Blog # 33

There are certain challenges that woman lawyers are faced with. It seem that in order for them to advance in the field they have to be fully committed, which means they basically have to choose between their career or parenthood. If the woman does choose both, then their family is generally put on the back burner and the woman is labeled as a suspect parent. Although women are faced with these decisions, today more than ever we have a higher number of woman lawyers and justices. Women are slowly making advance in the legal world such as becoming partners in more law firms and becoming more powerful justices. For example we now have the first Hispanic woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice and the number of women lawyers is climbing. The gap between women and men enrolling in law school is also closing and law school admissions offices are encouraging more women to apply to schools. Additionally, woman bosses are being praised for their skills that are different than men’s. For example, female characteristics that have been associated with being a boss are, teamwork, collaboration, communication skills, focusing on a business objective, innovation, creativity, and getting along with the clients. These skills are also beneficial to a partnership which is why the number of woman partners is increasing.

Regardless of the advances that woman have made in the legal field we are still a long way from being equal to males within the field. At this time women are still faced with the gender wage gaps as well as lacking in opportunities those males have. Additionally, women are faced with the decision of when to become a mother and the impact that it could have on their position within a firm. Women are also faced with the fact that there is less mentorship available for them and they lack more in social networking than their male counterparts. Until women are completely equal within the legal field, woman will always have to work twice as hard to prove themselves.

Blog # 32

Parenting is different for male lawyers and female lawyers. Typically being a father does not impact the job as much as it would for a mother because generally the woman is still responsible for a majority of the childcare. High-powered woman lawyers are viewed as suspect parents because it is thought that successful woman are focused on their careers and not their children. It is explained by one powerful woman that she has never met a woman in her same position who is a nurturing, caring mother. She explains that it is too hard to do both and the expectation that woman should be able to do both is impossible.

It is also explained by Holly English that women lawyers have to down play their positions to other mothers because they are often judged harshly. Mothers feel that the demands of being a lawyer would be too much, so children of lawyers do not receive as much attention and nurturing as they need. For example, one mother went to her child’s school function and other mothers asked what she did and she told them she worked at a law firm, but she did not state that she was a lawyer because of the fear of being judged. Some women are forced to choose either their family or their work which leads to many women leaving their positions as a lawyer to raise their family because they cannot do both. For example, many women believe that they can do part time work while they are pregnant or raising their family, however this is problematic because the work shifts. Many women have reported that once they switched to part time status they were given more paralegal tasks and fewer cases to work. Their workload eventually became very small and they eventually leave the firm due to being unsatisfied with their positions.

Blog # 31

Typically there is more of a struggle for women balancing work and family than there is for men. The problem for women is they are typically the one who does majority of the caring for the children and family. Women generally have to make sure their children get to school every morning and make sure they have arrived safely at home or afterschool arrangements. Many women still do a majority of the house work and cooking so finding the balance between working as a lawyer and being a wife/ mother is difficult for many women. Often times a woman needs to be in two places at once because she will need to be at home making sure her children are getting off to school and at the same time she needs to be at the firm working the traditional hours.

There are common proposed solutions for these mothers such as more flexible work schedules, reduced hours, telecommuting, or job shares. Flexible schedules would be ideal for mothers because then they can make sure their children are off to school first and then they could come into the office after. Additionally telecommuting is ideal because women would be able to work sufficiently from home while also being available for her children. The down side to these solutions is many people feel that these solutions would make these women not be real lawyers. Having a flexible schedule can lead to high turnover rates, clients are receptive to alternative schedules. This can also be problematic because the firm can start giving tasks to other employees so the status of the attorney shrinks, the work eventually fizzles out and the woman is forced to make alternative decisions. Other lawyers may see schedule flexibility as unfair. Lawyers are supposed to work traditional schedules. However alternative schedules can reduce costs and increase productivity of those women attorneys.

Blog # 29

Many minority women do not stay at a law firm because of exclusion, neglect, and overt harassment. Minority women feel that they are held to a different standard than everyone else, for example within the article it is explained that at one firm all the white employees had went to state law schools and all the minority associates had went to the top ten schools in the nation. It is explained that if you are a minority and you are not from one of the top ten schools then you are not in the same playing field as everyone else. Another woman of color stated she was always asked to attend functions and award ceremonies. She was also the first to be asked to speak to other students of color however she was never up for promotions or had any contact with higher attorneys like her male counterparts did. It is explained that often times minority, women lawyers lack opportunities and they are faced with more of a work load.

