Point Made: Eleven Women on Top

Quick: Name ten top female advocates alive today.

When I work with both law students and lawyers, women are no better at answering this question than men.  The most I get is a half-hearted mention of Justices Kagan or Ginsburg.  Rarely do I hear the name of a practicing lawyer.

Does this quasi-silence reflect today’s reality?  It’s true that for a long time, the upper echelons of lawyer-dom were all-male.  How many women were featured in Don Vinson’s America’s Top Trial Lawyers?  Exactly zero.  A more recent book, Emily Couric’s The Trial Lawyers, profiled just one woman. And in the world of white-shoe law firms, James Stewart’s bestselling The Partners was also a land peppered almost exclusively with men.

But things have changed for the better—and I think more female lawyers and students should take note. When I recently tackled a book on how to write like the nation’s most influential advocates, eleven women made it to my list. 

Surely you’re familiar with the barrier-busting careers of Kagan and Ginsburg, both of whom figure in my book.  But have you ever studied the careers—or better yet the work product—of Maureen Mahoney, Pattie Millett, Kathleen Sullivan, and Virginia Seitz on the appellate side?  Or Nancy Abell, Jamie Gorelick, Carolyn Lamm, Nicole Seligman, and Mary Jo White on the trial side?

In specialties ranging from employment law to international arbitration, these women are among the best advocates in the land.  But have you ever read a word of anything they’ve written?

Now we all know that talking about “female” or “male” anything is suspect.  Yet perhaps you’re wondering if there’s a special “female” way of writing a great introduction or crafting a compelling sentence.  Answer: no.  These women are just great writers, not great female writers.

So the next time you face a thorny writing challenge of your own, look for concrete examples from some of your female counterparts—not because they’re great “women” writers, but because they’re great writers period.

The president of Legal Writing Pro and an adjunct professor at GW Law School, Ross Guberman is the author of the new book Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation's Top Advocates.

100 Reasons I Support Ms. JD

On a cold night last December I attended a law firm holiday reception. The crowd included partners, associates, spouses, guests, vendors, etc. - the usual - and it was as raucous as lawyers can get on a weeknight.  I didn’t know many of the lawyers but that didn’t stop me from wading in. We are, after all, working here.  About an hour in I’m taking a breather with a glass of Pinot noir and meet a partner about my age (57), corporate type.

We exchange the obligatory guy greetings — bad  joke, Bears playoff prospects, the mayoral election, and he asks “So Frank, what do you do outside family and the office.” And I say “this year I spent about 250 hours working with Ms. JD.”  Dead stop.  “What’s Ms JD?”  I explain. Dead Stop 2.  But this isn’t my first rodeo.  His final question, “Tell me one reason why you would spend time doing that. “Well, I have at least a 100.”  “Name ‘em.” I said “well take a seat this is going to take a while.” We made a friendly wager which was enough to motivate all concerned and ordered another round. I decided to just name 100 women whose I have met and gotten to know during my career who have set superlative standards for excellence in everything that I’ve seen them do.  It really wasn’t a fair fight because I’m in the final stages of writing a book on the subject and the roster of 100 is part of my DNA.  So I rolled out the list - told a tale or two about each - and declared victory.  We parted amicably but his younger partner said something about losing a bet to Rain Man. Maybe he’d like to go double or nothing?  That wouldn’t be fair either (volume 2 is in the works).

I’ve decided to profile these 100 women in the next year in 20 blog posts. The order is random. You will recognize some - but not most.  But know this - Ms. JD is all about your network and I bet more than ninety of these women would gladly take your call.  Some may be a bit too busy to reach. The rules for the 100 are simple - they are people I’ve gotten to know in my life who are just plain remarkable.  It’s quite a roster - broadcasters, judges, entrepreneurs, partners, associates, farmers, artists, chefs, musicians, dancers, investment bankers, high technology gurus, shining stars from the Not For Profit world and others.  This list reflects my journey on life’s highway.  You have the makings of your list now and you’ll add names with each passing year.  Remember: greatness and inspiration don’t necessarily equate with fame.

While it’s easy to be intimidated by spectacular people from all walks of life remember that, like you, they started out with a degree and a dream.  They achieved their dream and have more dreams before them today. In your own life you will encounter excellence unexpectedly - of extraordinary people doing incredible things in their every day lives. Not for accolades. Not for fortune. Not for fame. But because it is the right thing to do and the only way they know how to live.  And for that all of us should be eternally grateful. Most of the posts will have four or five featured profiles. But to kick start the process, let’s start with ten.

