WWL ~ Plugging the Leaky Pipeline: Promoting Women’s Leadership in Our Legal Community

  • 02/27/2013
  • Locations will be posted with each discussion

Washington Women Lawyers
is excited to announce a series of town hall discussions taking place

 

Plugging the Leaky Pipeline:
Promoting Women’s Leadership in Our Legal Community

 

Every year since 1985, women have made up over 40% of law school students in the United States. Yet women still make up only 15% of equity partners in law firms, 20% of general counsel to Fortune 500 companies, and 27% of judges.  For women of color, the disparity is even greater.  The contrast between these statistics gives rise to questions that are deeply connected to the mission of Washington Women Lawyers.  Why are women underrepresented in positions of power and leadership?  And what can we do about it?

 

Through this series of town hall discussions, WWL seeks to empower women by exploring practical ways that we can plug the leaky pipeline, by changing our own lives, our law practices, and our communities.  Each session is designed to educate participants about a particular component of women’s underrepresentation in the legal profession and empower participants with tools to address the roots of this disparity.  We hope to also provide a forum in which experienced and newer attorneys can connect.


Upcoming Presentations


Part I: Networking and Mentoring
February 27, 2013

Networking and client development are key parts of a successful law practice. How can women network effectively, both within and outside of traditional forums?  Most successful attorneys have mentors who play a key role in their professional development.  How can women attorneys connect with mentors in their practice areas?  How can we encourage experienced attorneys to mentor women who are new to the profession?

 


Part II: Having Confidence and Taking Credit
More often than men, women sell themselves short in applying for jobs, and we are less likely than men to take credit for our own successes and qualifications.  In a profession that values confidence and requires us to market our own skills, these characteristics can hinder us from securing positions of power and influence.  How can we talk about ourselves in a way that showcases our abilities and potential?

 

Part III: The Pay Gap
In 2011, female lawyers’ weekly salary was 86% that of male lawyers, and female equity partners’ income was 86% that of their male counterparts. How can we successfully advocate for equal pay for ourselves?  Receive practical tips on when and how to successfully ask for better compensation.

 


Part IV: Having a Legal Career and a Family
Women’s struggle to balance family with career has been front and center in the national conversation about the leaky pipeline, fueled by high profile presentations such as Sheryl Sandberg’s speech “Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders” and Anne Marie Slaughter’s article “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All.” What policies can law firms adopt that encourage a culture of balance, both in men and women, that will allow us to “have it all”?  What are effective strategies for advocating for and implementing such policies?  How can we foster a culture of balance in our own lives?

Part V: Leadership Styles for Women

The business world is increasingly rejecting the traditional, top-down approach to leadership in favor of a collaborative leadership style. Many applaud this shift as advantageous toward women, who are traditionally seen as more collaborative, inclusive, and team-oriented. But too strong of a collaborative approach - such as asking for permission, appearing indecisive, or failing to assert a strong point of view - can be seen as weakness. This panel will discuss the characteristics of collaborative leadership, its benefits and pitfalls, what it looks like in the legal world, and how it can successfully be employed by women seeking positions of power and leadership in the legal community.

 

 

Part VI: Carving Your Own Path to Success

June 17th, 2015

Successful but skeptical, we face daily challenges in the profession, the workplace and our personal lives that lead us to question our ability to succeed in the paths we pursue.  We ask ourselves, “am I making the right decision for me, my career, and my personal life?”  We wonder whether we should give up the prospect of partnership in exchange for the perceived lifestyle change of serving as in-house counsel, opening our own firm, or leaving the profession altogether.  We ask ourselves, “what sacrifices will I have to make to be successful?”  Most, if not all, of us have pursued our careers with these heavy questions in mind.  Please join us and our distinguished panel for our first in this year’s series of Plugging the Leaky Pipeline town hall discussions.  Listen to our panelists as they discuss openly and answer your questions candidly about how they carved their own path to success, the tough decisions they made along the way about their career and/or family to make it work, and the challenges they faced or perhaps continue to face as they advance in their careers.

Register Here.

 

We hope you will join us for one or all of these discussions to learn and share your insights on how, as individuals and as a legal community, we can plug the leaky pipeline.

Please contact WWL Co-Vice President of Professional Development, Shannon Lawless, or Pam Jacobson, with questions.

***** Telephone participants need not register in advance

 Washington Women Lawyers is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. PO Box 46107,  Seattle, WA  98146

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