Women in the Law

Trailblazing Oregon Judge Fought ‘Shockingly Overt Sexism’—and Won

When Betty Roberts attended her first judicial conference, a male judge groped her breast. And that was just one of a number of instances of what a newspaper reviewing an autobiography of Oregon’s first female supreme court justice describes as the “shockingly overt sexism she faced as recently as the…

Sep 15, 2008 10:39 PM CDT

Being a Lawyer and Male Makes You a Top Earner, Census Report Shows

The highest earners in 2007 were men in legal occupations, who earned a median salary in 2007 of $105,233, according to a Census Bureau report. The online report (PDF) issued in August shows women in legal occupations, which includes paralegal as well as lawyer positions, didn’t fare as well. Their…

Sep 10, 2008 11:57 AM CDT

More Women Partners Break Through Glass Ceiling in UK

Despite a difficult economy, more women than ever before are becoming partners at the 100 largest firms in the United Kingdom. “There are still far fewer female lawyers than male, but ratios at U.K. firms are improving, with 19.6 percent of partners in the top 100 firms now female. This…

Sep 9, 2008 9:44 PM CDT

Yale Law Women List Top 10 Family-Friendly Law Firms

Updated: Last year, Quarles & Brady was No. 1. But this year, the Milwaukee, Wisc.-based law firm didn’t even make it on a list of the nation’s 10 most family-friendly law firms compiled by Yale Law Women. It wasn’t alone in being left out, however: Only three law firms—Arnold &…

Sep 8, 2008 11:21 PM CDT

Meet Shelley Smith, a City Solicitor With 200 Pairs of Shoes

It’s not easy being in the shoes of Shelley Smith, who has served as Philadelphia’s city solicitor for the past eight months. For one thing, they’re size 11, and she’s got 200 pairs—50 of them ready for action in a closet in her municipal office. For another, she’s got a…

Sep 2, 2008 7:22 PM CDT

In Search of Equality

Commission says barriers remain after 20 years

Sep 1, 2008 1:25 PM CDT

‘Supreme Courtship’ Seats Another Woman Among the Nine

Lawyers looking for some holiday reading this weekend might want to consider Christopher Buckley’s latest comic political novel, Supreme Courtship. The book, which was vetted by three law professors, revolves around the president’s nomination of a new justice to the U.S. Supreme Court. She is Perdita “Pepper” Cartwright, a Texas…

Aug 29, 2008 7:25 PM CDT

Law School Offers Re-Entry Course for Those Returning to Law

American University’s Washington College of Law will help lawyers who have left legal careers with a new course that helps them get back into the job market. The six-day re-entry program has four parts, executive director Linda Mercurio told The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times. First, participants set goals.…

Aug 29, 2008 1:45 PM CDT

How Michelle Obama’s ‘Savvy Sacrifice’ Helped Her Husband

Working as an associate at a powerhouse international law firm based in Chicago, Michelle Obama had what many would have considered a dream job for a lawyer. But she gave up the Sidley Austin job to pursue a public interest career. This “savvy sacrifice” has provided her husband, presumptive Democratic…

Aug 25, 2008 6:28 PM CDT

New ABA Guide Helps Law Firms Objectively Evaluate Female Associates

Law firms often lament the difficulty of retaining female attorneys, as the number of women partners continues to lag. But even those who mean well can fall victim to unconscious stereotyping, making it more difficult for women to rise through the law firm ranks, according to a book recently published…

Aug 21, 2008 11:53 PM CDT

Drinking Problem Put Lawyer on Path to a Successful Practice

Roughly 15 years ago, Hartford attorney Mary Alice Moore Leonhardt went out to lunch with a paralegal from her law firm. During the meal, the woman confessed that she had a drinking problem. This was familiar territory to Moore Leonhardt, now 52, a recovering alcoholic who hasn’t taken a drink…

Aug 21, 2008 10:26 PM CDT

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones is Dead, Following Stroke

Hours after U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones was falsely reported yesterday to have died from a stroke, she did indeed pass away. She was 58. Her family announced in a written statement that the Ohio Democrat died at 6:12 p.m. yesterday, reports the Washington Post. Tubbs Jones had apparently suffered…

Aug 21, 2008 3:34 PM CDT

Does Lack of Chutzpah Account for Dearth of Articles by Female Law Profs?

The top law reviews are printing fewer articles by women than men, according to a study by a Brooklyn Law School professor. She says the reason may be gender bias, a suggestion that is provoking some debate among bloggers. Professor Minna Kotkin analyzed articles in the top 15 law reviews…

Aug 21, 2008 2:47 PM CDT

Are Professional Women Managers Sabotaging Those Who Follow?

A post at Legal Blog Watch asks whether women lawyers are their own worst enemies in the workplace. The post notes a recent international study that found professional women do less than men to draw attention to their accomplishments. Those who do manage to crack the glass ceiling tend to…

Aug 20, 2008 6:09 PM CDT

Is Your Firm on Working Mother’s Best of 2008 List?

Noting that the legal profession is in a “work/life crisis” with 78 percent of associates leaving firms by year five and nearly half of women lawyers leaving the profession altogether, Working Mother magazine has released its 2nd annual list of the 50 Best Law Firms for Women. The August/September issue…

Aug 12, 2008 11:33 AM CDT