Must Reads

By Suzanne Swaner

When I think of the number eight, I think of the following:

• Troy Aikman (last Dallas Cowboy who will ever wear "8" on a jersey);
• Michael Jackson (won eight awards at the 1984 Grammys);
• North Carolina Tarheels (lost to Kansas after making it to the Elite Eight in the 2012 NCAA Tournament);
• Duke Blue Devils (did not even make the Elite Eight in the 2012 NCAA Tournament);
• Nadya Suleman (the Octomom); and
• Cole Haan (specifically, my new size 8 red patent leather platform heels).

But wait . . . there is more!

Marcia Greenberger, Co-President, National Women’s Law Center (Guest Author)

Fifty years ago, women made up barely four percent of law students. Since then, women have made significant inroads into the legal profession: for twenty-five years, approximately 45% of law students have been women; in the last decade, women’s representation has approached 50%.

This lack of progress is cause for concern because, as the readers of this blog are well aware, female judges make a difference in the courtroom. They bring to the bench an understanding of the impact of the law on women and girls, who make up over half of the US population. Female judges contribute important worldviews and experiences that round out judicial perspectives. And that contribution improves the quality of justice for men and women alike. For example, a 2010 study demonstrated that male federal appellate court judges are less likely to rule against plaintiffs bringing claims of sex discrimination if a female judge is on the panel. And confidence in the courts as a neutral purveyor of justice is higher, when judges are representative of the population they serve.

It has become increasingly clear, however, that the increased representation in the “pipeline” hasn’t yet been matched by women’s representation on the federal bench. Only 30 percent of federal judges are women, and a mere 8 percent are women of color. And unfortunately, the number of women on the federal bench has seen little improvement in recent years. 

By Sandra Giannone Ezell

Yesterday I retweeted (and it still does surprise me to say things like this since I consider myself a technological dinosaur) something to the effect that you should be the woman that you want your granddaughters to read about in the history books. I was stricken by this notion for a number of reasons.

First, I am already old enough to have granddaughters and I used to think that that was something that would define me in a negative way... you know that I am getting "old." But, I am excited at the notion of having grandchildren and what this tweet actually did to me was jettison me right past the point where I was holding the fat-cheeked little bald bundle in my arms to the point where they grew up, grew hair and looked at the totality of my life and made a decision as to whether I was important, wanting, relevant, inspirational, powerful, and historically interesting.

By Andrea L. Moody

Given the grim statistics of women as partners in Am Law 200 law firms (15%), of women managing partners of Am Law 200 law firms (5%), and with nearly 50% of Am Law 200 firms having one or no women on their highest governing committee, The Center for Women in Law at the University of Texas School of Law sought to change some of these statistics by convening prominent women in the legal profession with the goal of advancing women lawyers into positions of powers and influence ("the Summit"). For three days, law firm managing partners, judges, general counsel, law school deans, and other senior attorneys engaged in an unprecedented examination of power and leader with academics and business leader. As a result of the Summit, Linda Bray Chanow and Lauren Stiller Rikleen for The Center for Women in Law recently published a white paper entitled, Power in Law: Lessons From the 2011 Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership. In this white paper, Chanow and Rikleen present "seven strategies for getting, using and keeping power that emerged from the 2011 Women's Power Summit on Law and Leadership".

There should be no doubt that Chanow's and Rikleen's work, in its entirety, is a must read. However, because of its relevance and critical message to The Courtroom Divas' audience, I have noted these seven strategies for getting, using, and keeping power with an abbreviated version of Chanow's and Rikleen's summary of the Summit's discussions.

By Suzanne Swaner

I had planned on making my debut as the newest Courtroom Diva with an introductory post, but then came something much more important than the back-fill on me, my life, and how I got here. We will get to all that later. For now, while I hate to be the bearer of any bad news, especially with my first post, the results of a recent study are a little concerning and worth disseminating as widely as possible.

An article recently appeared in the National Law Journal entitled, "Opportunities diminishing for women at large law firms, study finds." A study conducted by the National Association of Women Lawyers ("NAWL") reportedly found the percentage of female attorneys entering the country's 200 largest law firms dropped compared to last year, from 48 percent to 47 percent. This is, apparently, the first time that has happened in five years. One percent does not seem like a big deal, in and of itself. But when considered in conjunction with the apparent downslide in the numbers of women even entering law school, a fact also noted in the article, that downward trend could become downright scary. And then, when layered the fact that women tend to leave large firms more quickly than men, the numbers of female lawyers on the horizon at big firms could appear even more grim.

By Alana Bassin

Admittedly, a month ago I barely knew who Dee Dee Myers was. Quite embarrassing given that she was the former White House press secretary under Bill Clinton and is the recent author of "Why Women Should Rule the World."

About three weeks ago I saw her speak and I walked out of the luncheon inspired and invigorated to make positive change in the world. Three weeks have gone by and I'm, of course, bogged down by work and kids and my aspirations have dwindled a tad. However, I did buy her book. And I have read a few chapters. And I do think her message - both from her speech and book - are worthy of discussion.

For clarification, her message is not that men are bad people or leaders. She does not suggest that men shouldn't lead. She merely suggests that adding women to the leadership arena will have a positive impact.

By Andrea Moody

"Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise." - Maya Angelou

Never more true are esteemed author and poet, Maya Angelou's words of wisdom than they are today in our competitive world. Any successful diva will tell you that success is a continuum and a real diva is able to honestly and critically look at herself, take inventory, and fine tune those details which are necessary to reinvent herself and her formula for success. A real diva is not a stereotype or created by someone else. Instead, she boldly invents and reinvents herself through her series of unique experiences and life lessons.

By Alana Bassin

A rumor went around recently that a Fortune 500 company handed out laminated cards to certain female employees with the following list, trying to give advice about what not to do at the office in order to succeed. The list was allegedly taken from the book "Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers," by Dr. Lois P. Frankel who later commented that the list was taken out of context. Nevertheless, the list warned that women tend to do the following:

1. Speak too softly and aren't heard.
2. Groom in public, which "deemphasizes capability."
3. Sit too demurely, rather than leaning forward at the table in meetings.
4. Speak last in meetings. Early speakers are seen as more assertive and authoritative.
5. Ask permission, while men inform.
6. Apologize too much for every little thing.
7. Smile too often, which can dilute a message.
8. Play too fair.
9. Operate behind the scenes, which enables competitors to take credit for one's work.
10. Offer a limp handshake.

“We have to look out for our own. If we don’t take care of ourselves, then we are not giving back and we are not paying forward. It is, at the end of the day, the obligation of women to take care of women.” These are sentiments that many intelligent, well-stationed, powerful, future-looking women share and that I want to take a minute or two and push back on. Our affinity group is clearly women, but there are others, and this “obligation of affinity” is common to all such groups. My LGBT colleagues tell me they have it. My African American friends express such beliefs. Hispanics claim and fulfill this belief and agenda. Asian Americans gather in communities of mutual support. I could continue to add to this list and still miss people.

There is something communal and noble and connected about these feelings that I am not trying to dissuade, I am just wondering what would happen if we stopped doing all the work. I am simply wondering why we are doing all the heavy lifting. What would happen if we stopped taking the primary responsibility for our group’s success and put that back on our organizations, in our case, our firms?