Polsinelli’s Post

"[I]f qualified individuals are dissuaded from or steered away from a career in any part because of who they are, we have to rectify that." At the beginning of Women's History Month, we proudly share this profile of appellate superstar and TAP mentor Angela Cai, Solicitor General in the New Jersey Attorney General's Office. Read her whole profile here (https://lnkd.in/eNz8K4AD), but for now, enjoy this one excerpt: Q: How often do you encounter women, particularly women of color, in the appellate field? Why do you think that representation is important? A: Not often enough, and especially so for women of color. It’s not just a problem in the appellate field. There are so many reasons why representation is important. Chief among them is how the disparity happened and became entrenched: if qualified individuals are dissuaded from or steered away from a career in any part because of who they are, we have to rectify that. And lack of representation also matters because of its impact going forward, including how it can be self-perpetuating for future generations of lawyers and how it can hamper the types of perspectives that are valuable for the case itself. #WomensHistoryMonth #AppellateLinkedIn #representationmatters

Walsworth once again received a Top 25 ranking in the Orange County Business Journal’s list of Women-Owned Businesses. The firm is ranked 23rd, up two spots from last year. We are also the only law firm ranked in the Top 30. Companies on the list are majority-owned by women and ranked on 2023 revenue. Women lawyers, including Managing Partner Dee C., compose 84 percent of the firm’s equity partners and own 80 percent of the firm.   Our ranking further validates the recognition Walsworth has received nationally in recent years, including Top 5 rankings in Law360’s 2023 Women in Law Report, which ranks U.S. law firms based on female representation at all attorney levels and Law360’s “Ceiling Smashers” report, which ranks U.S. law firms based on female representation at the equity partner level.   Learn more about what makes us different: https://lnkd.in/g5EeNGDd

Women, Minority Law Firm Gains Dampened by Litigation Threat While women and people of color achieved significant strides in associate representation last year, with women constituting over 50% of law firm associates for the first time, concerns loom over potential lawsuits following the U.S. Supreme Court's Harvard decision on race-based admissions, notes a report from the National Association of Law Placement. Advocates fear a chilling effect on diversity efforts. The report highlights another noteworthy aspect—despite increased diversity in associate classes, Black and Latina women still represent only 1% of all partners. Tatyana Monnay at Bloomberg Law delves into the progress and potential challenges facing diversity efforts. https://lnkd.in/gihMD-3G #diversitymatters #legalindustry

THIS!!! Shining light on such an important issue. "I share my story solely in the hope it will make a difference. That one day someone in a position of power at a law firm will read it and think: enough is enough; we really must do what we say and make the changes that are really needed and will really allow for women to stay and be promoted to partnership in equal numbers to men, just like how they entered the firm."

Partners Amanda Amert, Debra Bogo-Ernst and Barbara Grayson have been named among the “2024 Notable Women in Law” by Crain’s Chicago Business. The annual editorial feature recognizes the top female lawyers in the Chicago metropolitan area for their expertise and achievements in the law, as well as their impact as mentors within their firms and communities outside the office. Learn more below. #womeninlaw

This Women's History Month, Simpson & Associates is proud to celebrate the trailblazing achievements of Paulette Brown, a pioneering figure in the legal world. As the first African American woman to serve as President of the American Bar Association, Paulette has been a formidable advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal industry. Her dedication to mentoring young lawyers and promoting justice for all stands as a beacon for change and progress. Join us in honoring Paulette Brown's enduring impact on legal practice and her continued work to pave the way for future generations of lawyers. #WomensHistoryMonth #LegalInnovation #DiversityInLaw #PauletteBrown #Trailblazer #LegalTech #CRMforLaw #WomenInLaw #WomenInLegalTech #DiversityMatters #EmpowermentInLaw #FutureOfLaw #LegalTechSolutions #WomenLeaders #BlackExcellenceInLaw #InclusionInLaw #TechForJustice #LegalPracticeInnovation #SimpsonAndAssociates #ChangeMakersInLaw #LegalTechTrends #EmpoweringAttorneys #DiverseLegalCommunity #JusticeTech #AdvancingLawWithTech #LeadersInLaw

Share with your members: According to the NALP - National Association for Law Placement, women now make up more than 50% of law firm associates. Women currently make up nearly 40% of all attorneys at law firms, which is the highest percentage on record since NALP started tracking this type of data over 30 years ago. Bloomberg Law provides more information and insights on the report here: https://lnkd.in/gwpSFVe3 #ShareWithYourMembers #LawFirmDEI

Attorney Kwamina Thomas Williford, who co-chairs the firm's #ConsumerProtection Defense and #Compliance Team, shared with the Daily Business Review her experience rising the ranks at Holland & Knight. She highlighted the significance of finding a leader she could be comfortable with and credited her success to mentors who advocated for her early on. Read the article for more on the importance of #mentorship in finding success in the legal field. #womeninlaw

It’s easy to take a glass-half-empty approach when writing about women in Big Law, says Jenna Greene in her latest column. After all, the top-line statistics are depressingly familiar: Only about one in four partners are women, and those who do make partner earn on average one-third less than their male counterparts. But a new study conducted by three law professors offers another way to gauge the power of women within law firms. They looked at more than 10,000 deals at six major law firms including Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Shearman & Sterling LLP and White & Case LLP, offering encouraging news about the increased prevalence of women lawyers working on notable transactions. Read more: https://reut.rs/4bRcymH  #womeninlaw #legalnews #legal #lawfirms #biglaw #mergersandacquisitions

A major kudos to Cooley LLP partners Tiana Demas, Erin Kirchner and Lei Shen for being recognized on Crain's Chicago Business' Notable Women in Law list for 2024. The publication spotlights women lawyers in Chicago who "make their mark on the law" by serving as mentors and guiding lights for other women in their firms and bringing their experience to their communities and nonprofits outside the office. Subscribers can read more about the accolade with the link below. #chicago #womeninlaw