Op-Ed: Overcoming the Main Barriers to the Advancement of Women in Law

Contributed by Sandra Roberts

As a female attorney, I often witness firsthand the barriers that women face in advancing careers in finance, law, and business. Rarely are women promoted as often as men in these fields, and more tragically, their salaries typically remain lower.

According to a recent research study in 2010 from the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL), a majority of staff attorneys at large law firms are women. Women make up about 60% of the staff attorneys at a large law firm, which means they have little to no chances of receiving promotions or moving up to partner. In addition, further research from the NAWL found that over 90% of law firms terminated lawyer positions in the year of 2010 for economic reasons. While the numbers of men and women laid off were in equal percentages, the highest number of terminations occurred amongst part-time attorneys. Unfortunately, a majority of women hold positions as part-time attorneys, meaning more women than men were let go. In 83% of firms that let go part-time attorneys, women made up a larger percentage than men.

Even more disheartening, women only currently make up 15% of the partners at law firms across the country. This number also compares with the business field, in which only 11% of senior executives at Fortune 500 companies are women.

The Challenges Women Face in the Legal Profession

There are many reasons to account for the rather low numbers of women enjoying high powered careers in traditional professions. One reason is that men still do business with other men. The old “boy’s club” attitude still reigns true, especially in fields such as law. It can be difficult for a woman to interact in an office space where men go out for cigars on a daily basis to discuss business deals, but forget to invite the couple women that may be in an office space. To overcome this sort of barrier, women have to be skilled socially and maneuver around such barriers. Some women have difficulty in maintaining a feminine image and still trying to be part of the “boy’s club” in negotiating business deals and gaining new clients.

Another reason for the lack of promotions that women face in these fields is due to other traditional sorts of attitudes. Men are simply expected to advance in a career, regardless of job performance. If a man stays with a company for so many years, then he will likely be given a job promotion at some point during his time with a company. On the other hand, women are not treated with this same sort of societal perception. Women are expected to get results and prove themselves with each business deal. Only by proving themselves, are women typically promoted in a profession such as law or finance.

Women also continue to face more family responsibilities than men do. Women are expected to balance a career and still take care of children, according to a research study from careerwomen.com. Women also have to take care of ill parents or grandparents, according to this study, more often than men do. Taking care of the home and maintaining a clean environment is still a traditional responsibility that is usually accorded to women. Balancing all of these responsibilities along with a career can often mean that women are exhausted from work and do not perform at work as well as they could.

Another reason few women still face promotions at work is due to a lack of encouragement from educational leaders. In high school and elementary schools, men are typically the ones encouraged to take on leadership roles such as student body leader or president of a certain club. Women are taught from a young age that men should be leaders, which does not encourage them to actively seek out promotions when they get to the workplace. Rather, women simply stay happy with a mainstream position in a company, because that is simply what feels right and comfortable. Women typically don’t even consider the possibility of becoming CEO in a company, which is one of the reasons they do not make it to such a position. In some schools or educational atmospheres, the opinions of men are also more valued by professors and teachers in subtle ways. This sort of subtle favoritism is something that can also greatly impact the psyche of young girls and make them not want to pursue leadership positions in a school atmosphere. This sort of attitude can remain embedded in young girls even after they graduate from college and are looking for their first jobs in a law firm, financial corporation, or company.

Getting and Keeping High Positions

There are many steps that women can take to increase their likelihood of getting and keeping high positions in law firms and other companies.

First off, information is one of the most powerful things a woman can seek out. She should seek to foster relationships with powerful people in the company, and request 360 degree feedback (feedback provided by subordinates, peers, and supervisors) if she truly wants to advance her career.

In addition, any woman needs to believe in herself and have the self confidence to know that she can handle any challenge thrown her way. Third, a woman needs to actively voice her opinion and make sure that it is respected by other people in a company. By following these simple steps, a woman truly increases her odds of securing a powerful position in any large law firm, financial bank, and high powered business company.

Guest articles do not necessarily represent the views of The Glass Hammer team.