On March 8, 2019, the ISBA Standing Committee on Women & the Law Committee hosted our third annual celebration of International Women’s Day over afternoon tea at the Langham Hotel in Chicago. The event was an opportunity to gather with other women (and men) to honor the contributions of women to the legal profession.

Afternoon tea consists of a light, bite-sized meal composed of tea sandwiches and savories, scones with clotted cream and jam and pastries. Interestingly, afternoon tea is not the same as high tea.¹ Afternoon tea was a concept started in England in the 1800s when the Duchess of Bedford wanted a small bite between lunch and dinner. Afternoon tea, also called low tea, was around 4 p.m. at low tables with comfortable chairs and sofas in the drawing room. It was intended to be a snack and not a replacement for dinner. High tea, on the other hand, was a working class family’s nourishing evening meal, consisting of meat dishes, potatoes, baked beans, and other heavy dishes. High tea was taken at high dining tables.

Everyone raved about our latest location for the afternoon tea at the Langham, and we look forward to continuing the annual tradition in the coming years. As has been the tradition, the event sold-out and had a waiting list, so we look forward to expanding the size of the event to accommodate more members next year. Next year, International Women’s Day will fall on the weekend, so tentatively mark your calendars for Friday, March 6, 2019 for our 4th annual afternoon tea.

The full photo gallery from the event is available on The Bar News: https://bit.ly/2CcC9qY.

1. https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/afternoon-tea-101-afternoon-tea-and-high-tea-definitions/.