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March 2020 Out of Office - On Course With the Lady Birdies

by Kelly L. Galligan and Andrea W. S. Paris




It was obvious we were a team. The four of us wore matching pink polo shirts embroidered with our logo of a bird in the shape of a golf ball standing on a tee with the words “Lady Birdies” beneath it. We arrived at the Orange County Bar Association Charitable Fund’s Judge Kenneth Lae Charity Golf Scramble and looked like we were ready to take the trophy. Take the trophy we did not; but a team we most definitely were.


Lady Birdies got its start three years ago when a few women expressed the desire to improve their golf game significantly, found out that this person or that took golf lessons, which led to introductions, and people showing up to play. The next thing you know, we have a group name (thank you Dana Heyde), a logo (thank you Jessica Achtsam’s husband), an email list of seventy-four professional women who are mostly lawyers (thank you Kelly Galligan), birdie ball markers to celebrate our epic shots (thank you Andrea Paris), and golf scheduled twice a month.


Lady Birdies has had an immense impact on both of the authors’ personal and professional lives, and many others have expressed a similar sentiment. There is not enough room in this column to share the group’s benefits and the reasons we love golf, but we will reveal a few of them here.



1. Mental and Physical Benefits


Getting out to play golf has the health benefits of getting us out of the office, exposure to sunshine, and a good dose of vitamin D. When we walk the course, we get in our 10,000 steps, see greenery, and release endorphins. Elle Woods from Legally Blonde taught us that exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy! Golf is particularly good for our well-being, especially since it is often an alternative to happy hour.


Golf reduces our stress and anxiety, contrary to what many of us think after a rough hole or two. It is a frustrating game, sure, but a lot less frustrating when you’re struggling with other women who are also learning the game. We exuberantly cheer the great shots and enthusiastically offer words of encouragement on the “practice swings.” Sharing triumphs and struggles with others who are also learning a new skill is a bonding experience. As lawyers, our jobs can be all-encompassing at times, and having a passion outside of our profession that provides bonding, social interaction, and stress relief gives our lives balance.



2. Networking and Professional Development


Conventional wisdom says that playing golf could advance one’s career. Golf provides a great opportunity to spend unconnected, uninterrupted, quality and quantity time with clients, prospects, referral sources, and colleagues. Many women who do not play golf miss out on this opportunity because spending a day on the course with these V.I.P.s in our professional world can prove invaluable to growing our network, bringing in business, and strengthening key connections. Consistently playing with other beginner/intermediate golfers gives us the confidence to participate in opportunities to network with others on the golf course. Lauren McKay shares:


Lady Birdies has provided me with an avenue where I can both practice my golf skills in order to get comfortable enough to play golf with other colleagues or clients in tournaments and outings that my law firm participates in, but also, meet and network with a wonderful group of professional women who challenge me to consistently get out on the green, and who, above all, encourage and inspire me to be better not only in my golf game, but also in my career and in life.


The women in Lady Birdies have a strong desire to help one another advance in our careers. The support happens organically and never feels like networking. Yet, we’ve built a strong internal referral network, we share marketing strategies and professional development tips, and we discuss how to navigate workplace politics.



3. Developing Lifelong Friendships


When we asked a few founding members to share how Lady Birdies improved their lives and/or careers, it became clear that the group’s greatest impact came from the friendships we developed. The core group of about ten women who show up regularly built bonds of personal and professional relationships. We became lasting friends who joyfully celebrate each other’s big life moments like making partner, engagements, babies, puppies, and birthdays. We are there for the inevitable losses as well.



Our Lady Birdies Said It Best:


“The group has been such a gift by connecting me with a whole network of hard-working and goal-driven ladies who also understand and embrace the importance of balance. It’s refreshing, rejuvenating, and truly necessary being a part of such a supportive and vibrant group.” ~Jessica Daley


“It’s introduced me to some of my best friends!” ~Proud Usahacharoenporn


“I’m so grateful to belong to the amazing sisterhood that is the Lady Birdies! Over the last few years, the group has given me the opportunity to build deep connections with like-minded strong and positive career women, many of whom I can now call lifelong friends!” ~Lucia Valenzuela


“Each time we’re together, I find myself impressed by and so grateful for all of the kind, inspiring, and successful friends I’ve made. Thank you, Lady Birdies!” ~Kristin Gomez


“Playing golf with these ladies includes having your own personal cheerleading squad for all of your strides on and off the golf course.” ~Lauren McKay


The OCBA and the Charitable Fund have been proactive in increasing the number of female golfers participating in its annual golf tournament. For example, they added female and co-ed brackets and offer an all-levels group clinic for golfers who decide not to play in the tournament for one reason or another, which often includes women who either don’t have the time to play or are new to golf and are not comfortable enough yet to hit the links. Although the Lady Birdies team did not win the trophy at the OCBA Tournament, we are happy to report that we did win the women’s bracket at another. We hope this article encourages some women to pick up a club and meet the Lady Birdies at the driving range or on the course.



Kelly L. Galligan is a corporate attorney at Rutan & Tucker, LLP with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and corporate governance. Kelly can be reached at KGalligan@Rutan.com. Andrea W. S. Paris is an employment and business litigation attorney at Andrea Paris Law, PC with an emphasis on representing small to medium-size businesses. Andrea can
be reached at ap@andreaparislaw.com.



Out of Office is an occasional column in which authors share ways to make life meaningful and fulfilling, during and outside of the practice of law.


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