QualTek’s Post

Helping Women Return to the Legal Profession! After speaking with an individual in recent weeks who is looking to return to the legal profession after taking timeout to raise a family, I was surprised by the challenges she faced in re-entering the field. Despite her wealth of experience and the skills she's gained in other areas through volunteering, it’s proving difficult for her to find a way back in. I feel we are missing a trick by not being more proactive in the legal profession when it comes to assisting women back into law after a career break. The sector is overlooking a wealth of talent and experience that could bring immense value to firms. Not only would supporting women in their return benefit the business with fresh perspectives and skills, but it would also generate positive PR, showcasing a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and innovation. This raises an important question: What should the legal profession be doing to better support women in returning to law after a career break? #DiversityAndInclusion #LegalProfession #WomenInLaw #CareerBreak #Support

LET'S CELEBRATE NATIONAL ONION DAY! Because similar to onions, women in law have depth and complexity that enrich our profession. Our diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills contribute to a vibrant legal community. Today, I want to shine a spotlight on an important aspect: the experiences of women in law. It's no secret that the legal field, like many others, has historically presented unique challenges for women. From breaking through glass ceilings to navigating biases, each step forward has been hard-won. Personally, I've found resilience to be a cornerstone of success. Embracing challenges as opportunities for growth has been key in advancing my career and serving my clients effectively. Celebrating achievements is equally crucial. The legal profession offers countless opportunities for women to excel, whether in corporate governance, complex litigation, or advising on sensitive private client matters. Each success story not only strengthens our individual careers but also paves the way for future generations of women in law. I've been fortunate to benefit from the guidance of mentors who have navigated similar paths. Mentorship is invaluable, providing insights, encouragement, and a supportive network to lean on during both triumphs and setbacks. As we celebrate our achievements, let's also commit to lifting each other up and fostering an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued. As we look to the future, the legal profession continues to evolve. Embracing diversity and inclusion isn't just the right thing to do; it's essential for driving innovation and delivering exceptional client service. Together, let's continue to champion equality and create a more equitable legal landscape for all. I encourage fellow professionals to share their experiences and insights on navigating challenges and celebrating achievements in the legal field. Your stories and perspectives contribute immensely to our collective growth and success. Long live the onion! CHRISMA GENIS #WomenInLaw #LegalProfession #JerseyLawyers #CorporateLaw #PrivateClientServices

In honor of Women’s History Month, Brooks Pierce is spotlighting women attorneys and senior staff at the firm. They will continue the conversation about women’s history and achievements this month by providing advice and insight about being a woman in the legal profession. Jessi Thaller-Moran, partner at Brooks Pierce, shares advice to women starting a legal career: "One piece of legal advice to women starting a legal career is that there are a million ways to advocate for your client. Loudest and most combative is not always the most effective. Use the beginning of your career as an excuse to “try on” advocacy styles from mentors, friends, colleagues, even people you spot in the courtroom or across the table at a deal. You will be at your best as a lawyer when you are authentic to your personal strengths." Learn more on our website:

In honor of Women’s History Month, Brooks Pierce is spotlighting women attorneys and senior staff at the firm. They will continue the conversation about women’s history and achievements this month by providing advice and insight about being a woman in the legal profession. Jessi Thaller-Moran, partner at Brooks Pierce, shares advice to women starting a legal career: "One piece of legal advice to women starting a legal career is that there are a million ways to advocate for your client. Loudest and most combative is not always the most effective. Use the beginning of your career as an excuse to “try on” advocacy styles from mentors, friends, colleagues, even people you spot in the courtroom or across the table at a deal. You will be at your best as a lawyer when you are authentic to your personal strengths." Learn more on our website:

On this #internationalwomensday2024, I have been reflecting on some of the inspirational women who have made a difference to my legal career. Gemma Woodhouse - A complete powerhouse and someone who has worked with me and helped develop me into the solicitor I am since my time as a trainee in the employment department in 2011. Gemma has made her way up from a trainee at the firm to a Partner in a relatively short period of time. She has built an impressive business, including building up our thriving schools practice from basically nothing when I joined the team. Like many in the team, I have no idea how she gets through the amount of work she does while also still being so generous with her time and mentoring those of us who work with her. Helen Drayton - The firm's first female CEO and someone I know inspires a lot of us at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP. Helen is committed to being visible and approachable to everyone in the firm, regardless of title or office location and her regular tours of the offices are always well received. As chair of the firm's socioeconomic committee on a personal level, I feel empowered to make suggestions and try to drive change forwards through Helen's involvement in the committee, her passion for increased equity and diversity and her encouragement. Megan M. - The firm's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and CSR Manager whose drive is infectious and whose innovative ideas and boundless energy are bringing real results within the firm in a relatively short space of time. And, two men and allies - my husband, who has always taken a fair share of the responsibility for bringing up our son and running the household, including working part time while he was small (inevitably delaying his own career progression) to allow me to go back to work full time and progress my career. Finally, my dad, who always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be, never encouraged me to conform to gender stereotypes and continues to be my biggest cheerleader. There are countless others I could mention and the fact that I am spoiled for choice shows how far women in law have come, but of course, there is still a lot of work to do. #inspireinclusion #embraceequity #diversityandinclusion

