McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP’s Post

Not always comfortable but certainly needed conversations about the state of the legal profession. Excerpt from my discussion with the ABA's Litigation Radio about women and women of color in the legal profession: Only 4% of non-equity partners are women of color including Black women, Asian women, Hispanic women, Indigenous women. …and only 3% of equity partners are women of color… 70% of women of color attorneys reported leaving or considering leaving the profession. One of the authors I cite is Dr. Tsedale M. Melaku…the title of her book is You Don't Look Like a Lawyer: Black Women and Systemic Gendered Racism. She talks about the invisible labor, the additional taxes that women of color pay for inclusion into this social professional space…when you look at the history of the legal profession…the social aspects of the legal profession, advancement within the legal profession … traditional promotion practices, training practices, just the overall social-professional culture, it was established by white men for the benefit of white men. And so when you inject women of color into that environment, and with Black women especially, we’re on the opposite end of that spectrum, and trying to navigate an environment and a system that simply was never designed for us in the first place. …until we [as a profession] start addressing and acknowledging that issue and then looking at ways to design promotion practices, design training practices, adjusting the culture of law firms in ways that are more inclusive, in ways that do take into consideration diversity of race, diversity of gender, we’re going to continue to see these abysmal numbers. https://lnkd.in/e68yxjQT

Recently I was walking out of a board meeting and grabbed a sandwich on the way out the door. A block later, another female lawyer who serves on the board caught up with me. She said she just wanted to tell me that she admires my grace, calm, and how “together” I am. I said thank you and went on my way, starting to eat my sandwich as I walked home through Chicago's Loop. As I walked and ate, a piece of cheese dropped out of my sandwich. I thought, “well, a rat will be happy” and kept walking. A few minutes later, I arrived home and took off my flats. That's when I found the cheese. In my left shoe. How often have you had those moments lately? Someone tells you they appreciate something about you, and you think they must have confused you with someone else, because you're sure they aren't describing you. Because they see the front stage version, and the backstage version you see looks like a dozen cats chasing different laser pointers. As a female lawyer in a crazy market, with a presidential election looming, wondering what is going to come out of the Supreme Court next, and always expected to have it all together -- for your family, for your friends, for your clients, for those you supervise, and those who supervise you -- just showing up day after day can be challenging. And then you try to meet all the expectations others have for you -- and your own high standards. Oof.  That's why we're hosting an informal, off-the-record discussion on what it means to be a female lawyer in 2024. It will be Wednesday, January 17 on Zoom at 11:30 a.m. CT / 12:30 p.m. ET.  We'll talk about the challenges facing women lawyers, and what's worked (and not) for other female lawyers. Join us by registering at https://lnkd.in/guTc8J-m #lawfirms #womeninlaw #lawyers #lawyer

Recently Amy was leaving a board meeting and grabbed a sandwich on the way out the door. A block later, another female lawyer who serves on the board caught up with her. She said she just wanted to tell Amy that she admires her grace, calm, and how “together” she is. Amy said thank you and went on her way, starting to eat her sandwich as she walked home through Chicago's Loop. As she walked and ate, a piece of cheese dropped out of her sandwich. She thought, “well, a rat will be happy” and kept walking. A few minutes later, she arrived home and took off her shoes. That's when she found the cheese. In her left shoe. How often have you had those moments lately? Someone tells you they appreciate something about you, and you think they must have confused you with someone else, because you're sure they aren't describing you. Because they see the frontstage version, and the backstage version you see looks like a dozen cats chasing different laser pointers. As a female lawyer in a crazy market, with a presidential election looming, wondering what is going to come out of the Supreme Court next, and always expected to have it all together -- for your family, for your friends, for your clients, for those you supervise, and those who supervise you -- just showing up day after day can be challenging. And then you try to meet all the expectations others have for you -- and your own high standards. Oof. That's why we're hosting an informal, off-the-record discussion on what it means to be a female lawyer in 2024. It will be Wednesday, January 17 on Zoom at 11:30 a.m. CT / 12:30 p.m. ET. We'll talk about the challenges facing women lawyers, and what's worked (and not) for other female lawyers. Join us by registering at https://lnkd.in/eMJ2tGz7 #lawfirms #womeninlaw #lawyers #lawyer #apochromatik