Does Law School Kill Your Entrepreneurial Spirit?

I am absolutely struck by this NPR piece interviewing founder of LawScope and one of my favorite interviewees, Elena Kaspi. The piece is about the recession's impact on lawyers, and it has come at a perfect time in my career. I have recently volunteered to do something a bit riskier (more on that later) and it has made me realize just how risk averse my colleagues are. I highly encourage you to read this and think about your risk v. reward analysis. Kaspi says attorneys have been trained to be risk averse and I think she is right. I truly believe this risk aversion makes it difficult for some lawyers to jump start their careers, and I am not just talking about during tough economic times.

Students gain some very valuable tools in law school, the ability to think through issues and minimize risk. These tools are key to helping clients, but they can be your greatest asset or your greatest weakness. I had a discussion with an attorney/writer whose family immigrated from Korea when she was ten years old and she told me she felt that she was definitely more risk averse than her parents. And I am always amazed at a good friend of mine, a Georgetown Law grad, who watched her parents deal with the struggles that came with a failing business, and while she realizes that she wouldn't make the same mistakes her parents made, she is still extremely reluctant to take on such risks.

Is this something that law schools need to rethink in their curriculums? Could incorporating a business building aspect to law school curriculums help more women become partners, go out on their own, or transition to an alternate career that still uses their critical thinking skills.

SuperwomenJDs and What you Can Learn From Them: Featuring Elena Kaspi-Founder of LawScope Coaching

Elena Kaspi is an Executive Career Coach who specializes in providing Business, Career and Leadership Coaching Programs and Workshops to lawyers and AmLaw 100 law firms throughout the United States and abroad. Elena has dedicated the last ten years of her professional life to coaching, mentoring and advising attorneys regarding leadership skills and their career development. Ms. Kaspi's full bio appears at the end of this post.

1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?

As a first generation Italian-American I grew up in a family of very strong, fiercely opinionated, resilient, hardworking, articulate, and funny women who saw being a woman as a strength, asset and advantage; and who always showed me the value of balancing family and hard work. Growing up, it never occurred to me that being a woman was going affect my career or career choice: the women around me taught me “work hard, love hard, laugh hard and when you are done with that…work some more”. Oh yes … and put on red lipstick and try to look good doing it all! I was the first in my family to go to college much less law school so it wasn’t until I got to college and law school that I realized that other women were culturally informed and educated to behave “lesser than” or expect "lesser than”.

My first real hurdle in my career came when I had my first child. That was when I realized that my career trajectory was going to have detours and bumps and crashes if I wanted to raise a family the way I wanted to. That was the first time that I saw the way my being a woman was “slowing my career down” from the path that I thought I wanted. It took several years, transitions, insight and dig-deep determination for me to carve out a dynamic career and still have the family I wanted.

2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?

It would have been nice if someone had taught me the nitty-gritty of what it looks like to take “career ownership” of my legal career and professional development. There is a lot of talk about “career ownership” but there is nothing like having a mentor on hand, when there is an important career choice to be made, who can stand by you, process the decision with you and really show you in real time what it means to “own” your career, the price it sometimes costs and to take responsibility for it.

I think it would have also helped to have known at the outset that law firms do quietly expect you to know how to balance your workload, create flexible boundaries, navigate political minefields and make good professional and interpersonal judgment calls. That law firms are business enterprises and that they do not see it as their mission to pave the path to career satisfaction and success.

SuperwomenJDs and What you Can Learn From Them: Featuring Erika Pedersen of Chicago

Erika Pedersen has extensive litigation experience in a full range of employment discrimination matters, including Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, Section 1981, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, and various state laws and local ordinances. Ms. Pedersen's full bio appears at the end of this interview.

1.    How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
I really don’t think it’s had much effect one way or another, although my experience may be a little unusual.  When I started at DePaul University College of Law, I was actually in the first class to have more female students then male students.  Also, my first job as an attorney was working with two female partners and now I have a law firm with another female attorney.  In hindsight, maybe being a woman has actually enhanced my career and made me feel more empowered because I’ve often been in the presence of other strong female lawyers.

