Women in Law Firms: Stuck in the Middle

by Liz O’Donnell (Boston)

Fifty-one percent of the U.S. population is female and women have been graduating from law school at the same rate as men for at least 25 years. But when you look at the number of women partners in law firms, the 50/50 split no longer holds.

Certainly the number of female lawyers, and even partners, are growing, but still only one in five big-firm partners are women according to The American Lawyer’s first Women in Law Firms study. Several firms in the study — Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; and Ropes & Gray—are close to having a 50/50 gender split of lawyers. However, the study reports the greatest numbers of female lawyers are still at the associate level.

The American Lawyer study reflects data similar to that of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL). According to NAWL’s 2007 National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms, men hold 92 percent of managing partner positions, 85 percent of the seats on firm governing committees, and 84 percent of equity partnership in the largest firms in the U.S.

We talked to women from some of the highest ranked firms as well as the lowest ranked firms on the list and the message is consistent. Women are disappointed by the low number of partners, hopeful that the percentages will improve, and looking to diversity programs and a fair and balanced recognition of excellence to drive change.

The firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith does not have a diversity program in place despite being ranked number two on the list. Just under 43 percent of the lawyers and 26.7 percent of the partners are women. A spokeswoman for the firm says they achieve diversity by hiring the best people and promoting excellence.

Karen Campbell, an attorney in Lewis Brisbois’ New York firm, just made equity partner. She is both a woman and an African American. She says her promotion shows future attorneys, law students ,and younger people working in the firm that the possibility exists. “Before you looked (at the partners) and they were all male.”

One of the obstacles she’s seen in her 22 years of practicing law is the lack of mentors and networking systems for women. Women are often cut out from key lunches and informal networking opportunities. However, when she joined Lewis Brisbois, she had colleagues advocating for her. That doesn’t always exist for women in firms that are predominantly male.

“That made all the difference,” she says, “knowing you have that type of support. It made me feel like part of the team.”

Campbell agrees with her company spokesperson that the firm recognizes excellence.  “Look, I’m black and I come from the generation where that means something,” she says. “But I think here at Lewis Brisbois race doesn’t matter. They do just look at the best performers. But at other firms there were people who didn’t look at me because they didn’t relate to me.”

Closer to the other end of The American Lawyer list is Herrick Feinstein at number 194. Women represent 29.8 percent of Herrick’s lawyers and 11.9 percent of the partners. Unlike Lewis Brisbois, Herrick Feinstein has a diversity program and the head of the program is “dismayed” that only 29 percent of the partners at the top firm on the list are women. However, Susan T. Dwyer, chair of the diversity committee, partner and chair of the firm’s Product Liability Practice Group,  is hopeful that things are changing for women lawyers.

“In the last few years firms have focused on women. Most firms have tried to set up some kind of a program to help recruit, mentor, retain and promote women lawyers.” Unfortunately, says Dwyer, the economy has slowed down diversity programs. Still, she says the women’s initiative at Herrick has been one of the most active programs.  “I think we’re making progress,” she says.