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Negotiating Pay: Preparation Is Power

Submitted by Laurel Bellows

Congratulations! Your job interviews at a law firm or other business have gone well, and you are fairly certain you will be offered a position. Soon you will have to negotiate your pay.

My professional expertise is in executive compensation matters, as well as employment and severance agreements and benefit plans, and I understand the importance of smart compensation negotiations.

Preparation is key — disciplined preparation and not just a few notes jotted down on the run.

First, think about your dream agreement and write it out. Describe to yourself the terms you would like to reach with your prospective employer.

Then do some homework. Make at least 10 calls to see if you can determine the comparables for the pay in your line of work at your level. See if you can establish how the company is performing. Is it making a lot of money or counting its pennies? Be realistic about what you ask for, but do not sell yourself short. And do not provide a salary range. Respond with the lowest salary you will accept because you will not be offered more than that amount.

Words of Wisdom: Advice from former SCOTUS Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

Submitted by nshah

Recently, on a flight to Chicago, Ms. JD Global Education Fund Director Neha Shah had the distinct pleasure of meeting former United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. She was given the opportunity to do a quick interview on behalf of Ms. JD, and today she shares with you the words of wisdom provided by her lady justice.

NS: After graduating the top of your class at Stanford law school, you worked for free in your first job until you were given a full-time paid position. What advice can you offer to graduates and young attorneys who are looking for jobs in such a tough job market? Do you think the idea of working for free is still applicable?

SDO: No, the market has changed…and it includes women. This wasn’t the case when I was working. The key is to target things that you want to do and industries that you want to work in. If you are interested in the public sector, target the public sector. If you are interested in the private sector, target the private sector. You have to target your interests.

NS: What is the toughest obstacle you have overcome as a lawyer or judge?

Anticipating my Summer Internship at Vermont Natural Resources Council

Submitted by symorgan

When I first started my internship search, there were a few criteria I was looking for. Of course, a part of me felt that I would be grateful for any internship in this economy, and this feeling was bolstered by the stories of a few 2L friends for whom nothing had panned out their first summer. But I also felt it was important to be focused in my search, and seek out meaningful work so that I could further the goals that had brought me to law school to begin with.

My first priority was to find an organization that worked on environmental issues. The environment has long been my passion, and really the only topic I could see instilling enough drive in me to enter a legal career. I have spoken to a few people who say it was always their dream to become a lawyer, but for me that has not been the case. My dream has always been to help the environment, and it's through that dream that I found the law. Another priority was to stay in Vermont and start to build connections in the state in which I hope to settle. Lastly, I was looking to feel a connection to the mission of the organization, and to its other employees.

Totenberg Sisters Talk Media, Law, & Life

Submitted by MilspouseJD

By Reda Hicks, May 16, 2013

Last Monday in New York there was an event called Media & the Law: The 3 Totenbergs,featuring what might be the most powerhouse group of sisters you’ve ever come across:

Judge Amy Totenberg of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia;
Jill Totenberg, CEO of the New York-based PR firm The Totenberg Group; and
Nina Totenberg, long-time legal affairs correspondent for NPR.

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To say that these ladies cover the whole of “Media & the Law” would be an understatement, and their discussion on the intersection between the two showed just how much news, communications, and law really overlap in this day and age.

Media Portrayals of Leading Ladies in Law: Time for a Comedy?

Submitted by chelsz

This semester I took on an independent study project that looked at media portrayals of women in the law based on a screening of Miss Representation hosted by the Women and the Law Program at American University Washington College of Law. Part of my research required me to watch all those television shows I had never had time to watch before. In addition to re-watching episodes of Boston Legal and Law & Order: SVU, I’ve watched Ally McBeal, The Good Wife, Damages, and Suits…as homework!

I’ve spent hours analyzing the character development of woman lawyers on television, identifying common stereotypes, and trying to determine the impact of these characters on the viewing audience. Throughout my research, I’ve been intrigued by the similar genre these shows fall in and the impact that might have on the public perception of women in the law. The viewing audience for the more prominent shows portraying women in the law is primarily adult—based on subject matter, scheduling, and channel.

Rules Are Made To Be Broken

Submitted by JoanneEWilson

One of the rules I learned during bar prep was that you should study in a place where you won't be detected. I was told to study in a quiet area where no one could bother me and I could focus solely on my information. It's worked well for hundreds of students and it would be what worked, I was told.

