Comments on: Women, law firms and semantics http://www.law21.ca/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Comments+on+Articles+%28RSS2%29&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.law21.ca%2F2008%2F02%2F08%2Fwomen-law-firms-and-semantics%2F%23comment-&seed_title=Women%2C+law+firms+and+semantics Dispatches from a legal profession on the brink Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:14:50 +0000 hourly 1 By: Allison Wolf http://www.law21.ca/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Comments+on+Articles+%28RSS2%29&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.law21.ca%2F2008%2F02%2F08%2Fwomen-law-firms-and-semantics%2F%23comment-28&seed_title=Women%2C+law+firms+and+semantics/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Allison Wolf Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:13:00 +0000 http://law21.ca/?p=94#comment-28 The challenges that face women lawyers are for the most part the same as those facing other women professionals. I find it helpful to think of these challenges as a "labyrinth" as was suggested by the authors of the HBR Sept. 07 article "Women in the Labyrinth of Leadership". There is no artificial barrier beyond which we cannot advance. Rather there are a number of obstacles and challenges that will arise throughout a career. Parenthood is just one challenge. Prevalant models of leadership are another. As are some of the personal characteristics shared by women - to generalize for a moment - lack of confidence, a tendency to under-estimate ones own strengths, and many others. I agree with you when you write: "That we still even need to have the discussion, that we label it as a “women” or “accommodation” issue rather than a “firm culture” issue, and that we use language that frames the law firm as the default setting and lawyers’ priorities and interests as the aberration, is not." I am interested at this time in promoting a dialogue among women and men about the challenges and obstacles that can and will arise for women and developing strategies for seeing more women through the labyrinth and into positions of power. An emphasis on the development of leadership skills along with career planning and mentorship for young women lawyers are vital elements of the solution. Please have a look at my recent post on this topic: http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/ The challenges that face women lawyers are for the most part the same as those facing other women professionals. I find it helpful to think of these challenges as a “labyrinth” as was suggested by the authors of the HBR Sept. 07 article “Women in the Labyrinth of Leadership”. There is no artificial barrier beyond which we cannot advance. Rather there are a number of obstacles and challenges that will arise throughout a career. Parenthood is just one challenge. Prevalant models of leadership are another. As are some of the personal characteristics shared by women – to generalize for a moment – lack of confidence, a tendency to under-estimate ones own strengths, and many others.

I agree with you when you write: “That we still even need to have the discussion, that we label it as a “women” or “accommodation” issue rather than a “firm culture” issue, and that we use language that frames the law firm as the default setting and lawyers’ priorities and interests as the aberration, is not.”

I am interested at this time in promoting a dialogue among women and men about the challenges and obstacles that can and will arise for women and developing strategies for seeing more women through the labyrinth and into positions of power. An emphasis on the development of leadership skills along with career planning and mentorship for young women lawyers are vital elements of the solution.

Please have a look at my recent post on this topic: http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/

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