Previously on The Good Wife: The Good Wife married The Bad Husband and took a 13-year hiaitus before reclaiming her career as an attorney.  This week's episode raised two topics for discussion:

1. Professional Rewards Based on Personal Connections, e.g. The Old Boys Club

TGW's firm is representing a high profile client and TGW gets to second chair the trial. Wahoo! Except the water cooler wisdom explains this is because her husband was on the original criminal case that led to this civil suit.

My first reaction was, Poor TGW. It's always one step forward two steps back: she gets an opportunity but only because of who she knows. And then I thought, well of course she does. Everyone does! That's the point of networking and professional associations and half the advice I give women about how to compete with the Old Boys Club!

Recently a law firm partner told me she never would have made partner after she started a family if her husband hadn't been a partner at the firm already and able to give her good work so she could continue to grow her practice when no one else would.  

And so then perhaps this is the upside of the two-lawyer household that doesn't have the flexibility or time to find balance: when all else fails and old norms persist your husband is there creating career opportunities and serving as a defense against discrimination. 

After the jump, lessons from a damsel in distress and Power Suit's awesome name for her dog...

2. Using Feminine Stereotypes to Your Advantage, Part I: The Damsel in Distress

TGW finds herself trying her case opposite a young, inexperience female attorney who uses those attributes to her advantage with an avuncular judge. When TGW loses a motion, her first chair asks, "What just happened?" TGW: "Cute, perky, and 26 just happened."

As frustrating as it is to watch CP26 flail about in the courtroom until the judge rescues her, I have to admit there are moments when this is really useful.  I'm cute, perky and 27 and I certainly don't look like an idiot on purpose, and I don't intentionally undermine everything I say with caveats about how I don't know what I'm doing, but I use my relative youth and inexperience to my advantage just the same.

For example, I often couch introductions to important/intimidating senior level folks as a request for advice. What I might really want is a favor for Ms. JD or a connection for myself, but if I phrase it as a request for advice from a more experienced, senior practitioner I find it's usually successful. As they say, flattery will get you everywhere (and that cliche is entirely gender-neutral).

And female-named-partner, aka Power Suit's dog is named Justice. Awesome. 
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