Creating & Maintaining a Successful Women’s Initiative

American Bar AssociationYoung Lawyers Division

Women in the Profession CommitteeJuly 18, 2013, 1PM to 2PM CST

Moderator & Speakers

Moderator: Laura Lattman – The Lattman Law Firm,

LLC

Speakers: Nicole Auerbach – Valorem Law Group Ida Abbott – Ida Abbott Consulting, LLC Kit Chaskin – Reed Smith LLP

What is a Women’s Initiative?

Help women develop to their fullest potential

Build a platform for women to succeed

Enhance the workplace to develop, reward, engage and attract women

RESULT = gender diversity (in turn, closer to gender equality)

Why are they necessary?

GENDER INEQUALITY STILL

EXISTS

LAW SCHOOLS/LAW

FIRMSAPPROXIMATELY 50% WOMEN

SINCE THE EARLY 1990s

A female lawyer earns 77 cents for every 1 dollar a male lawyer earns.

(Polifact)

Today, there are only 15% female equity partners in the nation’s 200 largest firms.*

*Unchanged since 2006

Women of color = 2%

(NAWL Study 2012)

Female equity partners earn 89% of the money earned by their male peers.

(NAWL Study 2012)

Women comprise nearly half of the workforce, and many women are the primary breadwinners for their families.

(2013 National Equal Pay Task Force Report)

Elements of an Effective Women’s Initiative

A clear purpose Why are we starting a women’s initiative? What are

our expected outcomes?

A clear strategy What will we do? How will we achieve our purpose?

Purpose is directly tied to the firm’s business objectives What’s the business case? How will advancing women

advance the firm’s – and all partners’ - interests?

Elements Accountability

Stated, specific, and (ideally) measurable goals Designated responsibilities Monitor activities, evaluate results Internal and external reporting

Leadership How will initiative team be structured? Who will participate? Who will lead? How will this initiative be coordinated with others?

Elements Strong, ongoing (and real) support

Motivated women Powerful men, in firm and business Budgetary Administrative Marketing

Activities Activities should flow from and support

purpose and strategy

To extent possible: Meet different needs of women at different career stages

Will men be included in activities? In which? In what ways?

What are your goals?

Support/Connection/Relationships?  Affinity group

Connect women for business development? Women’s Network

Change the demographics of the institution?  Change Initiative

Where are you now?

The critical and delicate data dance

Deep data analysis requires senior management buy-in and perhaps a consultant

It is important to get this right

DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO GET YOU FROM WHERE YOU ARE

NOW TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF YOUR GOAL

Change agents, leaders, influencers and foot soldiers

Read Leading Change by John Kotter.  Twice.  Per year.

Strategy vs. vision vs. implementation

Matching structure to strategy 

THE CRITICAL ROLES OF SUPPORT FROM THE TOP AND

MOMENTUM ON THE GROUND

Ask your managing partner to lunch

Identify and nurture allies – ask them for help

Identify and neutralize enemies

Inspire the faithful on a daily basis, and support them in their personal professional goals

QUESTIONS?

Contact Speakers Nicole Auerbach

Nicole.Auerbach@valoremlaw.com; 312-676-5469

Ida Abbott IdaAbbott@aol.com; 510-339-6883

Kit Chaskin KChaskin@reedsmith.com; 312-207-6478