“Speaking Up” Is Essential for Success as Women Lawyers
By Susan Smith Blakely • April 05, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues
Many women were raised to speak only when spoken to. Maybe you heard that from your mother or your grandmother. That might have been fine in days gone by, but it has no relevance in today's world. Today, women need to learn to speak up and be heard, and that certainly is true of women in a male-dominated profession like law. It is not sufficient to wait until someone invites your opinion or comment. You should not be reluctant to express yourself without an invitation as long as you have something relevant to say that will be an asset to…
You Need to Know about The Magic Circle
By Susan Smith Blakely • March 30, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector
From time to time you hear the term "Magic Circle Firm," and you start to think J.K. Rowling or The Chronicles of Narnia. Nice try, but wrong. So, it probably would be a good idea for you to know what it really means. For those of you who already know, bravo. You are way ahead of me at your age. However, before I help you get smart, I have a confession to make. When I first heard about "Magic Circle Firms," I didn't have a clue --- and I probably should have. And anyone who knows me also knows that…
What is Wrong with the USNWR Rankings?
By Susan Smith Blakely • March 21, 2018
The US News and World Report 2019 rankings of law schools is out. See it here. Yes, it is still early in 2018. But, as you will read, there are some folks who benefit big time each year from this early information. If you are a Pepperdine Law graduate, you are not going to like the new rankings. If you are a graduate of a lot of other law schools, you may not like them either, but probably a little less than the Pepperdine folks. At least you may see your school ranked. My problem with the USNWR list has…
Women Lawyers and the Motherhood Penalty
By Susan Smith Blakely • March 21, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues
Are you familiar with the "motherhood penalty?" Well, you should be. According to an article published earlier this week, the "motherhood penalty" is identified in a recent study as one of the reasons why women make 81 cents of every dollar a man makes. When, in fact, research also shows that having children raises wages for men, even correcting for the number of hours they work. The gap between what mothers earn and what childless women and males earn is significant, and the gap between mothers and childless women has not narrowed since the 1980's --- even though the share…
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…
Women Lawyers: LOVE YOURSELVES!
By Susan Smith Blakely • February 14, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues
Today, Valentines Day, is a day for celebrating love. We buy cards with red and pink hearts and poetic verses expressing our love, we share classic red (the color of love) roses with our loved ones, we have intimate candle lit dinners demonstrating our love, and we thank the powers that be for the opportunity to love whomever we wish. Oh, wait a minute .... you say you are caught in the office and not able to participate in the Day of Love? You cannot see yourself clear to taking a few hours off in the name of love? And…
If Notorious RBG Is Encouraged about the Future For Women Lawyers, I’m ALL IN!
By Susan Smith Blakely • February 13, 2018
By all accounts, the appearance of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg yesterday at NYU Law was a huge success. As always, she had interesting perspective on the past and future of women lawyers and on workplace dynamics. Here is a link to coverage of the event. I heard Justice Ginsburg speak at a law banquet years ago, and I found her completely believable, entertaining and without a scintilla of hubris. What you see is exactly what you get with her. Her sense of humor alone is so charming when combined with the realization that she is one of the most powerful…
Women Lawyers Beware: Social Media Posts Could Cost You Your Job
By Susan Smith Blakely • January 31, 2018
From time to time I write about the use of personal social media and the caveats for women lawyers. In fact, my recommendation consistently has been that you get off personal social media all together. But, I know how attached some of you are to instant feedback and gratification, so I continue to write about it. You need to be reminded about the pitfalls of using social media on a regular basis. Eyes and ears are everywhere. Here is a scenario and question posed on a website addressing this issue. The answer to the question may surprise you because many…
Not Just For Women Lawyers——All Women Must Use Power Responsibly
By Susan Smith Blakely • January 26, 2018
If you have not seen the video of CNN journalist Ashleigh Banfield responding to the accusations from an anonymous source of sexual abuse by comedian/actor Aziz Ansari, you need to. Here's the link, as presented by newsweek.com. The accusations and the response have given rise to a lot of impassioned discussion and controversy, and women across the globe need to sort out the facts. The point of your inquiry should be not whether the events took place but whether the events amount to the kind of sexual harassment that is the benchmark of the #MeToo movement and the #TimesUp movement…