A Career in the Courtroom: A Different Model for the Success ... - DRI

Management
and
Retention
Strategies
for Law
Firms
appointed to the Supreme Court: “…the minute Justice Ginsberg came to the Court,
we were nine justices. It wasn’t seven and then ‘the women.’ We became nine. And it
was a great relief to me…” 10 If a woman at the pinnacle of the legal profession feels
the pressure of being the sole female voice, is it that difficult to appreciate the isolation
and pressure of a single woman associate in her law firm?
Isolation and pressure are common situations for women lawyers. The risk of an
associate being isolated can be particularly acute for women attorneys of color. A report
by the Minority Corporate Counsel Association notes that “for women attorneys of
color, the acute stress of being isolated at work as a person of color and the pressures
of balancing family demands as working mother can lead to early burnout and high
attrition rates, even for ‘high performers.’” 11
Firms that are friendly and open to hiring and promoting young women litigators
do exist. Women interested in litigation should look for these firms, should talk to their
colleagues and identify law firms that are committed to the development, progression
and advancement of women litigators. Recognition that some types of practice are
more accommodating to a balance between work and family life offers women lawyers
the option to remain in the profession even if not in private practice. If a woman
attorney finds herself in a firm that is not honestly committed to the advancement
of women litigators, she has several choices: (1) stay the course and try to change the
culture; (2) do good work and hope the partners recognize and acknowledge her value;
or (3) move to a more accepting and inviting firm or environment. Such opportunities
do exist and the liberating experience they offer is exhilarating. If a woman lawyer does
choose to change law firms or move into a governmental or in-house position, she
should maintain the best possible relationship that she can with colleagues in the organization
she is leaving. Don’t burn bridges. Many lawyers get a substantial part of
their business from referrals by other lawyers, often from the old firm.
Finally, one step toward success for women in the practice of law is to recognize
that their careers may not be linear. A woman can choose to sequence her career, i.e.,
to work for the government or in a public interest legal group when she has young
children, and later enter or return to private practice when the balance between
work and family life so allows.
Women trial lawyers bring to their firms and to their clients a wealth of talent, intelligence,
drive, tenacity, and creativity. In many respects, the qualities female trial
lawyers bring to their work differ insignificantly from the qualities of their male
counterparts. 12 Their clients are well served, as are their firms.
Today, women litigators are viewed as a hot commodity, and most firms recognize
their value. Women attorneys who have been in litigation for 20 to 30 years are now
reaping the rewards of their hard work and are earning respect for their impressive
10 Id. at xiv.
11 See MCCA Report, supra note 2.
12 Deborah L. Rhode, The Unfinished Agenda: Women and the Legal Profession, 9 (American
Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, 2001).
24 A Career in the Courtroom: A Different Model for the Success of Women Who Try Cases