Is the Law Firm Leadership Track Fair?

Beauty and successBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

The National Association of Women Lawyers and the NAWL Foundation have released [PDF] their 7th annual report on women in top law firms, and the numbers are similar to what we have seen before. Too similar, in fact. The percentage of women equity partners is only barely 15 percent and the number of women non-equity partners is only 26 percent. Similarly, women only hold 20 percent of governance committee roles, and only four percent of firms have a female managing partner.

“We are disappointed that women lawyers are still not reaching the highest levels of big firm practice or leadership in significant numbers,” said NAWL President Beth Kaufman, Partner at Schoeman Updike & Kaufman LLP in New York.

The study polled AmLaw 200 firms to examine the differences in pay and promotion between men and women lawyers. And, in fact, women are earning less than men at every level, with the biggest gap at the equity partner level (89 percent). NAWL identified that one potential reason for the discrepancies between men and women concerning pay and promotion may be the pipeline and a rigid structure of advancement at many law firms.

In a profession where rapid advancement up a tightly-defined ladder is the standard path to prestige, women are often pushed out of leadership. “The Survey has repeatedly found that law firm structure has important effects on women’s career paths,” said Barbara Flom, author of the report and Secretary of The NAWL Foundation.

Flom believes that by changing the rules of the advancement system (or rather, creating more paths to success within the system), women would benefit significantly. And so would firms, which would reap the rewards of greater leadership diversity.

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Women and Power: Do We Get It?

Contributed by CEO Coach Henna Inam

There is a large space between having power and being powerful. Women have historically had a love hate relationship with power. Personally, I am one of them. In some situations in my corporate career, I was in positions of great power but had a hard time exercising it. As women, we have fought throughout history for our rights to be empowered. Why then can we be so ambivalent about power when we get it?

Here’s a personal story that illustrates the point. A few years ago, my company asked me to move to Mexico to turn the business around from our rapid market share declines. I had P&L responsibility, leadership for all functions (including a manufacturing plant and R&D), in total an organization of about 600 people. I felt energized by the challenge. Our turnaround strategy included rapid new product introductions and our team came together to make this happen.

Here was the challenge: our local plant manager, who also had a reporting relationship into the global supply chain head, was hyper-focused on lowering costs. New products would increase plant costs so he was resisting the launch plan. Who had the power to make the call? Technically, me, as I was the P&L leader. Did I exercise that power? Not really. Not the way most men would. Make the call. Move on. Instead of asserting, I found myself negotiating, cajoling, bridge-building. It was a longer and frankly much more painful process, and I didn’t necessarily feel very powerful through it.

Sound familiar?

The story ends well. We tripled our rate of innovation, regained market share and profit. However, the experience taught me important lessons about power. Here’s what I learned about what keeps women from exercising power as men do.

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What Not to Say to a Pregnant Co-Worker

iStock_000012751692XSmallBy Robin Madell (San Francisco)

“My wife stayed home when our kids were little.”

“I’m sure you’ll be checking in from home.”

“We need to stick with business attire here.”

These were all comments that Kathy D., Esq., from Indianapolis heard from colleagues during her two pregnancies. And she’s not alone: countless other women find themselves bombarded with unwanted—and sometimes downright rude—questions about their pregnancy once coworkers learn about their condition.

Jennifer Wong, founder and CEO of Alt12, which creates mobile apps for pregnancy, health, and parenting, worked for a corporation when she had her first child. Wong says her announcement was met with a “Congratulations. Now how are you going to get your work done?” attitude.

“The immediate questions were about when exactly I was planning to be gone, what was my coverage plan, and would I be working during the 11 weeks I’d be on maternity leave,” says Wong. “Because I was very career driven and 34 years old when I was pregnant—an age many consider to be ‘old’ to be having kids—I got comments from coworkers like, ‘I never thought you would have kids’ or that I would probably need more time to recover because I’m older. The most annoying comments came from those who assumed I was going to give up my career and not come back after my maternity leave.”

Whether the comments relate to if you’ll return to work, how you’re going to manage juggling everything, or the riskiness of having a child after a certain age, it’s important to know how to address them. On the flip side, if you’re working with pregnant colleagues either as an employee or employer, you should know what kinds of comments and behaviors might land you in hot water or subject you to legal action. Our expert panel provides insight on what to say and what to avoid.