The Legalweek excitement doesn't stop here! Check out the upcoming events where you can engage with Array! #litigation #legalops #legaltech #legaltechevents

𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼 & 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁: 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 🔦 🗓️ Having a Meaningful Impact on Your Community and Clients 🗣️ Jessica Childress, Managing Attorney at The Childress Firm PLLC In this session, you'll learn invaluable strategies for fostering diversity, inclusion, and leaving a lasting impact beyond your case work. Save your free spot ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gyrzvZdg #SoloLawFirm #SmallLawFirm #LawFirmOperations #LegalTech

Objection, your honor! Male attorneys don't have to show up as calculating, cold-hearted combatants at all times. In fact, over the past few months, I've witnessed men in the law demonstrating vulnerability, compassion and a collaborative spirit. And I've heard these men talk about how revisiting their assumptions about manhood has made them happier and more effective attorneys. It's been my honor to work with these male lawyers in a program designed to reinvent masculinity in the law for improved individual lives and more inclusive organizations. Hear some of these courageous fellas speak about their experiences at a webinar Tuesday, April 23, from 2-4 ET. You'll hear from: Matt Kline, Geoff Kuziemko, Ethan Scapellati, Enoch Ajayi, Bruce Byrd, Jeremiah Chan, Bob Glaves and Daniel L. (DL) Morriss. The event is hosted by the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession | IILP, and also features my partners in the program: Sandra Yamate, Ellen Ostrow and Jonathan Kanter. After hearing the discussion, you can judge for yourself. Isn't it time to update our views about how men can show up in the law? Register here: https://lnkd.in/gFkub_KU #reinventmasculinity

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of facilitating a discussion with a group of women lawyers from all over the US, and even one UK-based lawyer. We talked, essentially, about how things are going. As everyone was sharing their concerns and strategies, I noticed how much commonality there was, regardless of life stage or career path. Everyone is stressed right now, with levels ranging from “this is hard” to “how am I going to get through?” Thank you to everyone who attended and participated so openly and honestly. As one attendee told me afterwards, “It was wonderful to be part of a community for that hour.” We often say that women in our attorney masterminds come for the content (building the career and life they want — even if they start off not knowing what that is) and stay for the community. If you’re at a point in your legal career where you are ready for outside support —whether 1:1 coaching or in our small group attorney masterminds — schedule a confidential conversation at aposignup.com/well And if you feel like you’re struggling with ALL. THE. THINGS., know you aren’t alone — your community is out there, and you just have to find it and then seize the chance to join it. 📷: Some of the members of the 2023 Future in Focus Accelerators group meeting in Austin in the fall: Melissa Pina, Liz Winiarski, Lydia Keaney Reynolds, Sarah Miller, Stephanie Cueman, Sarah Grimm, Julie Baker, and Katy Eldridge. (Missing Elisabeth (Bette) Muirhead, Ashleigh Stochel, and Keesha Warmsby.) #womeninlaw #lawyers #apochromatik

Here's a clip from the Women's Impact in Law panel where I start outlining my 3 top recommendations for young women, especially those in the legal industry!

As the tenure of Susan Kohlmann, 2022-2024 President of the New York City Bar Association (Bar) has drawn to a close, we take this moment to commemorate the remarkable achievements and lasting impact she has brought to the Bar, Jenner & Block, the New York legal community, and the industry at large. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gAStetHh    #NYCBA #JennerNewYork #BigLaw #WomenInLaw #WomenInLeadership

Diving into wisdom with Anita Hill. A powerhouse in law, education, and women's studies, she's sharing the sage advice that impacted her journey the most. Stay tuned to get an enlightening dose of wisdom!💡📚 Learn more about ChangeMAKER Anita Hill ➡️ https://bit.ly/3JYIUPm #MAKERS #AnitaHill