Former US ambassador to Ukraine and New York Times bestselling author Marie Yovanovitch was at the top of the bill at the recent Women, Influence & Power in Law 2022 conference in Washington DC, attended by Appleby partner Tammy Richardson-Augustus.

The Canadian-American former diplomat was the target of a conspiracy-driven smear campaign, amplified by then President Donald Trump and his allies, before she was abruptly recalled from her embassy post following claims she was undermining Trump's efforts and motives in Ukraine.

She spoke at the conference on her decades of experience as a diplomat. Her remarks focused on the rule of law, which, she said, must be supported by an entire culture, including institutions and ethical professionals within governments, NGOs, civil society and the press.

Ms Richardson-Augustus said the conference was an opportunity for unprecedented exchange between women on industry trends and issues, including strategic leadership, intellectual evolution, operational efficiency, emerging regulatory issues, and the growing role of general counsels as business advisers and C-suite specialists.

Women represent half of Appleby’s Bermuda lawyers and two thirds of its Bermuda team. Last week, the firm stated its commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging — including a culture which reflects and supports the advancement of women in law.

Ms Richardson-Augustus, who also attended WIPL US in 2021, said: “The dialogue was a poignant and timely reminder that, as lawyers, we are part of a set of legal institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law and preserving it for the benefit of humanity. This requires us to act beyond our core competencies and to serve with an inextinguishable sense of integrity, fairness and accountability.”

Other topics discussed at the event were: How to Build and Keep A Network That Fosters You Through Your Career; Girls Who Code; and Raising Our Voices: Women Who Led the Effort to End Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Harassment.

Ms Richardson-Augustus is a member of Appleby Bermuda’s corporate department where she maintains a diversified practice with emphasis on domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, capital markets and securities, secured and unsecured lending transactions, and general corporate governance matters.