Law Students

Making the Most of Your Pro Bono Experience

Posted on November 24, 2009
Editor's Note: Ms. JD's annual conference, Avenues to Advancement, was held November 20-21 in Chicago. These are notes from the "Making the Most of Your Pro Bono Experience" panel.  Taking a pro bono case can be a great way to give back and learn valuable skills at the same time...

Finding the Silver Lining in a Cloud of Discrimination

Posted on November 23, 2009
Since the lay-offs this spring a lot of lawyers who still have jobs have found themselves with a significantly increased workload. For one lawyer the increase wasn't just in volume but in kind: when her department lost a number of her male colleagues she finally got to write a brief...

Thank You For Making Ms. JD's Avenues to Advancement Conference a Huge Success!

Posted on November 23, 2009
This past weekend, Ms. JD hosted its 2009 Avenues to Advancement Conference at Northwestern University, in Chicago.  The conference, taking place over the course of two days, brought together law students, lawyers and other professionals from across the country for a series of training session and panels covering a wide range of topics affecting the legal profession and women in the law...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending November 20, 2009

Posted on November 20, 2009
Half AmLaw 100 Firms Say They'll Abandon Lockstep. Now What? U.S. Ranks 31st in Global Gender Gap Rankings ABA Lobbies to Let Unemployed Law School Grads Convert Private Student Loans to Federal Ones Anker Named 2009 Woman of Justice EWLA Insists on Naming Women for Top EU Positions Sidley Austin LLP Partner Virginia A...

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Getting More Women on Corporate Boards: The DirectWomen Board Institute

Posted on September 30, 2009
In an effort to get more women on corporate boards, DirectWomen, an initiative by the American Bar Association's Business Law Section and the women's business group Catalyst, will be hosting the 2009 DirectWomen Board Institute on October 29-30, in New York City...

Networking Advice for Law Students Part IV: Pay It Forward (Be the Person Your Network Turns to for Help)

Posted on September 28, 2009
Women helping women. That's my motivation. It doesn't have to be yours (although if you haven't made a conscious decision to invest in women's success I challenge you to come up with a decent reason why not). If you're not feeling particularly altruistic, consider this: your network is only as valuable as your contacts think it is...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending September 25, 2009

Posted on September 25, 2009
In Kathmandu, Women Lawyers for a New Citizenship Provision Inland Empire Legal Association of Women Group Aims to Help Female Lawyers Succeed Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation Fundraiser Tantalizes with Unique Auction Items Cherie Blair to Speak at Women in Law Conference Women Get Fewer Cases, Smaller Fees Editorial: A Lack of Diversity on Court of Appeals Glass Ceiling Still Exists read more

The Good Wife: Week 1

Posted on September 24, 2009
Did you catch this week's premier of The Good Wife? Somehow I managed to get through a whole summer's worth of advertising without realizing this was a lady lawyer show! Some cliches on display: Christine Baranski as the passive agressive, nice until she's not, BigLaw mentor Carey (better known as Logan Huntzberger) enthusiastically playing the smarmy your associate: "May the best man win" The superficially perfect but emotionally wrecked professional woman Critical comments about long hours from the exxential/meddling mother-in-law Oh yea, and Mr...

Creating a Cohesive Unit: Networking with Women Attorneys

Posted on September 23, 2009
In a recent 'The Press-Enterprise' article, attorney Laura Crane, founding member of the Inland Empire Legal Association of Women describes a particular problem for women lawyers that she has recently noticed.  When she entered a courthouse, she noticed a few women lawyers among the crowd of male civil litigators...

Dowd and the Deepening Gloom

Posted on September 23, 2009
The first time a friend emailed me Maureen Dowd's latest downer I didn't think much of it. Women are less "happy" than they were in the '70s and men aren't. I cynically dismissed this because: 1. Of course women are less happy than in the '70s...

AmLaw - Bad Economy: A Boon for Women Lawyers?

Posted on September 21, 2009
Reporting on an event marking the 2009 edition of 'Working Mother' magazine's "50 Best Law Firms for Women," AmLaw Daily is questioning whether the recession has been a means to bring about change for women in the legal profession. AmLaw concludes: "It's optimistic to believe that most large law firms are rethinking the work/life balance equation during these hard times...

Networking Advice for Law Students Part III: Follow-Up (Even on Business Cards) No Matter How Awkward

Posted on September 21, 2009
Ahh, the awkward follow-up. We all dread it. That?s no excuse. Now as I?ve argued previously, this is easier if you?ve made a connection with someone that goes beyond a basic introduction and actually gotten into some shared interests. But even if you?ve got a business card in passing from someone you barely met, let no opportunity go underexploited...

Ms. JD Weekly Round-up: Week Ending September 18, 2009

Posted on September 18, 2009
Bad Economy: A Boon for Women Lawyers? Probably Not. The Juggle Isn?t Just for the Work Week: Handling Weekend Duties Gaza?s women lawyers will not have to wear Islamic headscarves?for now Helen Kim Takes Helm of Women Lawyers Association A small firm (started by a woman - no surprise) allows new parents to bring babies to the office...

Toward Inclusive Meritocracies: Examining the Relationship between Merit and Diversity in Large Law Firms

Posted on September 17, 2009
by Arin N. Reeves, President, The Athens Group (Ed. Note: This article was originally published in the 'Diversity Insider: Dedicated to Creating a Diverse Profession,' a publication for the 'DRI: The Voice of the Defense Bar.') According to The American Heritage Dictionary, a meritocracy is a ?system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement...

The Question Rephrased: Are There Some Jobs Women are Just Intrinsically Better at than Men?

