Membership and Mission

Mission, Goals and Membership Criteria

WWCDA Mission Statement

The Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA) promotes the common business and professional interests of women attorneys who specialize in the representation of corporations, other organizations and individuals facing government enforcement actions (criminal, civil, regulatory, and administrative), and in internal investigations, compliance and ethics matters. WWCDA promotes diversity in the legal profession, organizes business activities to facilitate networking and business development opportunities for women in the practice, and provides educational programming focused on the defense of government enforcement actions and internal investigations, compliance and ethics issues. WWCDA also promotes the common interests of women consulting professionals who specialize in the same field and offer support services and referral opportunities to attorneys in the practice.

WWCDA Goals

  • Promote diversity in the legal profession and in the legal fields of criminal, civil, regulatory, and administrative enforcement, as well as internal investigations, compliance and ethics.
  • Provide networking and business development opportunities for our members and participants in their local markets, as well as nationally and internationally.
  • Develop educational programming focused on the legal fields of criminal, civil, regulatory, and administrative enforcement, as well as internal investigations, compliance and ethics.
  • Facilitate collaboration and communication among our members and participants.
  • Develop resources to assist our members and participants.

WWCDA Membership Criteria

WWCDA has chapters throughout the world. Membership is free. To become a member of WWCDA, you  must be in private practice as a lawyer in a law firm or a professional in a consulting firm that supports white collar defense work. You must also join a chapter where your primary work address is located and meet the additional membership criteria of the particular chapter.   The membership criteria for each chapter can be found on the individual chapter webpages. Review the chapter criteria.  When applying for membership, be sure to use the correct membership category as defined by your chapter criteria.  The membership categories are: 

    1. Law Firm Attorney Member
    2. Consultant Member
    3. Law Firm Attorney Affiliate
    4. Consultant Affiliate

    Select the category you satisfy according to the chapter criteria chapter membership category rules and Apply now.

    Chapter Membership & Categories -- Further Explained Below  

    All chapters welcome as members women attorneys who work in law firms who primarily practice in the area of White Collar Defense and Investigations, defined as those who specialize in the representation of corporations, other organizations and individuals facing government enforcement actions (criminal, civil, regulatory, and administrative), and in internal investigations, compliance and ethics matters.  This category of membership is called:  "Law Firm Attorney Member."

    Some chapters, however, may limit Law Firm Attorney Membership to women of certain seniority in order to facilitate the strength and growth of the professional support and referral network in that chapter.      Although women law firm attorneys of all levels (partner, counsel, associate, staff) may apply to join a chapter, for those chapters that limit membership based upon seniority, those more junior attorneys can still join the chapter under an "Affiliate" status, which permits them to participate in certain activities of the chapter and WWCDA ("Law Firm Attorney Affiliate"). 
     
    Many WWCDA chapters also welcome as members women attorneys and other professionals who work at consulting firms (or non-attorney professionals who work at law firms) that also specialize in the White Collar Defense and Investigations field while offering support services and referral opportunities to attorneys in private practice.  This category of membership is called:  "Consultant Member."   

    However, as WWCDA is primarily an organization for women attorneys in private practice, membership of women consulting professionals may not be permitted in some chapters or only permitted at a certain seniority.       If a chapter limits membership to women law firm attorneys and/or senior women only, the chapter will still offer the opportunity to become an “affiliate” of the chapter, if the woman otherwise qualifies under the criteria set forth herein.  The affiliate status will permit the woman to participate in certain activities of the chapter and WWCDA.  This category of membership is called:  "Consultant Affiliate".  

    To apply, review the chapter criteria, select the membership category you satisfy, and then fill out your application. 
     
    WWCDA Sponsors who are not otherwise a member or affiliate, may be able to participate in certain WWCDA event and activities.  Learn more about becoming a sponsor.   

    Some WWCDA events and activities may be limited to women law firm attorneys.