Women in the Law

Too Many Law Firm Layoffs are Gender-Biased, ABA Commission Chair Says

A recent cover article in Forbes magazine recounts claims being made by Wall Street women—and their lawyers—that female employees are bearing more than their fair share of recent layoffs. But it isn’t just on Wall Street that women are disappearing from the workforce, says the chair of the ABA Commission…

Mar 18, 2009 7:53 PM CDT

Calif. Judge Stabbed By Defendant Is Physically Fine, Struggling Emotionally

Less than a week after being stabbed by the defendant in a murder case, a California judge is back on the job. But San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Cinda Fox hasn’t yet returned to the bench. Her courtroom, in which a Lodi police detective shot and killed the defendant…

Mar 9, 2009 11:22 PM CDT

Former IRS Commissioner to Affiliate with Plaintiffs Firm

A former commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service is taking on a new role advising whistle-blowing clients of the Dallas-based law firm Baron & Budd. Margaret Milner Richardson, who was IRS commissioner from 1993 to 1997, will serve as co-counsel on a case-by-case basis to represent clients who report suspected…

Mar 4, 2009 4:59 PM CST

O’Connor Corrects Jon Stewart in Daily Show Appearance (See the Video Clips)

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is making the rounds on two network shows, and one of them is Comedy Central. O’Connor appeared yesterday on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, appearing relaxed and doing “a pretty good job riffing with Stewart,” according to Florida International law professor…

Mar 4, 2009 3:04 PM CST

Federal Judge’s Unusual Story: My Grandfather Was a Slave

As chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Audrey Collins is often called upon to speak at public events. But as she contemplated what to say at a luncheon with a group of female judges and attorneys visiting from Afghanistan, she realized she needed to take a…

Mar 2, 2009 10:25 PM CST

Lawyers in ‘Sister Buddy Group’ Mourn Shooting Death of Holland & Knight Secretary

Sophia Nelson, who worked as a lawyer at Holland & Knight, is joining with other black attorneys and professionals in a new support group to discuss the kinds of personal issues that are rarely topics of conversation. Many black women are taught from youth to be strong and hide problems…

Mar 2, 2009 3:47 PM CST

Survey: Young Lawyers Glad They’re Attorneys

Contrary to media reports suggesting widespread lawyer dissatisfaction, a new study of 4,160 individuals who became lawyers in 2000 has found that three out of four say they are either extremely or moderately satisfied with their decision to become an attorney.

Mar 2, 2009 2:20 AM CST

At 14 Law Firms, Partner Promotions in 2008 Didn’t Include Women

Fourteen out of 100 law firms surveyed didn’t include a single woman in their partner promotions last year, but for some the results were an aberration. On the opposite end of the spectrum, 23 of the law firms surveyed had partnership classes of at least 40 percent women, according to…

Feb 25, 2009 4:30 PM CST

Glass Ceiling Shatters in Palestine: 2 Women Become Islamic Court Judges

Women have been police officers, candidates for top political office and even suicide bombers in Palestine. But, until now, they’ve never served on the bench in the territories’ Islamic courts. That glass ceiling was shattered by Khuloud Faqih, 34, and Asmahan Wuheidi, 31, when they stepped up to the bench…

Feb 24, 2009 9:10 PM CST

Law School Sideline Became Main Gig for Fashionista Texas Attorney

Sarah Davis says she loved law school and fully expected to practice. But a funny thing happened on her way to earning her juris doctor degree and a Texas law license. The sideline “gently used” designer handbag resale enterprise she started online as a student, to help pay off her…

Feb 20, 2009 8:40 PM CST

Skadden, Not Retirement, Is Next Career Path for Judith Kaye

New York’s former chief judge, Judith Kaye, will join Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. The New York Times City Room blog calls Kaye’s decision to join the firm in an of counsel role “a coup” for Skadden. She will work on public interest matters at the law firm, including…

Feb 17, 2009 4:47 PM CST

Laid-Off Lawyer Competes with Other Attorneys for Paralegal Jobs

A 43-year-old Los Angeles lawyer who was laid off from her in-house job more than a year ago still has no permanent job, as unemployment takes a toll on her marriage and her finances. The lawyer, Ellie Trope, has 15 years of experience, but her job search has still been…

Feb 17, 2009 3:22 PM CST

Laid-Off Lawyer Asks Advice Columnist About Nanny Worries

A laid-off lawyer worried about the employment prospects of her nanny has written to a columnist seeking advice about whether to fire the woman. The lawyer told Washington Post style columnist Carolyn Hax that she was laid off in October from “a stressful, truly horrible job at a big law…

Feb 17, 2009 3:05 PM CST

76% of Young Lawyers Glad They’re Attorneys, Study Finds

Contrary to all the media reports about lawyer dissatisfaction, a new study of 4,160 individuals who became lawyers in 2000 has found that 76 percent report they are either extremely or moderately satisfied with their decision to become an attorney. That surprising result is part of the second phase of…

Feb 14, 2009 10:04 PM CST

A New Generation Defines ‘The Office’

Sometimes in the evenings, while her husband watches sports on the flat-screen and her 2-year-old dashes around the family room in his Lightning McQueen pajamas, Elizabeth Stroyd Windsor looks up from her laptop and thinks about her dad. He, too, was a lawyer who would work in front of the…

Feb 9, 2009 6:29 PM CST