Posted on September 15, 2009
It's an age old question - one that has been heavily debated in recent times: are there intrinsic differences between women and men that make each sex better suited for different jobs? read more

Networking Advice Part II: Embrace the Professional Association Member Within

Posted on September 14, 2009
I used to think the point of joining a professional association was to achieve another of the legal industry's beloved, but empty, brass rings.  What was the point of working your way through the ranks of your local Inn of Court or Women's Bar Association? I certainly didn't see one...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending September 11, 2009

Posted on September 11, 2009
One Woman Recognized for Lifetime Achievement by AmLaw Daily BC Report: Many Women Drop Out of Law Gaza's Women Lawyers Will Not Have to Wear Islamic Headscarves - For Now Carroll, Burdick & McDonough's Jodi Swick Elected First Vice-President of California Women Lawyers Report Showed Gender Inequality at McCarthys Lawyer Deanna K...

Networking Advice for Law Students Part I: Don't Waste Your Time Being Miserable - Network Through Something "Interesting"

Posted on September 09, 2009
I've already mentioned how important effective networking has been in my own career path. Now I'd like to share some of the tricks I've picked up along the way. First up: putting networking in a compelling context, or what I'm calling "Don't Waste Your Time Being Miserable - Network Through Something Interesting...

Heads up D.C.: NAWJ hiring a fall intern

Posted on September 09, 2009
The National Association of Women Judges is looking for a fall intern. As in, they'd like a law student to spend some time every week working with judges around the country. As in, hello huge networking opportunity. Even if you're not looking for a clerkship - who doesn't want to hire someone recommended by a judge...

Ex-Big Firm Attorneys Open First Female and Minority-Owned Multi-Office Global Law Practice

Posted on September 08, 2009
Two women lawyers have opened a U.S.-based, global law firm, Dziire & Bangudi, focusing on immigration law, international law and global business law.  One of the women, Patrice Dziire, is American, and the other, Mayabanza Bangudi, is from Africa, lending diversity to the new firm's leadership...

Small Town Players Can Make a Big Difference

Posted on September 08, 2009
The stories of women attorneys in top jobs are inspiring to those of us just beginning our careers.  Reading the Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women List, reading about women who become managing partners of global law firms, and seeing another woman appointed to the Supreme Court...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending September 4, 2009

Posted on September 04, 2009
Women Join Simpson Thatcher's Exec Committee - At Last Female Lawyers with Masculine Names May Have a Better Shot at Judgeships Eminent Domain Lawyer Christian F. Torgrimson Has a Passion for the Practice Ex-Big Firm Attorneys Open First Female and Minority-Owned Multi-Office Global Law Practice Attorney Louise Wells Named 1st Female Managing Partner at Morris, Manning & Martin Deane K Corliss, JD, MSN, Honored for Excellence in Healthcare Law That's History: Women at Law School, One Day in 1977 read more

Can Pumping a Bottle Get You Fired?

Posted on September 03, 2009
Sue Shellenbarger at The Juggle reports that "an Ohio Supreme Court decision allowing a breastfeeding mother to be fired from her job for taking breaks to pump milk has ignited an angry buzz among bloggers." A closer look at the ruling reveals the court actually dodged the core question ? whether breastfeeding mothers are protected by pregnancy-discrimination laws ? and focused instead on the fact that Ms...

Women Managing Partners

Posted on August 31, 2009
Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP announced the election of its new Managing Partner, Louise M. Wells. Wells will be the first female to hold the position since the firm was founded in 1976. ?I am honored to accept this responsibility,? Wells offered...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending August 28, 2009

Posted on August 28, 2009
Downturn Dims Prospects Even at Top Law Schools Sex Discrimination Suit at Canadian Law Firm: Court Orders Canada's Largest Law Firm to Produce Confidential Data Diversity's Narrow View Seating Justice Sotomayor Excerpts: Sandra Day O'Connor Sotomayor and Woodrow Wilson's Vision read more

Derailed by Pregnancy

Posted on August 27, 2009
I experienced a feminist lawyer's worst nightmare:  my big firm law career was derailed by pregnancy. It was bizarre. I never dreamed that when I was supposed to be up for partner I would be waiting to see if I would need a heart transplant--because of a twin pregnancy...

Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them: Featuring Andrea Chavez of San Francisco CA

Posted on August 23, 2009
Bio for this week's Superwoman JD: Andrea Chavez is an Executive Partner and a co-founder of VLP. Andrea has spent her entire professional career negotiating and closing large technology transactions in the semiconductor, networking, software and digital media areas...

Doris Brin Walker Dies at Age 90

Posted on August 23, 2009
Politically radical attorney Doris Brin Walker died at a San Francisco hospital last week. She was 90.  Walker graduated from Boalt Hall in 1942, the only woman in her class. She was elected the first woman president of the National Lawyers Guild in 1970...

Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week Ending August 21, 2009

Posted on August 21, 2009
Female Lawyers Fighting Sexism Sidley Austin LLP Names Nadine M. Lacombe Director of Diversity Yale Law Women Announces 2009 Top Ten Family Friendly Firms Sandra Day O'Connor Broke Gender Barriers in Law Tulsa Attorney Karen Long Named to Ethics Commission in Oklahoma Colorado Women in Law Squeezed by Recession Former U...

Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women List

Posted on August 21, 2009
Of the 100 women recognized by Forbes this month, I count 18 lawyers (or at least women with law degrees) in the mix: 2. Sheila Blair, Chiarwoman FDIC 8. Angela Braly, CEO WellPoint 16. Safra Catz, President Oracle 17. Christine Legarde, Minister of France's Economy, Finance & Employment 19...

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