Gardere to Host Second Corporate Guild Event Benefiting Dress for Success Dallas

The Women's Council of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, a leading Southwest law firm, will host the second event of the Dress for Success Dallas Corporate Guild's inaugural year on Thursday, April 29, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the Hotel Palomar. The networking event will feature a presentation by Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak, co-authors of the new book Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi Woman's Journey From the Heart of War to the Heartland of America. Audience Q&A will follow the presentation.

Dress for Success Dallas, a nonprofit organization that provides business attire and career support services for disadvantaged women seeking employment, is actively working to expand the membership in the Dress for Success Dallas Corporate Guild, which helps raise needed funds to handle the growing demand for services by women who are unemployed.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP and The Warrior Group are the founding members of the Corporate Guild. In addition to traditional financial contributions, the Corporate Guild will also provide support to Dress for Success in terms of volunteers, suit donations and attendance at other Dress for Success events. The goal for the remainder of the inaugural year of the Corporate Guild is to expand membership to five business entities and create a continuous base of funding and advocacy to continue the mission of Dress for Success Dallas. Corporate Guild membership is available at two levels: $3,500 or $2,000.

"Dress for Success Dallas has experienced an increase in the demand and need for services this year, due to the down economy. We provided suits, career counseling and support services to 55 percent more women in the first quarter of 2010, when compared to 2009. Since 1997, Dress for Success has served more than 500,000 women worldwide," states Sheena Payne, acting executive director in Dallas. "We are honored to expand the Dress for Success Corporate Guild initiative in Dallas, as the local group promises to provide an expanded base of business community support that is critical to the growth in services provided by Dress for Success Dallas."

"Gardere is pleased to continue our Firm's record of support for Dress for Success by establishing and growing the new corporate guild for Dress for Success Dallas. Gardere is a longtime supporter of the corporate guilds for both the Houston and Austin affiliates, and we see the Dallas community very much in need of the services provided by Dress for Success," says Jane Fergason, partner and chair of the Gardere Women's Council. The Council is a business networking and professional development organization established to support the interests of the firm's female attorneys and clients. "Our involvement in the Dress for Success Dallas Corporate Guild is another way for our members and the firm to give back to the community that has given so much to us."

About Dress for Success Dress for Success^® is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Visit www.dressforsuccess.org/dallas for more information.