A conversation that began with a curious teenager asking questions about careers in law has grown into an annual event designed to inspire the next generation of female leaders.
Girls Inc. of Owensboro-Daviess County and German American Bank recently hosted the third Women in Law Day, bringing together attorneys, judges, law enforcement officers and other legal professionals to introduce 14 girls in grades 7-12 to careers in the legal field.
This year’s event held special significance because it was largely organized by recent Apollo High School honors graduate LaShay Vera, whose curiosity helped spark the program’s creation in 2022.
“Women in Law Day is an event dedicated to education and empowerment,” Vera said. “It’s a day where female judges, attorneys and law enforcement officers all come together for one goal, and that’s to truly inspire young girls to possibly pursue a career in law and encourage them to be strong, smart and bold.”
Vera has attended Girls Inc. since she was 13 and said the organization helped cultivate leadership skills by providing opportunities to serve as a volunteer, ambassador and staff member.
She said Girls Inc. didn’t create her passion for the law but gave her the confidence to pursue it.
“I’ve always had a love for the law, but Girls Inc. gave me the opportunity to allow that love to grow,” Vera said. “Now I’m able to use my passion to inspire other girls. Seeing the younger girls ask questions and watching their light shine was truly humbling. It showed me that the work wasn’t in vain. This event wasn’t about me — it was about them.”
Vera will attend the University of Louisville this fall, where she plans to major in criminal justice while following a pre-law track before attending law school.
The event began with lunch and a question-and-answer session at German American Bank before participants walked to the Daviess County Courthouse. There, girls heard from a panel of attorneys, judges and law enforcement professionals before participating in a mock trial in Judge Shannon Meyer’s courtroom.
The event began with lunch and a question-and-answer session at German American Bank, after which participants walked to the Daviess County Courthouse. There, the girls heard from a panel of legal professionals representing a variety of careers before taking part in a mock trial inside Family Court Judge Jennifer Hendricks’ courtroom.
The panel included attorney and German American Bank President of Risk Management Mary Moorhouse, Owensboro City Commission candidate Pam Smith-Wright, Family Court Judge Jennifer Hendricks, former Administrative Judge Jenie Owens, District Court Judge Shannon Meyer, District Court Judge Brian Quattrochi, District Court Judge-elect Leah Rogers, attorney Leigh Jackson, University of Louisville law student Taylor Smith, and Daviess County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Kelsey Skaggs, Officer Jessica Kircher, and Officer Kylee Brinson.
Following the panel discussion, participants took part in a mock trial coordinated by Phillip Page, Yanelle Farley and Rachel Dudko, with members of the panel assisting throughout the exercise.
Senior Vice President of Retail Banking Krista Niehaus said the event traces its roots to a conversation during preparations for the 2022 ATHENA Awards.
Vera was interviewing bank representatives when she learned Moorhouse was both an attorney and a banking executive.
“She said, ‘Hold on, you can be an attorney and work at a bank?'” Niehaus recalled. “That drove us to start building this Women in Law program. We wanted to show girls there are so many different career paths within the legal profession.”
Since then, organizers have intentionally expanded the program beyond traditional attorneys to include judges, detectives, and other professionals whose work intersects with the legal system.
“We wanted the girls to see that law isn’t just one career,” Niehaus said. “There are so many different opportunities.”
Niehaus credited Vera with taking ownership of this year’s event, coordinating speakers, developing the agenda, and even helping create the mock trial exercise.
“LaShay ran the entire thing,” Niehaus said. “It was really impactful. The girls asked amazing questions about career paths, work-life balance, challenges in the profession, and what re-energizes us. They were genuinely engaged.”
For Vera, the experience reinforced her own career aspirations while creating opportunities for younger girls to explore possibilities she once only imagined.
“Today just made me want to get there even sooner,” she said. “There are no barriers or obstacles that will get in the way of me pursuing this dream that will soon become a reality.”
