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Does Difficulty ?Schmoozing? Explain Why Women Lag Behind in the Courtroom?

By Ashby Jones

An interesting recent post over at the American Lawyer addresses the following question: Why do we see so few women handling commercial and appellate cases?

According to statistics provided by the New York City Bar, of 98 commercial cases that went to court between last September and this January, only 12 cases were led by women. Nationally, the American Lawyer story points out, women make up 31 percent of all lawyers.

The answer to the disparity, the piece concludes, is likely attributable to a host of issues. But at a recent panel discussion hosted by the New York City Bar, one reason took center stage: men are more willing than women to schmooze with clients and potential clients.

"The reason we're seeing all these men on all these cases is because men get business and women don't," said appellate-division Justice Rosalyn Richter, the moderator. "Is that true?"

To Bristol-Myers Squibb general counsel Sandra Leung, the rationale struck a chord.. "To really get business, you gotta schmooze," she said, and women are sometimes more reluctant to do so. "I get far more phone calls from male partners at law firms wanting to meet me for lunch than women," she said.

Allstate's general counsel Michele Coleman Mayes agreed: "I have never seen a man be reticent to ask me for business. In fact, they will strangle you to make sure you sit long enough so they can tell you they want your business and why they're so good," she said. "Women will dance around it: 'Well, I don't want to abuse our relationship.' And I say, 'Men don't care if they abuse it; neither should you.'"

If women can't build relationships, said Coleman Mayes, they're at a disadvantage, "because at the end of the day, this is not a charitable organization we're running."

LBers, any thoughts?

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on March 04, 2011 (boomark / email).