Our Story

Karen Popp , Global Chair and Co-Founder

The Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA) was founded in 1999 with the establishment of the Washington D.C. chapter. Our founders recognized a glaring lack of women in white collar practice and in existing professional white collar organizations. Such professional activities are crucial in promoting diversity in the practice, providing educational programs and networking to develop business in the practice area.  

Since those early days, WWCDA has expanded to 41 chapters throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific — Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Denver, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee/Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon/Idaho, Puerto Rico, London, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Toronto, Vancouver, Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia.

Membership in these chapters consists of more than 1,700 women in the practice of white collar defense. Many of our members have served in government positions and in corporate roles. Notable members have included former corporate General Counsels and Chief Compliance Officers, as well as former prosecutors and high ranking government officials. 

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.

For more information, please contact Karen A. Popp, Global Chair and Co-Founder, or Kristin Graham Koehler, Global Secretary. 

KAREN A. POPP
SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP
1501 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
+1 202 736 8053 
kpopp@sidley.com


KRISTIN GRAHAM KOEHLER

SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP
1501 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
+1 202 736 8359
kkoehler@sidley.com