Women Lawyers Now Biglaw Managing Partners. And we care because…?
Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that two major law firms, BryanCave and MorganLewis each named women as managing partners, a first for both firms. So now, in the words of Therese Pritchard, Bryan Cave’s new managing partner, “younger women think that they can do it too.”
Yet is big law partnership what younger women want? Seven years ago, I wondered whether women seeking equality at law firms are actually behind the times – and that’s even more true today when big law is less relevant than ever. Meanwhile, women are heading solo and small firm practices that they built from the ground up. Let’s hope even as women advance at big law that they realize that they don’t have to settle for being manager of a law firm when they can own it.
“Let’s hope even as women advance at big law that they realize that they don’t have to settle for being manager of a law firm when they can own it.” — LOVE IT!
I’m back-linking that last sentence. Rock & roll!
As a 12+ year female attorney who chafed constantly against large firm attitudes, policies and treatment of everyone outside of the inner circle, who is now a happier solo – IMO, all it means to have two biglaw firms name female managing partners is that two biglaw firms wanted some good PR. Are these women actually supported and valued, or simply being used to show how up to date the firms are? I’ve seen plenty of law firm ham-handed tokenism and subsequent neglect of women and minority attorneys, it can always happen again. I think you nailed it 7 years ago – WHY would I want to succeed at some of those firms? So I can win the pie eating contest and spend a lifetime billing more pie? Or be the only woman more senior than a 4-5 year associate? When would that be appealing?