Big News (NOT): Starting A Firm Helps Work Life Balance
Nearly two years ago, I posted here about a panel addressing the issue of gender equality in the legal profession. Strikingly absent from the panel, however, were solo female lawyers. A month later, I wondered why we should care whether women reach the top at large firms, given that many voluntarily chose a better option – to start their own firms.
Now, two years later, women are finally starting to “get it” – and the legal media is picking up on the trend as well. This story from Washington Legal Times reports on Erica Leatham, a former associate at Holland and Knight who along with some colleagues, started the law firm, Stark Meyers to gain more flexibility. Yes, she still works biglaw hours but she has the flexibility to work those hours when she wants, not when her employer so demands.
In an age where female and male lawyers have the ability to leverage technology to work when and where we choose, why are women still clamoring for equality at law firms? Seems to me that in a new economy, begging for scraps like worklife balance and fewer billable hours is just so yesterday.
I thought this article was ridiculous. From the title I thought it would be trying to show how women lawyers are doing things differently at the large firms. Instead, it was another article about women leaving large firms because the large firms will not accomodate women’s schedules, something they’ve been doing for years. It will be a big deal for those women who want to make partner at a large firm when those firms change the way they evaluate the partner track.
I thought this article was ridiculous. From the title I thought it would be trying to show how women lawyers are doing things differently at the large firms. Instead, it was another article about women leaving large firms because the large firms will not accomodate women’s schedules, something they’ve been doing for years. It will be a big deal for those women who want to make partner at a large firm when those firms change the way they evaluate the partner track.