2.    Being a first year attorney anywhere is tough.  How do you think young attorneys can really hone their skills in their first few years? 
Do whatever you can in the firm you’re at, but also look outside your firm for other learning opportunities.  For example, join an organization affiliated with your area of practice.

Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Tanya Jachimiak of Illinois

Tanya L. Jachimiak received her Juris Doctor in 1998 from DePaul University College of Law.  She practiced employment law, including class action litigation, for over ten years.  Tanya left the private sector for the public, currently holding the position of Associate Director of the Office for Access and Equity, University of Illinois at Chicago.

1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
Because it is such a male dominated field, I often find myself trying harder and doing more to outperform my male counterparts.  On many occasions, male firm partners have excluded me from outings with my male peers (e.g., golfing events, basketball).   

2.What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law? 
Understand and follow the Doctrine of Completed Staff Work (http://www.dolan-heitlinger.com/Quote/StafWork.htm) .  Also, I would have benefited greatly from advice on how to navigate the often conflicting demands of multiple partners.  It took some time to figure out that when accepting an assignment, I needed to be very clear about when I would be able to complete the new assignment in light of a deadline set by another partner.  Just saying “yes” doesn’t work in the long run.  Quality is more important than quantity.   

3. What do you think the legal profession can do to increase the number of senior level females?
Current senior level females should reach out to younger associates more frequently and be willing to mentor female associates.  In my experience, senior level females did not reach out to junior level female attorneys.   Until I became involved with NAWL, I knew very few senior level females who were willing to mentor and show junior level females the ropes, so to speak.

After the jump, the best reading for new attorneys, the truth about finding mentors in a male-dominated environment, and some thoughtful advice about how to prioritize work opportunities ...

Rjon Robins- Who Helps Start and Save Law Practices- Shares Some Much Needed Advice in Today's Economy

Today attorney Rjon Robins is Founder of three popular websites: HowToManageASmallLawFirm.com, HowToMarketASmallLawFirm.com, and HowToStartALawPractice.com. He became an expert in these areas after helping thousands of lawyers with virtually every conceivable practice management & marketing challenge imaginable when he was a Law Practice Management Advisor with The Florida Bar's world-famous Law Office Management Assistance Service (LOMAS).

But before all of that, Rjon tells us despite graduating from lawschool, passing the Bar Exam with a very impressive score on his first try and then interning for a federal bankruptcy judge, when he first started his own law firm he fell flat on his face. Because "...after all they teach us how to practice law, not how to run a law firm in law school." "What grade did YOU get in YOUR law practice management & marketing class back in lawschool?" he asked me rhetorically to make the point. I follow Rjon onTwitter (@rjonrobins) and I have downloaded all kinds of free law firm management & marketing samples from his websites and I asked Rjon if he would be willing to share some of his thoughts regarding several topics I know I see a lot of lawyers talking about these days.

Do you think a bad economy is a good time or a bad time for a solo practitioner?

A down economy is always good for a smart solo practitioner. First of all let’s remember that there is still a lot of money in the economy. The Fed can reduce the money supply but your bank balance is still your bank balance. So the money didn’t “disappear”. It’s just that not as much of it is being spent nowadays so it’s less conspicuously-present. But it’s out there. And it’s in the hands of people who WILL spend it. They’re just being more thoughtful about how and why they spend it.

This is good for solos including many of my own Members who a few years ago wouldn’t have been seriously considered by some great clients who were “committed” to the big or medium firms or the clients who might have even had a long-standing relationship with another solo lawyer. But now the clients are reconsidering all their expenditures. And so many of my solo members are having a field day picking up business they might never have been considered for before the pencil started getting sharpened in a lot of board rooms and homes. That’s not to say we’re seeing less profitable work coming out of those clients. They’re just open to learning about their options. It’s not like those clients just suddenly stopped having to find solutions to their problems, ways to protect themselves and/or take advantage of opportunities. All of that’s still happening.

Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Andrea Evans of Washington, DC

Bio for this week's Superwoman JD Andrea Evans:  Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. launched the intellectual property law practice, The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans, LLC.  Attorney Evans' career path is unique since she worked at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for 5 years as both a patent examiner and a trademark examining attorney after graduating from law school.  Ed. note: a more comprehensive bio for Andrea Evans is available at the end of this post.  

