by Ann Marie Deer Owens

While significant process has been made during the past five years to improve the condition of women in the justice system, gender bias persists, panelists agreed during a public discussion hosted by the Vanderbilt School of Law.

Three members of the Commission on Gender Fairness talked about their findings and recommendations during an Oct. 9 meeting attended by about 75 people. The event was designed to further public education, discussion and comment on the commission's report.

Vanderbilt Professor of Law Donald J. Hall, who is co-chair of the commission, stressed the need for the Tennessee Supreme Court to appoint a statewide committee to oversee implementation of his group's recommendations.

These include: training programs on the existence and consequences of gender bias for all judicial employees, attorneys and judges; systematic data collection pertaining to gender fairness by the Administrative Office of the Courts; and the development of guidelines by judges to ensure that attorney appointments and fee awards are based on gender-neutral considerations.

Kathryn R. Edge, attorney with Miller & Martin and the other co-chair, said that gender bias is more subtle today than in 1992, when public hearings were conducted by the Tennessee Bar Association Commission on Women and Minorities in the Profession. She noted that Tennessee lags behind many other states in the number of women who are judges.

Judy M. Cornett, professor of law at the University of Tennessee, said she has heard female students voice complain about gender stereotyping, lack of mentors and other concerns similar to those of women in the law profession.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has the recommendations of the Commission on Gender Fairness as well as the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness under review. A panel of members of the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness will make a presentation Nov. 11. Speakers will include Renard A. Hirsch, attorney with Smith and Hirsch and commission chair, and Donald J. Polden, dean of the Cecil L. Humphries School of Law at the University of Memphis and commission vice chair. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will be in Room 133 of the Vanderbilt School of Law at 3:15 p.m.