Tools for Women Lawyers Seeking a Raise

Following is a link to and points from a New York Times article that track a panel discussion at the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan state annual meeting and conference focusing on pay equity and compensation for women lawyers on May 15.

http://nyti.ms/aiiPX8

I received this news link this morning from Dave Winter, senior shareholder and former managing shareholder of Sommers Schwartz, who was a panelist at the WLAM state annual meeting and conference. Thank you, Dave.

The "toolkit" in the article includes the following advice for women seeking a raise. I've added a few pieces of information from our panel discussion for women lawyers on increasing your compensation and obtaining creative work arrangements.

Be Proactive. If you think you deserve a raise, don't just sit there and assume someone will notice and give you one.

Be Prepared. Have clear information about how much to ask for.

Specifically, gather information from the Internet, from NALP forms at law schools, possibly from your State Bar's economic survey results which may give you general demographic-based information, from peers, not just from women peers, from mentors within your firm and elsewhere, and experienced lawyers outside your place of employment, etc.

Tailor Negotiations. The article suggests that you state why your request for a promotion or raise is appropriate and also how it makes sense for the organization. Focus on the organization.

Anticipate. Envision your boss' objections and your responses.

Negotiate at home. Think about how the raise or promotion will affect your personal life and resolve those issues.

Be Creative. Consider alternatives like flexible work schedules.

As one panelist discussed at the annual meeting Saturday, consider negotiating to be paid on an hourly basis, based on your billable hours, rather than on some reduced schedule like 80% hours for 80% pay. This frees you up from working full time some weeks while only receiving 80% of a full time employee's pay, and it allows you to bill fewer hours some weeks without feeling guilty and behind on your hours. You are compensated for the hours that you bill. This was the first time that many lawyers present had heard of this idea and that it has worked successfully.

If you have thoughts and other ideas to share, please do so.

If you would like coaching to help you make more money, please contact me.

Women Litigators - Opinions from One Panel of Women Judges

Here is a May 3 article from The Legal Intelligencer about a panel discussion by women judges at the ABA's Women In Law Leadership Academy last week.

I don't agree with some of the opinions and generalizations about women litigators. Do you?

http://www.law.com/jsp/pa/PubArticlePA.jsp?id=1202457541933&Judges_Give_Perspective_On_Female_Litigators&hbxlogin=1&loginloop=o#

Moms-In-Law: A Kitchen Table Discussion...

I'm facilitating an event in Detroit on December 1st called "Moms-In-Law: A Kitchen Table Discussion. Negotiating and Succeeding With a New Work Schedule."

Co-sponsored by the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan - Wayne Region.

December 1st
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Detroit

For more information: www.womenlawyers.org

Ms. JD's 3rd Annual Conference on Women In The Law

Check out www.ms-jd.org/conference for information on Avenues to Advancement, Ms. JD's Third Annual Conference on Women in the Law at Northwestern Law School. It includes more than 20 different panels on Saturday featuring lawyers and other professionals from across the country. Friday's student-only workshops on presentation and self-promotion had limited space and sold out.

The conference is co-sponsored by Ms. JD, the ABA's Commission on Women in the Profession and Young Lawyers Division, the Chicago Bar Association, NAWL and the Women and Law Committee of the Illinois State Bar.

And now here's the blatant plug for the Successful Interviewing Techniques panel . . . women from Baker & McKenzie, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Latham & Watkins and yours truly, moderated by Northwestern Law School's Assistant Dean for Career Services.