I immediately broke that rule.

Why break such a fundamental rule of bar prep, you ask?

Because it's a dumb rule.

Yes, I know that's juvenile but allow me to explain a bit.

When I sat for the February bar exam, there were 1,349 other students sitting in that room with me. Those students shifted, coughed, insisted on running to bathrooms to pee/scream, and made noises that I can't even begin to describe. That's not even counting the number of proctors and monitors that were moving up and down the rows of students like prison guards ensuring that we were not cheating. The room is huge and everything echoes. Look at the picture and now imagine over a thousand nervous, agitated, panicked people in there. There's a lot going on in that room during one of the most critical times of any law students life that could destroy a normal persons concentration.

Best Friends at the Bar: Ladies DC Features BFAB at the Annual Happy Hour

Submitted by Susan Smith Blakely

Check out the link below and the invitation to the Ladies DC event on May 28th at the A Bar featuring Best Friends at the Bar. I will be making remarks and taking questions, and I can't wait to see you all there!

Ladies DC is a great organization for young professional women, and the leadership understands that the messages of Best Friends at the Bar are not limited to women in the law. The messages about work-life challenges and the difficulties of working in male dominated environments extend to young women in other professional settings as well.

Thank you to Ladies DC for highlighting Best Friends at the Bar and helping young women survive and thrive in their professional lives.

https://www.facebook.com/events/451254398284308/?fref=ts

What Sheryl Sandberg, my mom and Yogi Berra have taught me about work-life balance

Submitted by KelliePantekoek

This past Mother’s Day was my last as a non-mother, so naturally I’ve been thinking a lot lately about being a mom, and more specifically, being a working mom. Above all, I keep asking myself one thing: Do I have what it takes to balance work, life and motherhood? No doubt, this is a question many young, professional females have grappled with.

While we don’t have generations upon generations of working mothers to look to for advice, we do have some very accomplished women who have shared their recipes for success when it comes to balancing work and motherhood.

Over the past couple months, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has been perhaps the most widely-discussed advice-giver with the release of her book “Lean In,” which she describes as a "sort of feminist manifesto." In my opinion, the book provides valuable advice for women, especially those beginning their careers in the business and legal fields.

Many rising female attorneys are faced right away with the decision of whether to commit to the partner track or choose another path. Sandberg advises that women shouldn’t plan for future “either/or” forks in their career paths. Instead, Sandberg advises to “lean in,” and when the time comes, learn how to juggle.

Mark Your Calendars Now! Ms. JD’s 2014 Conference: Passion Forward is set for February 21-22, 2014 in Austin, Texas!

Submitted by editor

Ms. JD is proud to announce that our Sixth Annual Conference on Women and the Law will be February 21-22, 2014 at The University of Texas School of Law, in partnership with the Center for Women in the Law. We anticipate that this year’s conference, themed Passion Forward, will prove to be one of our most exciting and successful events to date.

Last year at She Leads we provided attendees with the tools to identify and develop their leadership skills. Now, fueled by Ms. JD’s passion for helping law students and young lawyers thrive, we plan to help participants set themselves apart by showcasing the things they are truly excited about.

Passion Forward will take participants through a day of workshops focused on identifying and showcasing your passion. First, we will help you identify what you’re passionate about and how you are best able to communicate those passions. Then, we’ll work with you to build skills that will help you display your passion to the world and set yourself apart in the legal profession and beyond. Finally, we’ll leverage the power of women supporting women to create a personalized master plan for presenting your passions after you leave the conference. In short, you will walk away the first day of Passion Forward with new and concrete skills to tell the world what is most important to you.

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending May 17, 2013

Submitted by Ms. JD Weekly R...

Do you play golf? This is the networking question that J. Kelly Hoey, a founder of Lean In.org, is asking professional women. Read more about her interesting perspective as a female member of the male-dominated bankruptcy and insolvency bar, and join one of the emerging Lean In communities today!

This was a big week for women's health! Angelina Jolie wrote an op-ed in the New York Times about her decision to have a double mastectomy, and New York City mayoral candidate Christine Quinn revealed her history with alcoholism and bulimia. The Forbes staff is providing a list of three important leadership lessons that can be learned from the tremendous bravery that we saw from women this week.

Are women apologizing for earning more than their husbands? Forbes' Peggy Drexler is taking a look at the "Breadwinner Complex" and the extent to which social expectations can create discord between professional couples.

