Browse Topics
Interview with Asst. Gen. Counsel Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • May 17, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
I’m pleased to introduce Bobbi-Sue Doyle-Hazard, Assistant General Counsel to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law Graduate, Bobbi-Sue is a mental health advocate, an experienced in-house counselor, and sports law champion. She is also the founder and host of Leveling The Playing Field podcast. “Are you ready for some questions? A Ms. JD party!” Excuse the cheesy Monday Night Football knockoff, but welcome, Bobbi-Sue! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. Let’s jump in! You’ve had such a diverse legal background, working initially as a sole practitioner to general…
Though the Gap Persists, So Do We - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • April 27, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
As many of you know, Equal Pay Day was earlier this month and with it, a reminder that pay between men and women, and within different groups of women, is still far from equal. While the pay gap is felt across professions, it is particularly detrimental to female athletes. Female professional athletes often make a fraction of their male counterparts' salaries. The US is not alone in this problem, as it permeates professional sports organizations around the world. It is worth noting, however, that unlike other professions, professional sports present some unique challenges. Olympic athletes often rely on their…
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.” Women are conditioned to believe their self-worth is based on following rules or being "good." The ideal woman projects grace, cooperation, and compliance. She tailors herself to be pleasant and acceptable. She accommodates and sidesteps her wants for the greater good. Unfortunately, this outlook can leave one professionally stagnant. Being assertive, firm, and steadfast are required to achieve personal and professional objectives. But these traits are often downplayed for fear of being rejected or worse, "unlikeable." I remember my first day…
4 Soft Skills Every Woman Lawyer Should Master
By Dennis Hung • April 10, 2018 •Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
Negotiation Have you ever found yourself arguing with a child about eating their dinner and found that your way of negotiating is way more efficient that the next guys? Or maybe you are at a meeting and someone questions your presentation, and without missing a beat, you are able to defend your position. Some believe women aren’t good at negotiation because of emotions (which we all can laugh at), but this article suggests that in fact, woman are better at it. Whether you are an immigration attorney salt lake city or do criminal justice, negotiation is key to success in…
Interview with Title IX Coordinator Allison Lyng O’Connell - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • March 31, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
I’m pleased to introduce Allison Lyng O’Connell, J.D., Title IX Coordinator and Clery Act Compliance Officer. After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law, Allison became an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. From there, she transitioned into Dartmouth College’s Title IX Program Coordinator, ultimately stepping into the lead Title IX Coordinator and Clery Act Compliance Officer role in August 2017. For those unfamiliar, Title IX is a United States Education Amendment signed in 1972 that states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the…
More Women, Less Problems? 5 Predictions On The Implications Of More Women in The Legal Profession
By Kerriann Stout • March 20, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
It is an exciting time to be a woman in the legal profession. I am definitely not suggesting that things are all “rainbows and butterflies” for female attorneys or that there isn’t still a lot of work to be done to close gender gaps. However, in 2016 women made up the majority of law students in the United States for the first time. In 2017, also for the first time, A-list included gender among equity partners as a ranking factor in determining which law firms are best. And, the wage gap - while still present, is narrowing. The tide is…
From Paralegal to Associate: Are you still doing “office housework”?
By Nadia Ennaji • February 26, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
I recently read an article written by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant on women doing office housework.[1] It couldn’t ring truer to my ears than now. As a paralegal, it is your job to do all the admin tasks being delegated by the attorneys. But as an attorney, I somewhat still am asked to do those admin tasks on top of the workload of an attorney. Recently, during a trial, not only was I expected to do all the preparation for the trial, but I was also expected to put the exhibits together, and prepare the binders. What is one supposed…
How Women Lawyers Perceive Men’s Behavior
By Susan Smith Blakely • February 22, 2018 •Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
It can be difficult to know how men and women are supposed to relate to each other in the workplace these days. What is too much affection, and, God forbid, what is too much touching? I have seen close colleagues in an office awkwardly come together for either a handshake or a hug or a cheek kiss, and it is not certain where the gesture will end up. It resembles some kind of crane-like mating dance, and it is, of course, because they are uncertain about what is appropriate and not appropriate and what is allowed and not allowed. It…
The Olympics and Me Too - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • February 09, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
In honor of today’s Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics, I thought we would take a brief look at women’s participation in the Olympics. The Olympics have not always been, and it can be argued, continues to be hostile to women’s involvement. In fact, though the Olympic games in Ancient Greece included foot races for unmarried girls, women were banned from the first modern Olympics in 1896. Women’s involvement in the Olympics and sports, in general, were openly criticized by the founder of the Modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. According to the Baron, participation in sports destroyed a woman’s…