Diversity

It seems as though the number of female partners currently working in law firms is becoming fewer and fewer these days. A lot of female partners are fleeing from firms due to a lack of balance in their work and professional lives, and also because of an absence of support or mentoring. In this article, I am going to discuss some of the ways that firms can attract and retain female partners. As many women in this country opt to pursue law as their professional career, those firms on the forefront of female partner retention efforts will benefit greatly by attracting existing female partner talent and those up and coming women attorneys who represent the next generation of female partner candidates. READ MORE >

Due to the economic crisis, I have been spending a lot of time on the phone with outstanding lawyers who have been left in desperate situations. Many of these attorneys, from junior associates to senior partners, come from top law firms and have excellent academic credentials. The tone of the conversation is one of desperation and frustration. Perhaps the most frustrated are the senior and partner-level attorneys who have a wealth of experience to bring to the table, but have not had any success getting a firm to talk to them. These candidates are disgusted because their willingness to be flexible and take a hit in title or class year in order to make a move is rejected. READ MORE >

We've all heard a story like this: a motivated, highly successful (generally female) associate at a top-tier law firm earns a reputation for being the ''go-to'' associate in her department, earns rave reviews for her work, and is on the fast track to partnership. Then she has a baby, takes a maternity leave, and returns to work full-time, convinced she can balance it all. However, shortly thereafter, reality sets in—she realizes that balancing a successful career while raising a child is practically impossible to achieve. READ MORE >

Q. I am a corporate attorney with good credentials. I went to a top local law school, graduated with honors and I work for a respected mid-sized firm. I like my work, but I feel overwhelmed by the demands and how little personal time I have. In short, I would like to reduce my hours. My firm has accommodated lawyers in other practice areas who have requested a part-time schedule, but up until now I have been afraid to broach the subject with the partners at my firm. Part-time seems like an option that has only been granted to working mothers and I am neither a parent nor female. How do I make a case to my firm to allow me to work part-time? Are there any firms that might hire me on a part-time basis. READ MORE >

The struggle to balance career and family is not a new problem, but one that many employers have recently started to address and implement policies about. These changes are no longer an administrative annoyance, but are being recognized as actually adding value to firms and giving them an edge in a competitive environment. Obviously, having two working parents in a household is not uncommon, nor is single-parent support of the family-it is becoming the norm. Individuals need to find time for responsibilities outside of work. Therefore, it is important that firms address their level of commitment to institutionalizing and publicizing support for alternative work schedules. READ MORE >

Historically, law firms have been conservative environments, and as a result, gay attorneys (which includes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered attorneys) have largely kept their sexual orientations to themselves out of fear of being ostracized, rejected, and discriminated against. Many of us have witnessed or heard of stories in which a very highly regarded attorney's sexual orientation was somehow disclosed (or leaked) to his or her firm, resulting in negative consequences for the attorney. READ MORE >

Managing Director of BCG's New York office Danice Kowalczyk delivers an in-depth exposé on women and corporate success. READ MORE >