The New Yorker is focusing on a new number: 5%. Read Michael Guerriero's article about how motherhood carries a 5% wage penalty for each child, and learn more about overcoming the motherhood wage gap!

How can we build diversity in the workplace? While some companies are focused on statistical tracking, a recent article in The Glass Hammer suggests that employers should focus on storytelling. Learn more about how to use personal narratives to enhance diversity in the workplace and improve gender parity!

Summer is the perfect season for branching out and meeting new people. Take it to the next level by participating in National Girlfriends Networking Day on June 4, 2013! Click here to learn more and register for an event near you!

The ABA Section of Litigation is now accepting applications for the Leadership Fellows Program and the Young Lawyers Leadership Program. Be sure to act fast! The deadline for both applications is May 31, 2013!

“Find Your Voice, Raise Your Voice”

Submitted by tanya f

Nancy O’Malley, Alameda County District Attorney, inspired hundreds of women on Saturday morning in San Francisco at the California Women Lawyers Annual Conference during her breakfast keynote speech on May 4, 2013. I’ve compiled my favorite quotes from O’Malley’s keynote to share with you all:

On Leadership:

People line up behind good leaders.

Those following role models become role models for those behind us.

Women—step up, become leaders, and take charge. Attitudes, laws, and resources of societies will change.

It takes guts and courage to move ahead.

Access to leadership is open to anyone that can say yes to the calling.

The Proverbial Bar Prep Wall

Submitted by JoanneEWilson

I keep getting asked for advice from fellow classmates now facing bar prep. One of the things I often get asked about is the dreaded "wall". People will swear to you that you are doomed to hit it. They tell me about how their friend's brother's friend during law school hit the wall and then failed the exam. There's never any details given about the wall. There's never any first hand accounts of the wall. So part of you starts to question this concept. But as bar prep goes on, people will tell you when you have a bad day that you are at the wall. And you're going to believe them.

Until you read this:

The wall is a lie.

Ok, well, maybe not complete lie but it is not this horrific event that everyone makes it out to sound like and you are not doomed.

Because you hit the wall everyday of bar prep.

The "wall" is your own fears.

Women Refer On National Girlfriends’ Networking Day

Submitted by editor

The voice on the telephone line was warm, friendly and professional.

“Judy Martin recommended you,” she said. “I’m building a network of keynote speakers and would love to add you to our MaestroMarket site.”

That’s the brilliant and accomplished Judy Martin, the founder of WorkLifeNation. Her name is worth a lot.

So it was easy for me to fall into ten minutes of “girl talk” with this complete stranger who’d had the courage to make a “cold call” with a “warm introduction.”

We chatted, as women tend to do, talking about MaestroMarket while lightly delving into relationships, gender politics, the business of business, children and what novels we’re both currently reading. We were creating a relationship – bonding.

Preparing For Your OCI Interviews

Submitted by Liz Stone

Congratulations, you have an on campus interview! Now you want to prepare properly. Here are some tips to get ready for your interview:

Research the Firm

It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how many people enter a screening interview and declare their interest in environmental law, only to find out that office doesn’t have an environmental law practice! Know the practice areas in the office you are meeting. And look for recent articles or cases of interest.

Research Your Interviewers

Find out who you will be meeting with and learn about them as much as possible. In addition to their company profile, check LinkedIn and all other sources online. Have they worked anywhere else? What cases or deals have they worked on? Do you know anyone who knows them and can give you insight? The more information you have, the better.

Five Success Tips Every Summer Associate Should Know

Submitted by Desiree Moore

If you’ve landed a summer associate position in this job market, you should be proud. These positions are few and far between, reserved for the best and brightest. Still, your work doesn’t end here. This is just the beginning.

Consider that your summer is one long, extended interview, where your goal is to leave meaningful impressions on all of your law firm colleagues. While this may sound like a tall order, the good news is that it is completely doable. You have all of the tools at your disposal to be a constructive, productive member of your firm over the summer. You have all of the tools you need to succeed.

To take a step back, success as a summer associate generally does not mean that you’ve written a winning appellate brief or single-handedly closed a complex deal (you’re not licensed, so chances of doing substantive work independently at this level are remote, at best). Instead, your success will center in large part on those soft skills we don’t learn in law school but that, as it turns out, are among the most meaningful in the course of a successful legal career.

Here are five success tips every summer associate should know going into a law firm.