Pump up the pretty: Some tools are critical to a lawyer's personal arsenal of skills -- strong analytical ability, a gift for crafting that perfect persuasive brief -- but should women add femininity to the list? Is it really OK to giggle on a conference call or put on those extra coats of mascara? Melissa Dubose (pictured) has some controversial and candid advice for women lawyers who don't want to play it safe by wearing navy suits or sensible shoes -- or by following men's rules.
The Assistant-at-Law: Communication skills sometimes go out of the window between a female boss and her female assistant -- trying too hard to be friends in such a situation can become a minefield of simmering resentment on both sides. But it doesn't have to be that way. The Assistant-at-Law tells female lawyers who are bosses how to
make the most of an assistant relationship without destroying it.
New way of doing things: Women are frequently trained from a young age to please others and work hard without complaint -- and women lawyers are no exception, especially when success comes at the price of a personal life. Can there truly be balance as women seek that cliche of "having it all"? Andrea “AJ” Johnson (pictured) offers tips for women lawyers who want to go from being good girls to good lawyers.
Surviving and thriving: Adrienne Randle Bond (pictured) thought she had moved beyond gender issues -- until she really reflected on disparities in the legal market. Here's her advice for the next generation of female lawyers.
In my own opinion, gender is not an issue as long as the person performs the job well. In the past, some women have graduated college just to get married and stay at home, take care of children, lay back and wait for their husbands to come home. They never got the chance to practice their profession, which I find ironic. Men and women are created equal, and women are very much capable of outperforming men in any field or practice, may it be physical or intellectual. It would be great if society in general would think the same way. After all, one cannot live without the other - we are all co-dependent on each other.
Posted by: Guy Chambliss | December 22, 2011 at 08:19 AM
Really?
Posted by: Asyong Salongga | December 22, 2011 at 06:21 AM
Forgot to mention the egregious, "good girls to good lawyers." At what do we become women in this story?
Posted by: Hola | November 01, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Are you joking? With all due respect to the contributing female authors, I have to complain about the summaries of these articles to draw in the reader. Completely sexist.
The first article, should you glam up for the job? Wearing sensible shoes or navy suits only shows you are competing for male stature. But, applying mascara and giggling during conference calls is cute and desirable? Is our world defined by Sex and the City?! Either way, are these the things women actually think about?
Second article, how bitchy women, especially partners, are as bosses. Boh-ring. Cat-fight headlines and traffic. Sad.
Third article, what to do if you are female and are seeking the "cliche" of work/life balance. Hmmm. Women strive for cliches?
Foruth article, how she, not any others, were duped into thinking gender was not an issue. Is focusing on her misstep an excuse for explaining or discussing how all women in the law may have had missed opportunities?
Yuck. This entire marketing spin on this special feature is appalling and sexist.
Posted by: Hola | November 01, 2011 at 09:52 PM