Minnesota Women Lawyers

What it reported doing in 2024

The MWL Annual Rosalie Wahl Leadership Lecture (Fall 2024) Minnesota Women Lawyers (MWL) held the 30th Annual Rosalie Wahl Leadership Lecture on the evening of Thursday, November 14, 2024 at the University of Minnesota McNamara Alumni Center (200 SE Oak Street, Minneapolis). The program was held from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., with a reception following the program. MWL was pleased to welcome Laura Coates, Anchor and Chief Legal Analyst at CNN, as our keynote speaker. Prior to the keynote remarks, the MWL Foundation presented its 2024 Law Student Scholarships and led its annual "Direct Appeal." The MWL Awards & Recognition Committee also presented the 2024 Social Justice Writing Award. Laura Coates is CNN's chief legal analyst and anchor of Laura Coates Live, airing weeknights at 10:00 pm CST. The show showcases the day's most interesting stories with smart, provocative, and thoughtful analysis, while leveraging Coates' significant experience as a prosecutor and relentless pursuit of the facts. A native of Saint Paul, MN, Coates graduated from Princeton University's School of Public and International Affairs and the University of Minnesota Law School, where she serves on the Board of Advisors. She practiced law in Minnesota and New York handling cases ranging from intellectual property litigation and First Amendment issues to defamation and media law. Called to public service, she transitioned from private practice to the U.S. Department of Justice, and served as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division during the Bush and Obama administrations, specializing in the enforcement of voting rights throughout the country. She also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, prosecuting a myriad of violent felony offenses. The keynote speaker did not receive an honorarium. About the MWL Rosalie Wahl Leadership Lecture: The 2024 Wahl Lecture was the 30th event in the Rosalie Wahl Leadership Lecture series, first established by Minnesota Women Lawyers in 1994. The series honors the career of Justice Rosalie Wahl, the first woman justice to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court, and was created on the occasion of her retirement from the Court. The series features women who inspire the leaders of tomorrow just as Justice Wahl inspired so many of us.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 0%; rating input score 0
• Program expense ratio: 0%; rating input score 0
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 2.9%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.91; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 37.8%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: -2.7% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 27th percentile among comparable filings