Proposal for Women in Law #8M
Many of the obstacles to diversity and equity in legal practice are often symptoms of deeper structural issues, including, but not limited to, barriers related to gender, race, and ethnicity.
We cannot deny or devalue the progress that has been made in terms of gender equality in our profession over the years. In countries like the United States, until the 1960s, women represented approximately 3% of the profession. More recent studies show that nearly half of new lawyers are women, entering law firms almost at the same rate as men, and, in general, they report the same level of job satisfaction as their male counterparts.
However, gender inequality still exists, particularly regarding the presence of women as partners in large law firms or as deans of law schools around the world. Additionally, various studies and surveys have shown that there is low representation of women in managerial positions and as members of business management and control committees.
This phenomenon can be linked to one of the key elements for advancement into leadership positions: the spaces where decisions are made and the access women have to them. In other words, we cannot deny that the first contact with a potential client becomes crucial when creating a network of connections, which ultimately allows access to the circle where decisions are made, especially those of greater significance.
Positioning oneself within this decision-making circle, due to various factors, including bias, was at one point one of the challenges women had to face. This was not only due to where these deals were closed, but also due to the timing and “extra-labor efforts” they entailed. However, today, the presence of women in these circles has increased, and it has become the responsibility of these women to facilitate access for other women.
We often read about women empowerment, and in the legal field, we should not only aim to make the excellence of the work done by other colleagues resonate but also instill in the new lawyers and young professionals the desire and need to network well, while maintaining their essence when breaking the professional ice. In this way, we would be working to leave behind the stereotypes society has associated with us, which leads to professional setbacks. It is precisely by stepping out of our comfort zones that we must work, giving ourselves the opportunity to intervene in spaces where we can fully unleash our talents and experiences.
As a firm, this 8th of March, we encourage all women who practice law to become role models, leaving behind the stigmas that have accompanied us for so long, and allowing ourselves the opportunity to exploit our personal essence, which makes each of us unique and, therefore, authentic. I conclude with the words of Elaina Wlteroth: “When you occupy a space in a system that was not created for you, your authenticity is activism.”
Written by: Lexincorp
