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Join the Conversation: Benefit of the Doubt
By Tammy Zhu • September 04, 2017 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Politics and Government, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
We all make mistakes. On a recent team I managed, everybody made mistakes – from the contract document reviewers, to the eDiscovery vendor, to the associates. Yet some people’s mistakes will become easily forgotten while others will become remembered for their mistakes. What determines whose mistakes get forgotten and whose get remembered? Could it be our race, ethnicity, and gender? I will argue that in our workplace and our community, the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t depends heavily on the way that others treat or react to our mistakes. I will argue that it is not…
What *exactly* is free speech under the 1st amendment?
By Ana Juneja • August 27, 2017 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Politics and Government, Issues, Features, Myths & Truths
Lately there's been a lot of legal buzzwords and buzz phrases thrown around in the news. Free speech, First Amendment, hate speech are just a few of these. This post will give an overview of the legal basics about free speech. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” But what does that actual…
Failure Turned Inside Out: The Not So Gentle Ladies of the United States Congress
By Patricia Jjemba • July 31, 2017 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, •Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
The women that serve daily on behalf of the American people are fierce trailblazers in their own right. As a means to seemingly promote gender equality, there is a new term that has been floating around the United States Congress. You see, as of late congressional members have been referring to their female House representatives and Senate members as “gentle-ladies.” (Example: The gentle lady from California will now address the House.) Now whatever your personal opinion is on the alluring appeal (or lack there of) of the term itself, there is one thing I think that we can all come…
The State of Mandatory Parental Leave Continuances
By Brittany N. O'Neil, Esq. • June 12, 2017 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Other Issues
At a minimum, attorneys must zealously represent clients. Likely driven by a genuine desire to ensure exceptional legal representation or simply today’s competitive legal market, striving to provide the best services possible often means going beyond the minimum requirement of zealous representation. To exceed this standard, attorneys are regularly on call or engaging in some type of work after hours. We often put aside our personal needs, such as physical health, and the personal needs of our family with the intention of helping our clients. However, the birth of a child is one example for which an attorney cannot ignore…
Failure Turned Inside Out: Practice Makes Perfect
By Patricia Jjemba • June 09, 2017 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Issues, •Mentoring and Networking
Name: Tamara J. Titre Professional Title: Assistant City Attorney, City of Bridgeport, Connecticut; Managing Attorney, Law Office of Tamara J. Titre, LLC Law School: Michigan State University College of Law Years Practicing Law: 3 Sector: Government and Private Practice Specialization: Freedom of Information Compliance, Family Law, Probate, Estate/Trusts "I do not believe people fail. I believe they are put in positions that challenge them to reinvent or redirect themselves.” You never really know where life can take you. Early on Tamara Titre knew that she wanted to be a voice for others. Her desire to obtain a law degree grew stronger as she became more involved in…_(1)-100x100.jpg)
Skirting the Ceiling: Sweetiehoneybaby-That’s not my name
By Sydney Reed • June 04, 2017 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
Last month, we talked about making a positive first impression and how maintaining that impression can be key to building a respectable reputation in law, in court and at the office. This month we are going to focus on how to respond when others make sexist comments that could undermine that positive impression you worked to make and solid reputation you built. Two days into my new summer internship, I was reminded of an issue that I had read about just two weeks before the start of my 1L year, the use of sexist nicknames in court, when a young…
Social Media Advantages for Growing JDs and Attorneys
By Diarra Clemons • May 31, 2017 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Politics and Government, 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, Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues, Features, Myths & Truths, First Women, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
Diarra Joi Clemons, J.D. SAG-AFTRA received her Juris Doctor of Law (J.D.) degree from New York Law School, Undergraduate Degree (B.A.) from George Mason University and High School Diploma from an all-girls Catholic high school named St. Scholastica Academy in Evanston, IL. She has worked in Finance for Citibank, Morgan Stanley and Oppenheimer & Co. to name a few. She was also a Judicial Law Clerk while in law school. She is currently a Legal Journalist for Ms. JD, Novelist of the novel memoir series, "Roses are Blue" and Vantage marketing and advertising blogger. She enjoys painting, reading, writing and…
How to Define Your Personal Brand
By Linda Tancs • May 16, 2017 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are undoubtedly aware of how trendy the concept “personal branding” has become. And there are as many definitions of the term “as Carter’s has pills” (to borrow one of grandfather’s favorite expressions). So what exactly does it mean to have a personal brand? Simply put, personal branding is the story of you. Think of it as a journalistic dive into your own who, what, when, where and how. First, name the qualities that are distinct to you as an individual. That’s your who. Are you intellectually curious, uncompromising, articulate, flexible? How do…
Tips for Developing a Successful Career from Women Who Have Done It
By Lisa B. Horowitz • May 13, 2017 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Legal Academia, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government
An upcoming article by three women lawyers--the Chief Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the former CEO of the D.C. Bar and a law partner who chairs the D.C. Pro Bono Committee--set forth 8 valuable tips for pursuing and advancing a successful and meaningful career. These remarkable women highlight the importance of harnessing your passion, getting the credit you deserve, taking charge of your professional development and building strong relationships inside and outside your organization. Take a moment to review the article and then reflect upon how you can take action and incorporate their advice into your own…