Lawyer Wellness

Record $26M for Bullied U.K. Lawyer

A London lawyer who was harassed and bullied by her colleagues at an asset management firm has won a record judgment of a little over $26 million to cover her lost income and benefits, psychiatric care and damage to her future prospects. It is reportedly more than twice the previous…

Mar 13, 2008 6:50 PM CDT

Do Women Pursue Law Degrees for Different Reasons Than Men?

Women who attend Harvard Law School have a different agenda—and a different law school experience—than men, according to a study by a working group of students. Dean Elena Kagan commented on the findings during a panel discussion for journalists on Saturday in Philadelphia, the Bulletin reports. “Many women think of…

Mar 12, 2008 1:45 PM CDT

Boston Bar Prez Decries Law’s Focus on Money

Too many lawyers judge their success on the basis of money, to the detriment of the profession and their own happiness. That’s the conclusion of Boston Bar Association President Anthony Doniger, who sees contentment as a better measure of success. The focus on money is causing law firms to make…

Mar 11, 2008 3:32 PM CDT

New Law Firm Perk: Lactation Room

An Indiana law firm has converted a conference room into a lactation room for nursing mothers, providing them with a private and comfortable place to pump breast milk and a refrigerator in which to keep it. Although a new state law now requires employers of more than 25 to offcer…

Mar 10, 2008 5:09 PM CDT

No Associates at This Law Firm, Just Consultants

A Canadian law firm says it has never has a problem with associates over billable hours requirements. That’s because it has no associates. Instead, Thackray Burgess has “consultants” who hire desk space from the 34-attorney business firm at a cost of $800 per month, and do as much or as…

Mar 10, 2008 3:14 PM CDT

The Resume Gap: How Lawyers Who Left Law Can Get Back In

Women lawyers who take off more than a year of work to care for their children face big challenges when they decide it’s time to return to the law. But there are some strategies that can help, the New York Law Journal reports. Deborah Epstein Henry, founder and president of…

Mar 7, 2008 4:36 PM CST

What Women Lawyers Want: Flex-Time and Part-Time Options

Flexible work arrangements are key to retaining women lawyers, but the culture of the legal profession doesn’t appear to value part-time work, according to a new study of Georgia law firms. The study by the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers found that only 30 percent of the surveyed law firms…

Mar 6, 2008 4:11 PM CST

Stories in Need of Revision: O’Connor’s First Job Offer, Women Triumphing Over Bias

Legal journalist Jan Crawford Greenburg of ABC News recalls a conversation with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in a blog column about how far women have come—and the biases they still face. Today many women have an abundance of choices. They can have children, and they can decide to work or…

Mar 5, 2008 7:18 PM CST

Practicing on Faith

In an unassuming office park in a quiet Chicago suburb, six lawyers are planning a revolution. The six are American women of the Muslim faith, and they have started what they believe is a first-of-its-kind law firm. They hope to change the way others think about their religion and culture,…

Mar 1, 2008 9:14 AM CST

Taking the CLE-nic Route

With 43 jurisdictions now mandating continuing legal education, there are a whole lot of lawyers falling asleep in sub-basement-level hotel ballrooms while talking heads drone on and on and on about … uh … well, who can remember—but have you seen that sign-in sheet? Luckily, there are far better ways…

Mar 1, 2008 7:31 AM CST

How Big Law Firms Can Retain the ‘Lost Generation’ of Unhappy Associates

Associates at large law firms are a “lost generation” who are given mostly drudge work, face unceasing pressure to produce, and are kept in the dark about firm finances and the broader strategies behind the matters they handle. No wonder some firms are losing as many as half their associates,…

Feb 29, 2008 12:36 PM CST

Men Cook Up a Victory in Nixon Peabody Food Contest

The men emerged victorious in Nixon Peabody’s annual cook-off yesterday, aided by a strong showing by securities partner John Partigan, who had first-place wins in the salads and vegetables categories and the second-place position in soups and stews. The men compete against the women in the annual cook-off, an event…

Feb 26, 2008 6:47 PM CST

London BigLaw Associates Have Growing Role in Firm Management

Although they obviously don’t run the show, associates at major United Kingdom law firms are reportedly playing an increasing role in firm management. One common practice, for instance, is to have an associate forum that lobbies law firm leaders on behalf of the firm’s junior attorneys, reports the Lawyer. Even…

Feb 26, 2008 6:40 PM CST

How Alston & Bird Improved Retention by 6 Percent

An Altanta-based law firm that recently made a top 100 list of the best companies to work for explains how it helped improve employee retention in an article published in Business Law Today, a publication of the ABA Section of Business Law. Alston & Bird’s retention rate jumped by 6…

Feb 25, 2008 7:06 PM CST

Retired at 90, Lawyer Shares Secrets of Good Life

After 50 years of law practice, Edna Shalala was ready to retire. But now, six years later, the 96-year-old is living the good life, reports the Miami Herald. A fractured wrist is keeping her off the course—for now. But Shalala expects to be swinging her clubs again as soon as…

Feb 19, 2008 6:29 PM CST