly among women, dissemination of legal knowledge to all members of the community and improvement of relations between members of the Bar, judiciary and public.” Our members are the most valuable asset that we have. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent are the foundation of our organization. We embrace and encourage our members’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our members unique. We will make every effort to implement and enforce this policy in our organization. |
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Our History
The Collier County Women's Bar Association (CCWBA) traces its roots to the 1980s, when a small group of women attorneys—including Helen Sundgren, Kathleen Passidomo, Brenda Wilson, Jana Jay, and others—began gathering for informal monthly lunches to build professional relationships and support one another in a field where women were still a minority.
As the legal community grew, these early gatherings evolved into a vision for a dedicated women's bar association in Collier County. In 1992, Sharon Hanlon and Judith McCaffrey brought their passion and experience with women's bar organizations to Naples and worked alongside local attorneys to formally establish the organization.
In January 1993, a letter was sent to women attorneys throughout Collier County to gauge interest in forming a local association. The enthusiastic response led to the first official luncheon in April 1993, followed shortly by a kickoff event held during the Florida Bar's annual meeting in Naples. These events marked the official beginning of the Collier County Women's Bar Association.
Since then, CCWBA has grown from a small group of approximately 15 members into a thriving organization that welcomes attorneys, law students, and affiliate members who share a commitment to professional excellence, leadership, mentorship, and community service.
Today, CCWBA continues to foster meaningful professional relationships, provide educational and networking opportunities, encourage mentorship, and support the advancement of women in the legal profession while serving the broader Collier County community.
SPONSORS
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Our sponsors play an essential role in supporting CCWBA's mission. Their partnership helps make educational programming, scholarships, networking events, and community initiatives possible. Thank you to our 2026-2027 CCWBA Sponsors! |
Diamond Sponsors Boatman Ricci Bonaquist | Allen Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC FineMark Bank & Trust Goede, DeBoest & Cross, PLLC Gunster Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP Quarles Varnum LLP | Gold Sponsors Coleman, Taylor, Klaus, Doupe, Dean Mead FisherBroyles, LLP Henderson Franklin Woods, Weidenmiller, | Silver Sponsors Collier Community Foundation Diamond Court Reporting HLH Law Group JP Morgan Private Bank McLaughlin & Stern PLLC PNC Private Bank Wilson & Johnson, P.A. | Bronze Sponsors Catherine McAvoy, PA, Premier Sotheby's Cenecharles Law Cowan Boyd, PLLC Dal Lago Law Florida Trust Wealth Management Krystal Hanks Law Law Office of Tammy Strohl Law Office of Sharon M. Hanlon, PA Manning & Napier Marshall Law Office Senior Advocacy Group / Fiduciary Associates Shemkus Family Law, P.A. Weldon & Rothman, PL |
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