1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
Intellectual property (IP) law is male dominated. This is primarily because you have to have an engineering or science degree to become a patent lawyer and the engineering/science industry is male dominated. However, I don’t think that being a woman has negatively affected my career. I am aware that barriers exist even though I have not been directly affected by them yet. Opportunities in intellectual property law are out there and it is just a matter of time before women seize them! I’m encouraged that there are more female IP partners and I’m excited to see more women in senior level positions at the USPTO. I’m proud to be a woman and I’m proud of my intellectual property practice!

Statistics show that by the third grade children have lost their interest in math and science. I’m challenging myself to do more to attract women into the math and science industry. I’ve helped to develop a math and science elementary enrichment program to improve students’ interest and skills in these fields so that they can have the opportunity to pursue careers in science and math fields, including IP law.

2. What advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started practicing law?
I have no regrets. The challenges I’ve faced have made me a stronger lawyer. I established several mentors in law school. These individuals include my classmates and peers, junior and senior level attorneys and judges. My advice to new attorneys is to establish mentors and use them as a resource. Law school gives you the skills you need to be a great lawyer. However, mentors can provide you with invaluable information you need to advance in your career. Have confidence and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Superwomen JDs Interviews the Law School Industry Czar

Since 1990 Ron Fox has: provided individual guidance to lawyers in transition seeking positions consistent with their personal values and their professional goals through Career Planning for Lawyers; posted on his Lawyer Satisfaction Blog ; consulted to over 25 law schools, including Cornell, Boston College, Notre Dame and Northwestern; presented workshops for the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Lawyers in Transition; created and facilitated the ABA Public Service Division's "Town Meeting" for the six Washington D.C. law schools; authored Lawful Pursuit Careers in Public Interest Law published by the ABA Law Student Division; and is the Career Resource on Solo Practice University.
 
Ron graduated from Harvard Law School in 1963 and practiced law in a variety of settings for 20 years including two law firms he founded. In 1974 he was one of the first providers of divorce mediation and was active in developing that field until 1990.  Working with bar associations, he designed and created numerous lawyer referral and other programs aimed at the delivery of legal services to low and middle income individuals.  From 1983-1989 Ron worked at Harvard Law School providing career planning services to law students pursuing careers serving the legal needs of the public and also co-founded the Public Interest Committee of NALP.

1) If you were to accept a deanship at a law school right now, what would your top three priorities be?

I would think about it as a lawyer school as opposed to a law school.  We need to combat the fact that law schools have been a place of self-interest for a long time working on behalf of law school personnel and the partners at big law firms.  We are going to make them work for the public.  I would focus on the four fundamental values of the legal profession compiled in the MacCrate Report- authored by prominent judges, lawyers and professors.  Everyone should read this, especially those thinking about going to law school.  We are going to try to integrate those four values into the curriculum. 

One is to be committed to providing zealous representation. You have to learn to practice law.  I would not rely on the LSAT anymore. We would not even going to look at those numbers.  I would put together a group that would develop a range of criteria including creativity, integrity, and honesty.

Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Kate Anderson of Los Angeles, CA

Bio for this week's superwoman JD: Kate Anderson is an associate in the litigation department of the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.

Shortly after her arrival at the Firm, Ms. Anderson was part of a team of lawyers involved in preparing and trying a legal malpractice case.  The verdict was a complete victory for the client.  In addition to her trial experience, Ms. Anderson’s practice includes general business litigation.

Prior to joining MTO, Ms. Anderson served as Counsel to the democratic staff of the Committee on Government Reform of the United States House of Representatives.  Her work encompassed a wide array of legislative and investigative matters, including developing and drafting major bipartisan legislation to fundamentally reform the United States Postal Service.  Ms. Anderson also led a team investigating voting disparities in the 2000 election and produced a widely-covered report on the issue.  She also conducted oversight of government entities including the Postal Service’s response to the anthrax attacks.

Ms. Anderson received her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1996 where she served as Student Body President.  She graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1999 with high honors.  She was a member of the University of Chicago Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.  Ms. Anderson served as law clerk to the Honorable Harry T. Edwards, U.S. Circuit Judge for the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit during the 1999-2000 term.

1. How has being a woman affected your career or legal education?
Being a woman has had a huge impact on my legal career especially after becoming a mother.  People in the workplace do not treat fathers the same as they treat mothers.  The work-life balance issue hits me as a mother more than I think it does many fathers, though in an ideal world there wouldn’t be a difference

Was it scheduling?
As a mom there were certainly scheduling conflicts.