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Voice of Experience: Joyce Ulrich, Chief Information Officer, Legg Mason

joyceulrichBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Joyce Ulrich, Chief Information Officer at Legg Mason, is still learning to get comfortable with her position as a role model. “Some women in the firm have said to me that ‘you are a role model,’” she explained. “A role model is someone whose behavior you emulate, and I had never thought of myself in that way.”

Ulrich, who has spent her entire career in financial services, and all but three of those years in technology, has developed a clear perspective on how women can thrive in the field – and how companies can help them achieve a leadership position.

She encouraged women with less career experience to enter technology, and to figure out what they’re passionate about. “Be a geek. Find your passion for the technology and exploit that. Be flexible and open to learning new things, and don’t be afraid to approach different territory. And especially don’t be afraid to approach new territory that is currently dominated by men.”

As for advice for women who are more senior, she continued, “As I survey the landscape, I’m not sure that as women we’re necessarily good at playing by rules of the old boys’ network.” So we have a choice: we can learn to play by these obscure rules, or not, but what I would really prefer is for the rules to go away altogether.”

“I want to lead by example,” she added, “I have always tried to lead an honorable life. I hope that is what makes me a potential role model.”

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Life After Corporate: Kelly Hoey, Co-Founder, Women Innovate Mobile

KellyHoeyBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

To Kelly Hoey, business strategist and Co-Founder and Managing Director of Women Innovate Mobile, leaving her corporate job was a surprise. “I call myself an accidental entrepreneur,” she said.

But, she firmly believes striking out on her own was the right choice. “I tell people this all the time – my life was easier when I practiced law. But I can’t imagine doing anything else now. Do I have moments of doubt? Yes. But I need to pursue this and see where it goes.”

Now, her role at WIM, an accelerator for mobile-focused start-ups founded by women, helps bring her true passion – mentoring – to the fore, as she works to inspire and ignite the next generation of women in the technology space.

“When I started practicing law, I was in Toronto, Ontario. And I had an extraordinary mentor. He was a mentor to all of his younger staff and he would say, ‘I’m training my assassins.’ He wanted the people he trained to be better than him,” Hoey recalled.

The experience had a profound impact on her own career development and goals. “I think for me generally, being seen as and being a great mentor is my greatest professional achievement.”

She continued, “Last August, for my birthday, someone who is a friend and mentee to me handed me a logo in a frame, and said, ‘Kelly, you’ve inspired me to start my own company.’ To be an inspiration to someone – that to me was just jaw-dropping.”

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EU Quota Plan to be Revised

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iStock_000010363335XSmallBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Earlier this week, the EU shelved Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding’s plans for a vote on boardroom gender quotas for European companies. Reding’s suggested legislation would require all EU companies with more than 250 employees or making €50 million per year to ensure their boards were 40% female.

Upon coming into office, Reding had threatened to enact the quotas if EU countries didn’t begin to take gender diversity more seriously and implement their own targets. When they showed little progress this year, she turned around with a plan to enact the quotas rule. If companies didn’t comply, they would face stiff penalties.

The rule was put forth for debate by the EU’s executive body on Tuesday, and when it was clear that the majority didn’t support the quotas, the vote was scrapped. But, according to Reding and her allies, they intend to come forward with a compromise plan for another vote in November.

As the New York Times reported:

“There is still 40 percent,” Ms. Reding said in Strasbourg on Tuesday. “But the way to arrive there has been looked at in a different way.”

“The debate was very intense,” she said, explaining that the discussion on the legality of any quota was one of the reasons the meeting took several hours.

A vote on a revised proposal has been set for November 14.

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Voice of Experience: Gabrielle Vitale, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer, American Express

GabrielleVitaleBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“As opportunities were presented over my career, I made a variety of shifts. These shifts came with unique challenges that I took on with a great deal of gusto,” says Gabrielle Vitale, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at American Express, looking back on her almost three-decade long career at the company.

“I have been incredibly fortunate to perform in a number of roles, and had job opportunities you might not expect to encounter at a single company.”

She added, “It is not just about getting the job done, but being curious and having the desire to make it better and do more. The status quo never sat well with me.”

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Movers and Shakers: Dina Powell, President, Goldman Sachs Foundation and Global Head of Corporate Engagement, Goldman Sachs

Dina PowellAccording to Dina Powell, President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation and Global Head of Corporate Engagement for the firm, it’s important to be open to new and different opportunities throughout your life.

