Editor's Note: Ms. JD's annual conference, Avenues to Advancement, was held November 20-21 in Chicago. These are notes from the "Working with Men to Advance Women in the Profession" panel.  

Michael Morkin, a partner at Baker & McKenzie, noted that when he told his children that he was coming to speak on this panel, his 13-year-old daughter didn't understand the need for a conference focused specifically on helping women advance in the profession, which led him to hope that perhaps for the next generation, gender won't play a role in advancement within the profession.  All the panelists shared Morkin's enthusiasm for this future, and all agreed that seeking mentoring and recognizing that law firms are businesses are key to success within the firm culture. 

The panelists' tips included learning the nature of the business in your particular practice area, participating in internal social networks, asking for feedback from supervisors, speaking up to get assignments, and being active in seeking out the kinds of experiences you want at the firm.  Ronald Green, Co-Founder of Epstein Becker & Green, advised that building a strong reputation in your firm by being responsive, eager, and hardworking--the first hand to go up to volunteer for assignments and the "shoulders that carry the burden"--will put you in a good position to advance within the firm.  Lee Miller, Joint Chief Executive Officer from DLA Piper, cautioned against being reactive in your career, noting the importance of being proactive and building personality skills to communicate and build rapport with others inside and outside the firm.  Gus Siller, a partner at Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, suggested that networking is vital to bring in new business and also to build the relationships necessary to keep old business, which is important because the people who have real power within a firm are those who can bring in business. 

The panel also discussed issues that can arise among older male attorneys mentoring younger women attorneys, such as the appearance of impropriety.  A suggested remedy was to either have such mentoring take place in the office as opposed to over drinks or create larger groups rather than one-on-one interactions, but the panel concluded that moving forward, further conversations will be necessary regarding these tough and somewhat sensitive issues.  Mr. Morkin noted the importance of communication and suggested that women be open in communicating with people in the firm about not only problems but also personal goals since speaking up early is often the best way to mitigate any issues and ensure job satisfaction.