Law Students

Federal Judges Complain About the Attire of Women Lawyers

Posted on May 21, 2009
At a recent judges' panel discussion at the Seventh Circuit Bar Association meeting, U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lefkow made a comment about the inappropriate dressing of some women lawyers.  This opened the floodgates for similar complaints from other judges on the panel and the the majority-male audience...

Networking Matters

Posted on May 18, 2009
I know it's hard to make conversation at cocktail receptions, follow-up by email, reach out for advice, and ask for favors. But it's worth it. How do I know? Because every single job I've ever had I got because someone (almost always a woman) I knew through my professional and social networks helped me get it...

Pam Karlan Kills at SLS Graduation

Posted on May 18, 2009
I've already complained about my own law school graduation speaker. I only got more bitter when I read the text of Professor Pamela Karlan's remarks to Stanford Law School's Class of 2009. She's funny; she quotes Dante; she inspires. She also addresses her membership on The Short List: Would I like to be on the Supreme Court? You bet I would...

New Report: Even in Bad Economic Times Women Lawyers Seek Work-Life Balance

Posted on May 18, 2009
A new survey released by the Rutgers Center for Women and Work shows that despite the current poor economic climate, women lawyers are still prioritizing work-life balance in their careers. The report, "Legal Talent at the Crossroads: Why New Jersey Women Lawyers Leave their Law Firms and Why They Choose to Stay," found a number of the women had chosen firms that provided "work and family balance...

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Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending May 15, 2009

Posted on May 15, 2009
New Study: Female Lawyers Leave Firms Primarily to Seek Flexible Situations Judge Hearn Elected Second Woman on Five-Member S.C. Supreme Court Legal Talent at the Crossroads - Women Lawyers in New Jersey Report: N.J.'s Female Lawyers Leave on Advancement Issues California Women Lawyers to Educate and Recreate - June 5 Conference Combines MCLE with Mini-Vacation Why Women Lawyers Leave: A Quest for Flexible Work and Supportive Environments read more

Women Lawyers' Mother's Day Project Receives National Award

Posted on May 13, 2009
The National Conference of Women's Bar Associations has awarded the Hawaii Women Lawyers' and Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation's Mother's Day Project with the 2009 Public Service Award. The Mother's Day Project provides children in foster homes, domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, or living with relatives, with Mother's Day gifts to give to foster mothers, biological mothers and grandparents...

SuperWomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Patricia Gillette of San Francisco, California

Posted on May 13, 2009
Bio for this week's Superwoman JD: Ms. Gillette, a partner in Orrick's San Francisco office, is a member of the Employment Law Group.  Ms. Gillette's practice focuses on all aspects of employment law, including wrongful discharge and discrimination litigation in both state and federal court, representation of employers in hearings before administrative agencies and counseling and training employers on preventive personnel practices...

Who goes to Law School? Why?

Posted on May 12, 2009
For many years, the number of female law school applicants was on the rise. In the last five years that number has plateaued. Then at last week's Summit in Austin two second tier law school deans mentioned that they received too few female applicants this year to maintain previous gender ...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending May 8, 2009

Posted on May 08, 2009
Barbara Bearnson Named 'Woman Lawyer of the Year' Coalition of Lawyers Fosters Diversity High Court Pick Should Be a Woman Supreme Court Watchers Eye Sonia Sotomayor Is the 'Sisterhood' Over for Women Lawyers? Top Women Lawyers Call for President Obama to Select Woman to Supreme Court New Jersey Women Lawyers Association Honors Sills Cummis & Gross Partner read more

End of the 'Sisterhood' for Women Lawyers?

Posted on May 07, 2009
Recently, Vivia Chen wrote a piece for the American Lawyer entitled 'The End of Sisterhood.'  In that article, she examines whether women lawyers are really as united as they make out to be.  As Chen posits: "[W]omen -- particularly their immediate superiors -- can be [fellow women lawyers'] worst tormentors...

Nominate a Woman to the Supreme Court

Posted on May 07, 2009
Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership at the University of Texas.  One of the most exciting experiences while attending was hearing firsthand from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the struggles she's faced as a woman in the legal profession...

Center for Women in Law Launched at UT

Posted on May 04, 2009
This week the University of Texas School of Law launched the Center for Women in Law with a Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership. An astonishingly accomplished group of women, among them at least three people on "the short list" and Justice O'Connor, were present...

SuperWomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Katherine B. Edwards of Alexandria, Virginia

Posted on May 03, 2009
Bio for this week's Superwoman JD: Katherine B. Edwards has been practicing law for over twenty-five years and is known as one of the best energy attorneys in Washington D.C.  Kathie earned her J.D. in 1981 from the University of Texas and also earned a Masters degree from Memphis State University...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending May 1, 2009

Posted on May 01, 2009
The End of Sisterhood Women and Minorities Seen as Focus for Court Search Local Judge Kaye Hearn Unopposed for High Court Stereotypes, Cancer Couldn't Stop Beverly Baker from Reaching Her Goals Tool Time for Women in the Law Downturn Will Make Firms More Hospitable for Women, Partner Argues read more

Event Announcement: Backpack to Briefcase

Posted on April 30, 2009
Backpack to Briefcase A  Transitional Program for Law Students, Recent Graduates  and Junior Associates       Hosted by: New York City Bar -  House of the Association 42  West 44th Street, New York Thursday, April 30th,  2009 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m...

Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Penny Berger of Lincoln NE

Posted on April 26, 2009
Bio for this weeks Superwoman JD: Penny Berger received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Columbia University.  She then went on to complete her PhD from the University of Chicago, followed by a J.D. from the University of Nebraska.  After graduating from law school at the top of her class and participating as associate editor of her law review, Penny Berger took a job with Rembolt Ludtke, LLP and became one of the first women to make partner in Lincoln, Nebraska...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending April 24, 2009

Posted on April 24, 2009
The Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles Foundation Hosts its Thirty-Fourth Annual Scholarship and Awards Luncheon Sandra Robinson Honored as "Queen of Malpractice" Women Lawyers in India Take On Akilesh Das Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association Elects a New Board How To Attract and Keep Talented Lawyers in this Downturn read more

How to Become a Law Professor -- The Move from Big Law to Academia

Posted on April 23, 2009
Professor William B. Rubenstein of Harvard Law School will be conducting a half-day seminar on June 20, 2009 in New York City to help those who are interested in making the transition from private practice to legal academia. Visit http://billrubenstein...

In This Economic Downturn, Now Is the Time to Prioritize Diversity and Mentorship

Posted on April 22, 2009
In a recent article written by Carl Cooper, for 'The Complete Lawyer,' Cooper argues that law firms are really missing the point in this economic downturn if they are focusing solely on increasing profits.  "If law firms were ever serious about retention, now is the time to prove it...

Supply and Demand

Posted on April 22, 2009
I spend a fair amount of time considering why it is that women are so under represented in the partnerships of large law firms. I do this as a semi-professional endeavor but also due to my own self-interest as a junior associate who (1) intends to make partner in a few years and some day be involved in the management of my current firm and (2) wonders if there is something that I am not anticipating that will drive me from practice as has happened to so many partnership tracked women ahead of me...

'Diverse' Analyzes Female Leadership in America's Leading Law Schools

Posted on April 21, 2009
Diverse, a forum dealing with issues in higher education across America, has released an article dealing with female leadership in law schools.  According to Diverse, as of the 2006-2007 academic year, "47 out of the 200 American Bar Association-approved U...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending April 17, 2009

Posted on April 17, 2009
Law Firms and Women Attorneys of Color - Obstacles and Successes Blind Lawyer Says Claire Huxtable Was Role Model Will a Second Woman Join the High Court? Lawyer Angela Winfield Excels Despite Disability Fulbright Names Linda L. Addison Partner-In-Charge of New York Office Bobbie Pichini Named to Best Lawyers in America 2009 read more

SuperWomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Diana Mercer of Los Angeles, CA

Posted on April 16, 2009
This Week's Superwoman JD Diana Mercer: Diana Mercer, Esq. is an Attorney-Mediator and the founder of Peace Talks Mediation Services in Los Angeles, California (http://www.peace-talks.com). A veteran litigator, she now devotes her practice solely to mediation...

Ms. JD 2009 Summer Scholarship

Posted on April 14, 2009
Ms. JD is awarding two $500 scholarships to female law students entering their second or third year at an accredited U.S. law school and working the summer of 2009 at least 35 hours per week for a minimum of 8 weeks at a government agency or nonprofit organization...

Networking is hard

Posted on April 14, 2009
Okay, so I'm the lawyer who has been writing the seven part series titled "A Junior Associate's Networking Plan".  I know, I know, I owe Ms. JD a couple of installments of that series, which I promise to get to soon.  Anyway, I recently found myself on the receiving end of a friend's networking efforts and it was hard for me...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending April 10, 2009

Posted on April 11, 2009
Linda Addison Receives ABA's 2009 Margaret Brent Women Achievement Award Women Lawyers: It's Time for a Woman on Fifth DCA Law-moms Aim to Change Law Firms' Punishing Work Culture Law Student Misty Leigh Edwards Named Franke Scholarship Recipient ABA to Honor Five Women for Achievement Award Women Lawyers Meet in Fiji read more

Superwomen JDS and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Laverne Gaskins of Georgia

Posted on April 10, 2009
This Week's Superwoman JD Laverne Gaskins: Laverne Lewis Gaskins is employed as the University Attorney for Valdosta State University. Ms. Gaskins earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, (cum laude), from Valdosta State University, and thereafter received her Master of Education degree in Guidance and Counseling...

ABA to Honor Five Women for Achievement Award

Posted on April 09, 2009
The American Bar Association has announced the five women it will be honoring with the 2009 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. These women are: Helaine Barnett - a veteran legal aid attorney; Loretta Tuell - a name partner at Andersen Tuell, which was one of the first D...

Legalized Rape? Opponents Speak Out About New Afghan Law

Posted on April 09, 2009
Over much protest, last week Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed into law a bill codifying existing Islamic law which creates significant restrictions upon the times that women can leave their homes in Afghanistan. In addition, the law also requires that women meet the sexual needs of their husbands, stating in relevant part that "unless the wife is ill, the wife is bound to give a positive response to the sexual desires of her husband...

Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Randa Hudome of Washington D.C.

Posted on April 04, 2009
Bio for this Week's Superwoman JD, Randa Fahmy Hudome:  Randa Fahmy Hudome has more than twenty years of experience in the international affairs arena, including service in both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. Government.  She is the President of Fahmy Hudome International (FHI), a strategic consulting firm that provides critical advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies, foreign governments, media organizations, private sector entities, and educational institutions with an interest in international energy and foreign policy...

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