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Five Small Ways You Can Combat the Motherhood Penalty
By Amanda Norris Ames • August 20, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
The ABA recently released research from its inquiry into why women leave the law. The study revealed issues all too familiar to many practicing female attorneys--discrimination, salary dissatisfaction, caregiving responsibilities that are incompatible with the pace of practice. And while the ABA’s efforts are ongoing, I was surprised to see a lack of focus on what numerous other studies have dubbed the “motherhood penalty”--or the earnings (and corresponding promotion) gap between mothers and non-parents in the workplace. Research shows a significant decline in a woman's earnings after the birth of her first child, with that disparity continuing throughout her career.…
Joint Journeys to Making an Impact on Women in the Law: Mentorship & Colleagues Inspiring Each Other
By Molly Brummond • August 20, 2018 •Issues, Mentoring and Networking
By Molly Brummond, Assistant Dean for External Relations and Strategic Initiatives, And Elsbeth Magilton, Executive Director of the Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program University of Nebraska, College of Law Mentorship takes many forms, not the least of which is collaboration. This article, co-written from individual perspectives by two female attorneys in higher education leadership, boils down to the importance of finding role models who inspire us, mentors who support us, and friends who are capable of saying, “muscle up, buttercup.” Elsbeth Magilton A few years back my mentor and colleague, Molly Brummond, and I attended a “Women’s Conference”…
Plant Seeds to Make It Rain: 5 Things New Lawyers Can Do to Begin Developing Business
By Claire Parsons • July 26, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
When I was a new attorney, I knew that I needed to develop business in order to advance in my firm. I had a lot of anxiety about that at the beginning because there was no well-marked path that I could take to make it work. This is not surprising since even established rainmakers will tell you that new business development is hard work,and studies keep coming out suggesting that female attorneys struggle even more than their male counterparts with it. It was a happy accident for me that my dad went back to private practice…
Networking Tips from Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard, Asst. Gen. Counsel - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • June 05, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Mentoring and Networking, Women and Law in the Media
Last month, we were introduced to Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard, Assistant General Counsel to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bobbi-Sue graduated in 2007, the crux of the US recession. After waitressing and building her legal skills through CLEs, Bobbi-Sue took on a few clients as a sole practitioner. A very early adopter of Twitter (she even has her first name as her handle! @bobbisue), Bobbi-Sue used Twitter to comment on her life, eventually being profiled in the Boston Business Journal. As a result of the story, a local businessman hired her as in-house counsel at New England Cryogenic Center. Through Twitter, Bobbi-Sue was…
To be a Woman and to be Workplace Ready
By Ava Lee • April 18, 2018 •Ms. JD, Conference, Ms. JD Book Reviews, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, •Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, •Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, Myths & Truths, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
For a man, the common mantra is “seize the day.” For a woman, the common mantra is “act accordingly.” The ideal woman projects grace and cooperation. She is to complement situations, not challenge them. She is to follow rules, not make them. Easy to smile and easy to laugh, she is to sidestep her wants and needs for the greater good. One must be assertive, firm, and steadfast to reach personal and professional objectives, however these traits are downplayed at the for fear of being rejected or unlikeable. I remember my first day as a law clerk. It was standard protocol to listen and take notes during meetings. No one wanted to…
How to Boost Employee Morale and Create a Dedicated Workforce
By Dennis Hung • March 16, 2018 •Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Employee morale is crucial to your success as a business. The happier your employees are about coming in every day, the more effort they will make to perform their job duties. The better they feel about themselves, the better they will treat your customers. As an employer, you must be proactive in taking steps to boost their morale for your company and them. The following are three things that you can do to help. 1. Be Caring and Understanding One of the biggest complaints that employees make is that they do not feel like they matter to the higher-ups.…
It’s Time To Beat The Burn Out: The Importance of Well-Being In The Legal Profession
By Paige Marie Robinson Greene • March 07, 2018 •Ms. JD, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Features, •Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, Myths & Truths
THE CURRENT CLIMATE Burnout, stress, anxiety, depression – whatever you want to call it – if you’re in the legal profession there is a chance that you’ll feel it at some point in your career. Lawyers are constantly reaching for a professional-personal life balance, and the pressure to deliver can feel enormous for even the most confident and most competent lawyers. Unsurprisingly, burnout starts in law school. A 2014 research survey on law student well-being revealed that law students might have higher rates of anxiety and depression than other graduate students. (Jerome M. Organ et al., “Suffering in Silence: The…
Shifting Sides – Advice for Those Considering Non-Practicing Roles at Law Firms (Part 1 of 2 Posts)
By Michele Moorman, Esq. • March 05, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Each year I have the pleasure of speaking with many lawyers who are considering transitioning to a non-practicing role at a law firm. I always encourage practicing lawyers to take the time to research these roles and do all they can to understand how they differ from legal practice. This will be Part 1 of a two-part post on this topic. This post will cover general information about how the work and experience can differ from practice. Part 2 will provide detail about the interviewing process, specific resources you can consult and sample questions to ask as you decide whether…
A Galentine’s Day Reflection on the Value of Female Friendships
By Claire Parsons • February 12, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
Today is Galentine’s Day, a completely made up holiday popularized by a TV show, Parks and Recreation, that hasn’t aired in years. Unlike Valentine’s Day, this “holiday” is intended to honor female friendships rather than romantic relationships. To say the least, the episode which featured this holiday and the character who invented it, Leslie Knope, was memorable. As Malcolm Gladwell tells us, a “sticky” message from an extraordinary communicator can carry an idea far and wide. Yet, I don’t think that the show or Leslie Knope are the only reasons that Galentine’s Day caught on.…