| This is a 50-page booklet produced by the ABA | | | | marketing events that are successful for business |
| Commission on Women in the Profession based | | | | development. |
| on focus groups interviews with lawyers in over | | | | 3. Create mentoring groups and other |
| 100 law firms and corporations. The project was | | | | opportunities for women to interact with other |
| clearly directed toward prescribing steps to | | | | women in the firm. |
| correct the gaping discrepancy between female | | | | 4. Design a system to ensure that work is fairly |
| representation in law schools (50%) and that the | | | | assigned and measure group leaders' success in |
| number of female partners in large law firms | | | | part based on the career development of the |
| (13% in 1995, rising to 17% as of 2005, according | | | | lawyers they supervise. |
| to a much-discussed New York Times article) | | | | 5. Ensure that women have a seat on |
| rather than toward examining why that | | | | management and compensation committees. |
| discrepancy exists. Lean, terse, and directive, the | | | | For women seeking professional advancement, |
| project hits its mark. | | | | the tips may be summarized as follows: |
| Published in 2003, the book offers best practices | | | | 1. Be assertive. Ask for the work you want, the |
| in the following areas: | | | | firm leadership positions you desire, the marketing |
| - Culture | | | | opportunities and client exposure necessary to |
| - Marketing | | | | advance. |
| - Internal women's groups | | | | 2. Be aware. Know who's in power, know who's |
| - Networking | | | | handling which clients, and know what the situation |
| - Work assignments | | | | is for other women in your firm/practice area |
| - Management participation | | | | geographic area. |
| - Compensation | | | | 3. Develop mentors who can guide you on your |
| The Best Practices Summary (5 pages) lists | | | | career path. |
| concrete steps that firms (and, often, | | | | 4. Be assertive and ask for what you need and |
| corporations with legal staff) can implement to | | | | want. (Repetition for emphasis of key theme.) |
| provide a setting and structure that supports | | | | This book offers a wealth of resources for those |
| women in advancing their legal careers. The | | | | seeking action items and concrete steps that can |
| recommendations can be boiled down into a few | | | | be implemented. If you're looking for more of a |
| overarching principles: | | | | discussion of themes, experiences, and findings, |
| 1. Create a women's initiative and/or diversity plan | | | | you will likely want something beyond this book; |
| that has buy-in from top management. Set | | | | even so, I'd recommend that any woman in |
| policies and procedures to encourage promotion | | | | practice and every law firm leader of either |
| of women and work/life integration, and survey | | | | gender read Empowerment and Leadership. It's |
| to determine how effective these programs are. | | | | even available as a PDF download, so you could |
| 2. Make sure women are exposed to the firm's | | | | skim it tonight. For $25 and maybe an hour and a |
| clients, to other lawyers in the firm (for | | | | half, it's a no-lose proposition. |
| cross-selling and referrals), and to networking and | | | | |