Will BigLaw Embrace Grade-Less, High-Pedigree JDs?

Ed. note: The following article comes to Ms. JD courtesy of author Michael Estrin and bitterlawyer.com.  They interviewed a number of hiring partners at major U.S. law firms, who expressed concern about decisions by Harvard and Stanford law schools to switch to a pass/fail system.  This article might be of interest to many Ms. JD readers, especially given past issues and discussions concerning the compatibility between current law school learning frameworks and female law students.

Class rank is everything. It separates the future scholars from the posers; the potential Big Firm Partners from the 9-to-5 government slackers. If there were no grades, there’d be no way to differentiate among prospects and the entire legal hiring system would implode. Or maybe not.

In the past year, Stanford and Harvard have adopted a pass/fail grading system similar to Yale’s. This means no more grades at three of the top five U.S. law schools. Does this make sense? Are the schools doing the “real world” a favor or a disfavor? Does the elimination of competition from a highly-competitive profession make any sense whatsoever?

Event Announcement - Hit the Ground Running: Practical Skills You Need to Succeed

On February 7, 2008, the Law Student Project of the Women's Bar Association of D.C.  Initiative on Advancement and Retention of Women is hosting a day-long practical skills session entitled Hit the Ground Running:  Practical Skills You Need to Succeed.  For registration information, please click on this link.

This event will provide 3Ls with the tools necessary to hit the ground running when they begin legal practice.   New research shows that this type of practical skills training is necessary because women lawyers have just 12 weeks to develop the relationships necessary for success when they begin their legal careers.  Moreover, the WBA Initiative's groundbreaking reports, Creating Pathways to Success (2006) and Pathways to Success for All (2008) stressed certain keys to success - effective self-promotion and communication skills, development of mentoring relationships both within the workplace and the legal community at large, and networking skills - that women lawyers traditionally learn too late in their careers for them to have an impact.

The Jury Expert

The American Society of Trial Consultants recently released a new trial skills journal, The Jury Expert.

One of the feature articles, written by Elizabeth J. Parks-Stamm, discusses juror reactions to successful women. The article, Anticipate and Influence Juror Reactions to Successful Women, discusses "what happens when women jurors see successful women attorneys, plaintiffs or defendants and how you can mitigate the often negative judgment against successful women."

Download the full article or view additional features at The Jury Expert. 

Election Victories for Women Lawyers

Contested seats go to women in Wake's district court:

Three women -- Jacqueline Brewer, Christine Walczyk and Anna E. Worley -- earned spots on Wake County's District Court benches, beating out their male opponents in Tuesday's election.

The three races at the District Court level were the only contested ones in the Wake County Courthouse, with most of the 11 District Court judges running unopposed for re-election.

Michelle Obama: Lawyer and First Lady

Michelle Obama, lawyer and wife of President-Elect Barack Obama, is now about to assume the role of first lady.  In honor of this event, Ms. JD offers this brief biography of Michelle Obama:

Michelle Obama was born on the South Side of Chicago, and graduated with her undergraduate degree from Princeton University.  She then attended Harvard Law School.  While there, she participated in political demonstrations, especially advocating for the hiring of a diverse faculty.  Upon graduation, she returned to work in Chicago.

Michelle Obama worked for the law firm Sidley Austin, on the staff of the Mayor of Chicago Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago Hospitals.  While at Sidley Austin, she worked on marketing and intellectual property.  She has not only had a successful legal career, but will now be the first African American First Lady of the United States.  Michelle Obama is also the dedicated mother of two girls.

The Passing of Lorraine Power Tharp, NYSBA's 105th President

It is with sadness that Ms. JD, and the New York and American legal communities have learned about the passing of Lorraine Power Tharp, the New York Bar Association's 105th President and only the third women to hold that position.

Lorraine Power Tharp was an active and engaged member of the bar, committed to her practice and to making a difference in others' lives.  As president, and among other things, she created the Task Force on Increasing Diversity in the Judiciary and the Presidential Summit.  This Summit continues to occur annually, where experts and legal professionals meet to discuss important and current issues facing the legal profession.

Subsequent to her term as President of the NYSBA, Lorraine Power Tharp co-chaired the Association's Committee on Diversity and Leadership Development from 2005-2008.  She was committed to increasing the diversity in the leadership of the NYSBA.  She was a pioneer not only for women in the law, but also for numberous other groups.  Her impact will continue to live on through all of her contributions to the legal profession.  Ms. JD offers our deepest condolences to her family and to those close to her.

For more information about the life of Lorraine Power Tharp, please visit www.nysba.org/LorrainePowerTharp.

Law Firms Turning to Family-Friendly Culture

Citing handheld devices, home offices, part time schedules, on-site daycare, and longer maternity leaves, a Los Angeles Times article describes techniques that law firms are using to create a family-friendly culture that accommodates personal lives. 

In the article, Deborah Epstein Henry, founder of Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, comments on the female attrition rate at firms, pointing out that losing a second-year associate can cost a firm between $200,000 and $500,000.

Call for Submissions: Gender Diversity: Have we solved the problem? If not, where do we go from here?

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession announced their 2008 Video/Essay Competition:

Put your video and writing skills to work! Create a 3-minute YouTube video and/or craft a 6-page essay to tell us what you think about Gender Diversity: Have we solved the problem? If not, where do we go from here?

Open to young lawyers and law students, winners will receive $500 and award winning entries will be posted on the Commission's website.  

Entries must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. Central Time on December 31, 2008.

Click here for more information and contest rules.

Questions? Contact Barbara Leff at leffb@staff.abanet.org.

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Named as McCain's Running Mate

[Ed. Note: Ms. JD will be featuring the biographies of some of the professional women who have figured prominently in this year's presidential election.  Some are Democrats, some are Republicans; some are lawyers, some are not; all have dealt with work-life balance issues throughout their careers.  Note that this series is not exhaustive - we encourage Ms. JD bloggers to post about other women who they feel belong in this series.] 

This past week, presumptive presidential nominee John McCain named Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2008 election.  While not an attorney, Governor Palin provides a good example of how women can seek work-life balance in their lives.

National Association for Women Lawyers Report: Actions for Advancing Women Into Law Firm Leadership

On July 16, 2008, the National Association for Women Lawyers released a report on Actions for Advancing Women Into Law Firm Leadership.  This report was based on the National Association of Women Lawyers National Leadership Summit.

To view a copy of the report, click here.