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Owning Up to My Reality: I’m Disabled, and I Always Will Be
By Katherine Macfarlane • August 27, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Features, Myths & Truths
I struggle with calling myself disabled. It’s much easier to write “I’m disabled” than it is to say it out loud. I use an endless list of euphemisms instead. “I need to sit down.” “I need extra time to board.” “I’m just not feeling up to it.” "It's going to be hard for me to make that walk." I’m not sure I’ve ever said the words “I’m disabled.” I’ve had countless conversations about my need for reasonable accommodations, and my volatile health, but generally avoid claiming my status. Which is ridiculous. I've spoken at legislative hearings about the tremendous impact…
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.…
Women in the Legal Field & the #MeToo Conversation
By Jennifer Hemmer • August 14, 2018 •Ms. JD, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Other Issues, Features, Myths & Truths
Regardless of a woman’s age, race, location, career or economic status, most have either experienced sexual harassment first-hand or know of someone who has. With the numerous allegations made in the past year against Harvey Weinstein and dozens of other powerful figures in Hollywood, the media and politics, and the explosion of the #MeToo movement, the prevalence of sexual harassment in American society has never been more exposed than it is right now. There has not been a formal study conducted on sexual harassment specifically in the legal field, until now. Lauren Stiller Rikleen, founder and President of the Rikleen Institute for…
Interview with Recent Grad Alexa Galloway - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • August 09, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Internships and Clerkships, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
I’m delighted to introduce Alexa Galloway, a recent graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law and former Law School Toolbox author. A former Cape Cod Baseball League field reporter, Alexa most recently worked as a Legal Intern for Santa Clara University Athletics. Hey, Alexa! Thanks for joining us. First and foremost, congratulations on finishing law school! What are your short-term and long-term goals? Alexa: Well, my short, short-term goal is to pass the bar. Following that, I hope to work in civil litigation and get as much trial experience as possible. By attending conferences and speaking with attorneys in the…
Obtaining Accommodations at Your New Law Job
By Katherine Macfarlane • July 29, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
Now that the bar is over, many of you will soon head off to your first post-law school job. Congratulations! You’ll be making choices about healthcare, retirement savings and life insurance. If you’re disabled, it’s never too soon to start thinking about the accommodations you’ll need to work efficiently. What follows are some tips to help ensure that your accommodations are in place as soon as you need them. Don’t Wait to Ask for Accommodations To qualify for reasonable accommodations at a new workplace, you’ll often be required to fill out a stack of paperwork and obtain medical documentation of…
How Equality shapes into Discrimination
By Janice Cook • July 23, 2018 •Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
Business firms, private and even the government ones, have forgotten a term; merit. In a way, we are all responsible for this, and not just the business firms. To eradicate the inequality, the lawmakers amend the laws to make it easier for minorities to climb, but once it becomes perpetual, it becomes a problem for the majority. The entire world is witnessing this today. We are all inclined towards one or the other aspect of the society, and thus, everything becomes a matter of debate at some point. While discrimination against an unfavourable group, based on its ethnic evolution, age,…
Stacy Papadopoulos, Gen. Counsel, American Gaming Association - On the Field: Women in Sports Law
By Tatum Wheeler • July 02, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Women and Law in the Media
I’m pleased to welcome Stacy Papadopoulos, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Industry Services at the American Gaming Association (AGA). Stacy, a double Hoya, has been at the American Gaming Association since 2014. Prior to the AGA, Stacy worked as a partner at the Potomac Law Group, building her career working both in-house at Freddie Mac’s Corporate Governance Department and the firms of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP and King & Spalding. Welcome, Stacy! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with Ms. JD! I’d like to begin by asking about your background. When you were…
How Tech Facilitates Compliance With Regulations
By Dennis Hung • June 27, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
Regulations for businesses can be pretty tricky to navigate. In order to avoid common pitfalls and legal risks, using tech can be a huge boost for efficiency. Here is how technology helps keep everything in check: News Feed Apps Understanding what kinds of changes are taking place in a specific region is crucial. However, it can be a pain to visit government website and read through their posts. However, with news feed apps, you can aggregate this data so you can see any changes in one place. Most smartphones have a news feed app pre-installed, but there are other options…
Doctors v. Lawyers
By Katherine Macfarlane • June 25, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination
Because of my disabilities, I spend an inordinate amount of time with doctors. It’s not unusual to have four medical appointments in one week. As frustrating as my illnesses are, the interactions I have with doctors are often more demoralizing than the conditions they treat me for. And I think that my law degree has something to do with the horrible way I feel after each doctor’s office visit. The common assumption is that because I have a law degree, doctors are more cautious with my care because they fear I will sue them. My experience has been quite the…