Thankfully, the legal world is not the male-dominated place it once was. Law schools and legal firms are benefitting from the expertise of more and more women practitioners all the time. However, just because entrance into the world has become more of a level playing field between men and women, it doesn’t mean that women still don’t face challenges. When female junior partners strive for more senior positions within firms, they can find it a struggle to climb the ladder. Clear communication, flexibility, and maintaining confidence can help with that climb.
1. Network Early and Often
Successful attorneys often cite their earliest relationships as being the most important. For women especially, cultivating a network of clients and colleagues early on can be helpful. Experts such as Robert McKenna Attorney understand the importance of this. They welcome young attorneys into their firm and give them access to pre-established client pools. However, some firms aren’t so generous.
It can feel overwhelming if a woman finds herself working at a firm where partners expect young lawyers to bring their own clients into the fold. She can quickly set herself apart from the rest if she already has these relationships established. This early cultivation shows initiative and a solid client base can support career growth.
2. Stay Present
Many female lawyers will find themselves taking parental leave at some point in their careers. Those who have experienced this encourage these women to stay in touch with their firm while on leave. While it’s important to take time away at this point in her life, experts agree that maintaining even the most minimal connection to work is important for a woman who wants to stay in the running for advanced positions and continue to climb the ladder.
Life experiences such as welcoming a child into the family can be emotionally taxing. It may be tempting for women going through such events to completely withdraw from work life or to reconsider their career goals. Experts encourage women going through such change to postpone making any long-term decisions about their future until life settles down again.
3. Be Flexible
Many graduates may consider themselves lucky to snag their dream job right out of law school. After some time, though, they may find that the firm isn’t living up to their expectations. For women who are driven to move up the ranks to senior positions as quickly as possible, it may seem counterintuitive to change firms for any reason.
While it’s important to give every opportunity a fair chance, women should be prepared to pivot career paths if necessary. Some firms simply aren’t as likely to consider female attorneys for senior partnerships. If they find themselves unexpectedly in this position, they need to be ready to explore other options.
4. Challenge Preconceived Notions
If a female attorney’s goal is to progress as quickly as possible to a senior position within the firm, she should make that known early. Bias and misconceptions can cloud the decision-making process, and members of management may simply assume women have other priorities that conflict with career progression. Women should state their goals clearly from the start and reaffirm them with senior partners often.
5. Be Confident
It may sound simple, but successful female attorneys often stress to their female counterparts the importance of having and showing confidence. This confidence doesn’t have to be aggressive. A woman can project confidence by showing interest in others’ success, and by being willing to learn from others’ mistakes as well as her own.
Confidently talking about one’s own success can seem like bragging. However, a woman needs to be able to talk about her success, and she should do so in order to attract clients and remind management of her achievements. Again, this type of interaction doesn’t need to be aggressive. But women should feel empowered to expound on their expertise.
Female lawyers face fewer boundaries than ever when it comes to accessing legal education and employment opportunities. The number of women in law is thankfully growing. However, if a woman wants to progress into the highest ranks of the field, she may encounter bias. By building and maintaining relationships, being flexible, and confidently challenging preconceived notions, she can face these challenges and succeed.