Women in the Law

ABA President Linda Klein visits with lawyers around the country to chart policy initiatives

New ABA President Linda Klein is using what she learned in visits with lawyers around the country to chart her policy initiatives for the coming year

Sep 1, 2016 1:30 AM CDT

Partner files $100M class action against Chadbourne, targets pay decisions of male ‘dictatorship’

A partner has filed a $100 million class action alleging Chadbourne & Parke has “a culture of discrimination against female attorneys” that was perpetuated by an “all-male dictatorship.” The suit (PDF) by Kerrie Campbell seeks damages for female partners “who have been disparately underpaid, systematically shut out of firm leadership,…

Aug 31, 2016 4:07 PM CDT

4th Circuit revives lawyer’s ‘glass ceiling’ suit against Booz Allen

A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit by a former in-house lawyer at Booz Allen Hamilton who alleged the consulting firm had a pattern of discriminating against older women. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday in the suit filed by Carla Calobrisi, the National…

Aug 23, 2016 2:40 PM CDT

Create more opportunities for demographically diverse attorneys, House of Delegates urges

A resolution urging legal services providers—large law firms, in-house legal departments and others—to expand opportunities for attorneys of all backgrounds met with strong approval in the ABA’s House of Delegates Monday afternoon. On a day when several measures on diversity and inclusion in the legal profession met with support in…

Aug 8, 2016 5:25 PM CDT

5 Margaret Brent honorees helped level the playing field for women lawyers

One of a few themes that threaded through acceptance speeches by the five award recipients at the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award luncheon at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco concerned men, albeit small numbers of them, who worked to help women lawyers succeed. When—not so long…

Aug 7, 2016 7:50 PM CDT

Think only younger women are leaving BigLaw? The exodus is long-term

Women are leaving BigLaw more than men, and the exodus is not confined to women in their childbearing years. Those findings are contained in research by ALM Intelligence that found there is no specific time in women’s lives when they are most likely to leave large law firms. Rather the…

Aug 1, 2016 8:30 AM CDT

10 Questions: Kristen Clarke is a leader in 21st century fight for civil rights

Click here to register for 10 Questions Live, a Google Hangout with civil rights warrior Kristen Clarke, today at 2 p.m. ET.

Aug 1, 2016 3:20 AM CDT

ABA President Paulette Brown addresses breaking events while maintaining focus on key initiatives

Outgoing President Paulette Brown has addressed breaking events while maintaining her focus on key initiatives.

Aug 1, 2016 1:20 AM CDT

Partner’s equal-pay suit claims Sedgwick has a ‘male-dominated culture’ that hinders women

A nonequity partner at Sedgwick has filed a suit on behalf of women at the firm that contends they are denied equal pay and equal opportunities for advancement because of a “male-dominated culture” at the firm. Traci Ribeiro, who works in the firm’s Chicago office, filed the would-be class action…

Jul 28, 2016 9:40 AM CDT

These law firms are named the best for women

The percentage of firms with three or more women as top rainmakers has doubled in two years in the 50 law firms named the best for women. Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers announced this year’s top 50 law firms for women on Tuesday. Twenty-two percent of the law firms reported…

Jul 27, 2016 7:00 AM CDT

Tired of being told how they should behave to get ahead, female lawyers give advice to men

The American Lawyer’s Careerist got some feedback from women lawyers after reporting on a study showing that women were penalized at work for assertive behaviors that are considered acceptable in men. The women said they have read story after story about how women should behave at work. “I have been…

Jul 25, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

Should judges be required to grant continuances for parental leave? Florida considers a rule change

Florida lawyers who believe judges should be required to grant continuances for parental leave aren’t giving up the fight. The Florida Bar’s Rules of Judicial Administration Committee turned aside a proposed rule that would generally require continuances for paternity and maternity leave, but supported judicial education on the issue, Law.com…

Jul 21, 2016 7:30 AM CDT

A top rainmaker will become Cravath’s first female presiding partner

A top rainmaker who co-leads the mergers and acquisitions practice at Cravath, Swaine & Moore will become the law firm’s first female presiding partner. Faiza Saeed will take over the job in January, according to a press release (PDF). She will serve as deputy presiding partner until she replaces C.…

Jul 15, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

These 10 law firms are ranked the most family-friendly

The latest list of the most family-friendly law firms created by Yale Law Women looks a lot different from last year’s top 10 list. Only three law firms are on both the 2015 and 2016 lists: Arnold & Porter, Morrison & Foerster, and WilmerHale. The new list was created using…

Jul 11, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

10 Questions: This young lawyer could put people behind bars before she could legally have a drink

In May, Florida lawyer Robyn K. Crawford marked her first full year as an assistant state’s attorney. She is 21 years old. Yes, Crawford was handling a caseload of up to 220 files before she could legally drink a beer, and she’s both the senior-most lawyer and the youngest lawyer…

Jul 1, 2016 3:20 AM CDT