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Women Key Asset at Legal Firms

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published September 12, 2005

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( 3 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)
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<<Clients are not just looking at numbers either. "It is not enough to have a young woman who might be a fungible associate," Cranston points out. "You need experts in all of the key practice areas that you are offering services on in order to be competitive in the marketplace."

Charlotte L. Wager, a partner in the Chicago office of Jenner & Block, LLP, number 20 on the Vault list, agrees that having women on staff is just good business sense. "Many of our clients are women who are general counsels in major corporations, and they expect us and our teams to be diverse and to reflect the diversity in the culture. And on a personal level, I think they want to work with people who are similar to them."


Becoming a magnet
Attracting and retaining women, however, will not happen without effort. Women are looking for firms that offer opportunity, a platform that has clearly addressed unconscious bias in some way, and state-of-the-art policies for work/life issues, says Cranston.

Associates focus on firms that are going to give them good training and a sense of feeling part of the team. "There are a lot of unspoken, good vibes that happen when young women are being recruited into a firm where they are meeting a lot of women in the recruitment process," notes Cranston.

For partners, of course, the recruitment is more complicated because partners are looking for a good fit with their clients and a firm that has a strong practice area in their field. "But assuming all of that is equal," says Cranston, "women especially want to see if there are leadership opportunities in the firm and how successful women are within the firm in terms of rainmaking, because that is a good indication of the access of women to the client base of the firm."

Having a reputation as a woman-friendly environment also helps. One thing is very clear, says Cranston; there is a difference between firms that have been successful with women and those that have not. "If you are recruiting as a firm that is successful with women, it is much easier," she asserts. "In fact, you have a tremendous competitive advantage in recruiting at all levels."

"Women coming out of law school are influenced by what they see about our firm on the website, through our publications, and through the people we send on campus. I think it is what they see that initially makes us a magnet," says Ms. Wager, "but it the actuality of what it is like for women practicing here and the opportunities we offer that is the greatest attraction."

The real story
A lot of firms shy away from work/life programs in the belief that attorneys who are not full time will not be as committed to their jobs and they will compromise their clients. Not true, says Wager. At both Jenner & Block and Pillsbury Winthrop, reduced-schedule attorneys are not only supported, but they can even make partner while part time. "We have a written, clear policy that applies equally to men and women," explains Wager. The policy recognizes the need to offer alternative time arrangements for associates during certain times of their lives, such as when they are caring for children or family. "It is an attempt," she says, "to allow people to take a little bit of time and make that balance without the firm losing them or them losing their footing at the firm."

Pillsbury Winthrop offers women associates a generous maternity leave, with additional leave available without penalty. In addition, it has support groups for young mothers in the firm, and at all of its annual events, it has a meeting just for women. "These provide a safe forum for women to get to know each other and talk about what is on their minds—things they might not feel comfortable raising with men in the room," says Cranston.

Besides state-of-the-art policies, retaining your talented women means making sure they are getting training and opportunities for advancement. One of the best ways to do this, says Wager, is by having a first-rate mentoring program. Jenner & Block's program is multi-layered. New associates, during their first year are partnered with senior associates to help them get their footing during those first critical months in terms of getting challenging assignments, working for significant clients, and participating in complex litigation. "We want them to have the chance to understand what work they should say yes to, how to find opportunities, and when to take a risk," she explains.

Their second and third years, associates are paired with a partner, a different one each year. By the end of three years, their women associates will have had three mentor relationships. "They will have been exposed to three influential people in the firm," notes Cramer. The associates will not necessarily be paired with women either. "We know that cross-mentoring is important and that it is advantageous for our women and minority associates to see how successful white males do things too."

Finally, after completing three years of mentoring, associates are provided with an advisor to help them focus on their professional development goals.

Not just about women
"Being sensitive to the needs of minorities in the firm, whether gender or racially based, gives you sensitivity to good personnel programs generally and serve to build good morale in the office," says Cranston. "That is advantageous in all aspects of the business. These are also the skill sets that allow you to be culturally sensitive in this globalizing economy, and I think more and more, these skills are going to become essential for effective competition."
  1. Legal Jobs
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  6. Women Key Asset at Legal Firms

published September 12, 2005

( 3 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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