Calling all 911der Women! Mark your calendars for our upcoming "Know Your Rights" virtual workshop, presented by 911der Women in partnership with our sponsor, Priority Dispatch Corporation. This empowering event takes place on Tuesday, April 4th. Attendees will get a virtual workbook and four certificates of completion! This workshop is designed for YOU if you're in the 9-1-1 industry and want to: 🎯Understand your legal rights and protections in the workplace. 🎯Gain confidence in navigating challenges and advocating for yourself. 🎯Empower yourself to advance your career. Here's what you'll gain: ✔️Expert-led training: Learn from industry professionals. ✔️Interactive sessions: Ask questions, share experiences, and connect with other women in 911. ✔️ Valuable resources: Gain access to helpful tools and materials to support your career journey. Don't miss this opportunity to invest in yourself! Registration is open now for only $35. Scholarships are available! Email amanda@911derWomen.com for more information. Click here to register: https://lnkd.in/exQSEzm Space is limited, so secure your spot today! Registrants can join live or on demand any time. #911derWomen #KnowYourRights #Empowerment #PriorityDispatch

DEI. It stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, and it's a term that's been in the news a lot recently, often to discount the qualifications of certain individuals who are hired or appointed to influential positions. Today, Maureen McTeer writes about how the term "DEI hire" isn't new. In fact, it's been used against women for decades - you can read the full article here, exclusively on The Honest Talk 👇 https://lnkd.in/eN_r7-xm

It's important

Happy International Women's Day all! In honor of IWD I'm going to share some personal stories about what RBG said is the worst strike against female lawyers - motherhood - in the hopes that it will inspire someone. And as always, any young woman looking for advice is welcome to reach out directly and I love talking to your daughters about this field. When I was at UM for law school, we were fortunate to have many inspiring speakers address concerns of women in the law. Covering their speeches for our student newspaper, I noticed a pattern: war stories about breaking the glass ceiling rather bored students because they had heard it before, but anytime speakers addressed balancing motherhood and demanding careers, female students sat up straight, desperate for advice. A decade later, I was in my kitchen with my kid and her teenage friends who were watching me prep dinner in my work clothes while managing the little ones. They were all asking me about work and if it was hard to have a "serious" job and have kids, and I was shocked when a bright, talented teenage girl told me they had never seen any woman, anywhere do it, and so they were curious what the point of school is without having seen smart women keep going in the fields they study after babies. Sadly little had changed since I left law school. So what works for moms with hard-charging careers? There is no one formula, but here's what worked for me. One, a non-traditional career path. Traditional firms and large entities often say nice things about supporting parents but penalize moms for maternity leaves and dashing out for emergencies while rewarding the dads for being great humans when they take leave or leave early for kiddo soccer games and too often use motherhood as an excuse to pass over women for leadership - even when those moms put in the hours and get the wins. Get out and work in teams that know your worth. Two, and no way around this: full time childcare and involved family over daycare. Daycares close and refuse kids with the sniffles; nannies and loving extended family won't leave you stranded when your kid is feverish and a critical meeting starts in an hour. Three, support, including, and especially, from men. Yes we must support other women but remember that not just women support women; successful, confident men are wonderful allies. Success-driven men saw my worth and hired me for complex jobs. My male attorney friends were (and still are) a lifeline of support through pregnancies and beyond. I learn so much from my successful male clients who selflessly share business advice. And today, I have wonderful male partners who happily laugh with the women in the office about the sexism we see, and a network full of amazing men who are good people doing good work every day that does and should make their wives, daughters and granddaughters proud. Cheers to everyone, female or male, supporting women today.

#WomenInLaw: For the first time ever, women make up more than half of associates at private US law firms, according to the National Association for Law Placement’s 2023 diversity report. In 2016, we saw how women started outnumbering men in law school classrooms, and by 2022, an impressive 56% of all law students in the US were female. This trend has continued year over year, but now, we are finally seeing that for the first time ever, this groundbreaking shift is no longer confined to academia, but it's also making waves within law firms themselves. A recent article by The American Lawyer (link below) highlights the historic milestone as women now make up the majority of associates in law firms. This transformation signals an enormous change in the legal landscape, emphasizing the importance of cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce, but it also brings forth new challenges for law firms as their female attorneys face the need to integrate their careers with motherhood. It has become essential for law firms to implement strategies to retain and harness their increasingly female talent pool, and adapting to their evolving expectations is key. Beyond traditional career advancements, firms must enhance benefits offerings and create environments that cater to the needs of both women and men who prioritize work-life integration, especially those considering or in the process of starting families. At Phoebe, we believe that a demanding professional life should not keep individuals from building a family of their own, and it should not put them in a place where they have to choose either or. We partner directly with employers to provide support for the mothers and families in their workforce from expecting, through postpartum, the return to work, and working parenthood. Our comprehensive, evidence-based approach empowers new parents to confidently navigate life at home and at work, obtaining positive, measurable outcomes for the employers and the employees. The rise of women in law is not just a statistic; it's a testament to the changing dynamics of every profession. Let us work together in making work-life integration more achievable for everyone. #Phoebe #PhoebeDeepDive #law #WomenInLaw #WorkplaceEquity #WorkingMothers #InclusiveWorkspaces