Best Friends at the Bar What Women Need to Know About a Career in the Law

by Blakely, Susan Smith

• ISBN13: 9780735593855
• ISBN10: 073559385X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-11-17
• Publisher: Wolters Kluwer

Summary

Best Friends at the Bar: What Women Need to Know about a Career in the Law addresses the realities of law firm practice, especially in large firms, and gives pre-law students, law students, and new attorneys a realistic view of the opportunities and hazards most often encountered by women lawyers. Drawing on her many years of practicing law and mentoring young lawyers and with the help of other women in all areas of the legal profession her "best friends at the bar" Susan Smith Blakely strives to help young women entering the legal profession begin their careers with open eyes and a more level playing field than women lawyers of past generations. This concise paperback, which is written in a direct, personal tone that instantly engages the reader Explores the experiences of the author and more than 60 private and public sector attorneys, judges, law school career counselors, and law firm managing partners who forthrightly address a wide variety of issues Candidly speaks To the issues women face in law firm practice and provides invaluable advice for planning enduring and satisfying careers in the law Critically addresses business, cultural, and personal conditions and offers strategies for dealing with them, including how to manage expectations in the context of actual job conditions And the dynamics of personal life Full of helpful advice from attorneys, judges, law school career counselors, and law firm managing partners with wide and varied experiences, this book will be an invaluable resource to any woman planning a career in the law.

Author Biography

Susan Blakely graduated from the University of Wisconsin and Georgetown University Law Center. As a practitioner with 25 years of experience in both private law firms and the public sector, Ms. Blakely has viewed the legal profession from many perspectives-as an associate, counsel, and partner; and as a chief of staff in the public sector. At every step along the way, Ms. Blakely has mentored and continues to mentor young lawyers.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xiii
Preface	p. xvii
Acknowledgments	p. xxi
Prologue	p. 1
The Problem	p. 7
The Starting Point	p. 19
Chart Your Career Plan Early	p. 20
Define Yourself	p. 30
The Economy Matters-A Lot	p. 34
Be Realistic About Your Expectations	p. 49
The "Having It All" Debate	p. 50
Maternity Leave	p. 62
The Quest for Flex	p. 65
The Off-Ramp Dilemma	p. 77
The Gender Divide	p. 80
Legal Imperatives	p. 85
Choose Your Specialty Well	p. 87
Choose Your Employer Well	p. 97
Be an Excellent Lawyer	p. 117
Do Not Tolerate Gender Bias	p. 122
Be a Team Player	p. 134
Be Prepared to Reinvent Yourself	p. 137
Seek out Women's Practice Initiatives	p. 139
Find Good Mentors	p. 141
Ask for Help When You Need It	p. 143
Remember That Law Is a Business	p. 144
Understand the Conditions of Partnership	p. 149
Find a Comfort Zone for Promoting Work	p. 161
Make a Graceful Exit	p. 167
Critical Lessons	p. 169
Dress Appropriately and Practice Good Etiquette	p. 169
Watch Out for Emotions and Temper	p. 177
Understand That "No" Is an Answer	p. 178
Support Your Female Colleagues	p. 179
Get It in Writing	p. 183
Treat Support Staff Well	p. 185
Party Hardy at Your Peril	p. 187
Avoid Office Romances and Affairs	p. 188
Watch Your Mouth	p. 190
The Working Bar Speaks Out: As Heard From the Best Friends	p. 193
Typical Profiles and Work-Life Challenges	p. 194
Advice to Employers	p. 215
The Solution	p. 219
Epilogue: The Male Perspective	p. 223
Bibliography	p. 227
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