For years women have been under-valued in the workplace, especially in law firms. Even more specifically, women are under-represented in the higher ranks of those law firms. Women and minorities face far greater challenges to advancement in the legal profession, than white, non-diverse men.
• Women are relatively well represented at associate levels in most law firms, however when it comes to the equity partner level, the number of women sharply drops.
• Only 19% of the firm’s equity partners are women.
• Women are 29% less likely to reach the first level of partnership than are men.
• Women occupy only 25% of executive leadership positions (management committee and practice leadership).
Law firms clearly have more work to do, especially in changing how the non-partner attorneys perceive their co-workers’ efforts. Female attorneys (and many of their male colleagues) fear that if they participate in flexible work programs, it will have a negative impact on their career. When male partners have strong ties to a retiring partner, the younger partner will work more hours for that senior partner’s clients. Consequently, the younger male partner is likely to become the new lead partner. However, female partners face extreme challenges in inheriting client’s business. The more hours female partners worked for a senior partner’s clients, the less likely they were to inherit the account. Many partners and their clients admit that they take the women’s increased efforts for granted. Therefore, women are often generating new clients on their own, and bringing in less income for the firm. This difference in income generation between male and female partners, leads to large inequalities in salaries and power positions in law firms.
Women face other unique challenges in the legal workspace. It has been proven that at work, people perceive women and men differently. In general, people expect men to lead and women to surrender. When a man shows leadership, he is viewed as authoritative. When a woman shows the same behavior, she is viewed as bossy and controlling. These biases are holding women back in the workplace. Specific changes in company culture are necessary to turn around these statistics.
While men are embracing the #me too movements, men must also embrace women’s equality in the workplace.
• Men must stand up and support their women co-workers in order for real change to happen.
• Law firms must set targets to increase the number of women in senior positions.
• Workplaces must create flexible schedules that embrace working parents.
• Women at work should encourage their male co-workers to take time off of work for their family obligations.
• Recognize employees that take time for family, as well as bring in new business.
• Develop leadership programs targeted especially toward women.
Of course these changes won’t happen overnight. But let’s stop complaining about this issue, and make changes in the workplace that will begin to create a tangible difference.