Irma D. Herrera is the Executive Director of Equal Rights Advocates, a San Francisco based organization whose mission is to protect and secure equal rights and economic opportunities for women and girls through litigation and advocacy. During its 33 year history ERA’s lawyers have successfully litigated cases numerous impact cases and greatly expanded opportunities for women. ERA is part the legal team in the on-going battle against Wal-Mart, in the case of Dukes v. Wal-Mart, the largest civil rights class action in which women charge Wal-Mart with systematically denying them equal pay, promotions and training opportunities. During a three year hiatus from practicing law in the 1980s she taught law and social justice and worked as a free lance journalist. Her articles on legal and cultural issues were published in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Newsday, and Ms. Magazine. Irma pursues a dream of someday finding work life balance so she can enjoy spending more time with her spouse and teenage son and pursuing her many interests.

Blog Entries by Irma D. Herrera

A Peaceful Revolution: Pay Discrimination

Posted January 16, 2008 | 05:00 PM (EST)


"There ought to be a law!" How many times have we heard or said those words ourselves when encountering some unfairness? Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said the same thing last year in the dissenting opinion in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire when she urged Congress to pass a law...

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A Peaceful Revolution: Mind the Gap: The Female CEO

Posted December 18, 2007 | 02:22 PM (EST)


Although I'm not a fan of trickle-down economic theory, I've always believed that when women advance into positions of authority in the work world -- pay and other conditions for women at those same companies (and in those job sectors) should eventually improve. Of course what we should strive for...

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A Peaceful Revolution: Equal Pay for Equal Work? Supreme Court Moves Us Backward

Posted September 12, 2007 | 10:05 AM (EST)


When our son Antonio was about eight years old he asked, "Who makes more money, you or daddy?" I was taken aback and slightly irritated by the question. Two years earlier this little boy expressed great surprise upon learning that men could be lawyers. As the executive director of...

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