“One of the things I often say is be careful not to overplan your life. Because the less you are open to opportunities as they come along, the less you have the advantage of a diversity of experience,” she advised.

Powell has spent time in both the public and private sectors, having worked in the White House and for the Department of State before joining Goldman Sachs. She believes this has served her well throughout her career path. “I think having experience in both is key,” she said. “When I think of the many opportunities we have now to work together to solve problems – I think it’s vital to understand how the other side works.”

That breadth of experience is also invaluable when approaching complex challenges in the developing and emerging markets. She said, “When I think of solving global challenges, it’s about making sure all three legs of the stool are represented – the public sector, the private sector, and the non-profit sector.”

“I’ve had the privilege of working with so many women around the world and it’s given me so much faith in women. Women in many parts of the world – Afghanistan, India, Egypt – are faced with so many challenges. Yet they are determined to do everything they can to invest in their communities and their children. When we give women the chance to reach their full potential, it makes a huge difference.”

She added, “Having women as full members of societies really does lead to more peaceful and prosperous communities and a more peaceful and prosperous world.”

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Amplifying Autonomy: How Flex-Work Can Motivate Your Team

lisaloehrContributed by Lisa Loehr

Work/life balance is a significant issue that usually centers on women with children. While most women applaud employers for family-centric programs, there are many men and women who approach management wondering why more isn’t being done to create enhanced flexibility for all workers. Indeed, an unintended consequence of implementing family-specific programs is the resentment from male and female colleagues who do not benefit from these programs because they are not affected by child-related issues. Paradoxically, employers are also challenged by data that seems to indicate that female-sensitive programs are not improving retention or advancement for this demographic.

A strong school of research indicates that employers are playing small ball when it comes to addressing women-centric work/life balance issues. In fact, recent research seems to imply that employers should elevate their game and focus more on employee motivation, and think less on gender. Career analyst Daniel Pink, in his book Drive, highlights three factors that are scientifically proven to motivate, but are generally ignored by business leaders (you can view Pink’s TED Talk about autonomy here). Those factors are:

  • Autonomy: that people feel an urge to direct their own lives.
  • Mastery: that people feel driven to get better at something that matters
  • Purpose: that people feel an innate need to be part of something larger than themselves

Creating a flexible work environment aligns directly with autonomy – and is something valued by both women and men. Studies have shown that offering increased autonomy retains workers because employees feel they have more professional choices to impact their current situation – they stay and change from within rather than acting on the natural impulse to leave. At the same time, creating autonomy allows employees the flexibility they need to manage their personal life.

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A Work Life Fit for Everyone

iStock_000009988773XSmallBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA), work life fit, once and for all, can no longer be considered an issue that only concerns women. In fact, the survey suggested, it’s no longer an issue that only concerns parents either.

The study (by the APA and Harris Interactive) of 1,240 adults employed in the US found the top factor that keeps adults in their jobs isn’t pay… or benefits… or a lack of other opportunities. The top two factors that keep people in their jobs are work life fit and a sense of fulfillment. Both of these scored evenly (67 percent) as the top reason people remain with their employer.

David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA, head of APA’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, commented, “Americans spend a majority of their waking hours at work and, as such, they want to have harmony between their job demands and the other parts of their lives.”

He continued, “To engage the workforce and remain competitive, it’s no longer sufficient to focus solely on benefits. Today, top employers create an environment where employees feel connected to the organization and have a positive work experience that’s part of a rich, fulfilling life.”

October is National Work and Family Month, and a study like this one highlights just how important work life fit is to women, to men, to parents and non-parents. It’s an issue that affects all of us, and it’s a lot bigger than just being able to leave the office in time for dinner. It means having quality time to spend with children or parents, of course, but it also means having time outside work to participate actively in your community, to go shopping or to the doctor or to the gym, to laugh with friends, or simply to read a book.

These are the things that add variety and value to life. That’s not to say that work isn’t part of that value – the sense of fulfillment you get from a project completed or a problem solved can be powerful. And the activities that enrich one person’s life will be different than the ones that enrich someone else’s. That’s why expanding our notion of what work life fit entails and to whom it is important is the next phase of empowerment for women and men at work.

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