Comments on: Rainmaking for Women Lawyers http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/ by Allison Wolf Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:19:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Allison Wolf http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/#comment-6870 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:34:08 +0000 http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/#comment-6870 Jordan - I just came across your comment, thanks so much! I very much enjoyed the reminder about Ariadne! I think the challenge for women lawyers is that there are measures to take on two fronts. First, taking the required action in their own law firms to establish their personal power base, while at the same time engaging with their male colleagues in a discussion about the current billable hour bind that is so crushing for lawyers both male and female. I know many young fathers who struggle too with trying to spend the time they want with their children. Regrettably there isn't much time (if any)in our firms for discussion of any kind. At the heart of the matter is the fact that profitability is currently measured on number of hours billed. The answer will and must be how can we work smarter not longer? Jordan - I just came across your comment, thanks so much! I very much enjoyed the reminder about Ariadne!

I think the challenge for women lawyers is that there are measures to take on two fronts. First, taking the required action in their own law firms to establish their personal power base, while at the same time engaging with their male colleagues in a discussion about the current billable hour bind that is so crushing for lawyers both male and female. I know many young fathers who struggle too with trying to spend the time they want with their children. Regrettably there isn’t much time (if any)in our firms for discussion of any kind. At the heart of the matter is the fact that profitability is currently measured on number of hours billed. The answer will and must be how can we work smarter not longer?

]]> by: Jordan Furlong http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/#comment-6859 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:20:53 +0000 http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/#comment-6859 Alison, the statistics you quoted are a pretty searing indictment of a playing field that is simply not level. The prevailing model of advancement and leadership in law firms is skewed in such a way that men invariably find it much easier to gain positions of power in firms. The really irritating part is that this has been clear for at least a decade if not two, yet firms' lawyers have not responded en masse and addressed this obvious unfairness and missed opportunity. I commend your proposal for a dialogue that involves women and men working together to fix this situation. To that end, I feel compelled to note that the dilemma of the original labyrinth was finally solved by a man and woman working together: Theseus may have slain the Minotaur, but it was Ariadne who came up with and executed the plan to bring him back out with a trail of string. :-) Alison, the statistics you quoted are a pretty searing indictment of a playing field that is simply not level. The prevailing model of advancement and leadership in law firms is skewed in such a way that men invariably find it much easier to gain positions of power in firms. The really irritating part is that this has been clear for at least a decade if not two, yet firms’ lawyers have not responded en masse and addressed this obvious unfairness and missed opportunity.

I commend your proposal for a dialogue that involves women and men working together to fix this situation. To that end, I feel compelled to note that the dilemma of the original labyrinth was finally solved by a man and woman working together: Theseus may have slain the Minotaur, but it was Ariadne who came up with and executed the plan to bring him back out with a trail of string. :-)

]]> by: nancy fox http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/#comment-6852 Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:32:51 +0000 http://www.thelawyercoach.com/2008/rainmaking-for-women-lawyers/#comment-6852 while professional women, women's issues and women's initiatives are attracting a great deal of publicity in recent months, women in firms still grapple with how to translate their relationship building skills into actual business. One of my clients saw herself as having a very easy time making friends and generating a successful rewarding social life. Yet, she saw business development and rainmaking as calling for very different relationship-building skills. She also saw leveraging her natural affinity for people to producing rainmaking results as being "salesy" and almost distasteful. Her male colleagues at the same level don't experience this distinction. Women have to break through the chasm of perception that rainmaking is not for them or is disingenuous earlier in their careers. Women mentors can do a great service to their proteges by showing them that using their relationship skills are a tremendous advantage, personally and professionally, for them and especially for their clients. Nancy Fox Fox Coaching Associates nfox@bizdevsuccess.com www.bizdevsuccess.com while professional women, women’s issues and women’s initiatives are attracting a great deal of publicity in recent months, women in firms still grapple with how to translate their relationship building skills into actual business. One of my clients saw herself as having a very easy time making friends and generating a successful rewarding social life. Yet, she saw business development and rainmaking as calling for very different relationship-building skills. She also saw leveraging her natural affinity for people to producing rainmaking results as being “salesy” and almost distasteful. Her male colleagues at the same level don’t experience this distinction. Women have to break through the chasm of perception that rainmaking is not for them or is disingenuous earlier in their careers. Women mentors can do a great service to their proteges by showing them that using their relationship skills are a tremendous advantage, personally and professionally, for them and especially for their clients.

Nancy Fox
Fox Coaching Associates
nfox@bizdevsuccess.com
www.bizdevsuccess.com

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