Like other women attorney’s they are faced with the fact that they are always being watched and criticized. Their attire is criticized because if they appear in outfits that hide their femininity then they are trying to be something they are not, but if they show of their femininity too much then their motives are questioned as well. Additionally, their credibility is not only questioned by clients, but also their employers. These conditions are reasons why these women do not stay at their firms. They lack opportunities to move up and they are faced with the fact that they will always make less money than their male counterparts. Women attorneys also lack mentorship so they have to figure out many things on their own unlike their male counterparts. They also lack in social networking because they are generally not given the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

Blog # 28

According to the article, Sonia Sotomayor was under the harshest criticism than any other possible nominee. Within the article, Sotomayor is portrayed to be temperamental, vain and too stupid to serve on the Supreme Court. This is problematic because the writer of the article that portrayed Sotomayor as these things took peoples comments and turned them around. He took quotes from statements and only used parts of them to prove his opinion on her. Her credibility was also questioned based on her gender, race, and religion. Many thought that she would not be capable of seeing things clearly because her experience as a Hispanic woman. She was also criticized for being raised Catholic. This is problematic because the male nominee’s were not criticized in this manner and their upbringing was not dissected the way her upbringing was.

For example Sonia Sotomayor graduated from two prestigious schools. This was never mentioned within the article that was questioning her credibility. Obviously to make it through law school an individual has to be smart and capable, so the accusation about her being too dumb to sever as a Supreme Court justice was not relevant. Additionally, the other nominees were not questioned about their credibility, it was just understood that if they were nominated then they were obviously qualified to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. Their religion or their gender was never an issue it was only for Sonia Sotomayor. I was glad to read that others stepped up and criticized the writer of that article. Others criticized his credibility and his sources which hopefully made him think twice about his false accusations of Sotomayor. However, even after this writer was criticized the questioning of Sotomayors credibility had already begun and people had begun forming their opinions of her based on false accusations. The problem is many people do not like change or they are not comfortable with change and by her being the first Hispanic to serve as a Supreme Court Justice and she is only the third female Justice it brings much change to our justice system.

Blog # 27

The legal profession is still a male dominant profession and women experience hardships within the field. For example, women lawyers are constantly under skepticism from everyone. Only about 30% of lawyers are women which leaves 70% to be males. Women lawyers typically make about 73% of their male counterpart salary and women are less likely to be mentored. Additionally women are faced with the negative perceptions and stereotypes that have been placed on us, as well as they lack access to social networks and they lack opportunities because they are mostly given to men. A woman’s credibility is always being questioned as well. Even if she has graduated from the most prestigious law school and has great references she is questioned. Additionally, a woman is under a constant watch and she is criticized for her appearance. For example, if a woman dresses in clothing that shows off her femininity then her credibility is questioned because it would seem she would need her sexuality to work positively for her because she does not have the skills to do it without her sexual appeal. However, on the other hand, if she wears clothing that conceals her femininity than she is criticized for trying to be to masculine and not being true to herself. It is almost as if the woman needs to be sexy and neat but not too sexy because then she will lack in credibility and she needs to be gentle and nurturing, but she also needs to be assertive and controlling. It is as if women have to work twice as hard to prove themselves than their male counterparts.

There are also gender stereotypes that often have an effect. For example men are known to be assertive and action oriented as to where women are communal, trusting, and nurturing. This is problematic because these stereotypes can be thrown in a woman’s face while in the courtroom by male lawyers. For example, in the past all lawyers have been assertive and dominant because all lawyers in the past were males. This is problematic because many people are more willing to accept what males say over what females say. I mentioned this in a previous post because this could be an issue in the courtroom, because even if the woman has all the evidence to prove her case, a male can state that she is wrong and many people would question her credibility.

Blog # 26

Law is a gendered organization because it is predominately a male dominant field and often women struggle within this field. Women are often questioned or criticized because people think they are not capable of completing tasks the way men would. For example, in the Gender on Trial book there are many examples of “male backing” for female lawyers. In one example, a female lawyer explains that sometimes to get her point across to a client she needs to get a male coworker to tell the client again exactly what she said and often times they will listen to the advice or message when it has come from a male, even if the males status is below hers. This is problematic because the client does not trust this woman for whatever reason and they need male reassurance. In another example, a woman lawyer has to convince her clients that she can do the job as well or maybe better than her partner in the firm before they are even willing to meet with her about the case. Another example that was a little shocking to me was one lawyer had a male assistant and the clients assumed the roles were turned. During their introductions they made all the eye contact with the male assistant and tried to converse mostly with him, however when it was explained that she was the lawyer and he was the assistant the demeanor changed and the clients did not really know how to act. The other thing that I found very interesting is that even as a partner the women lawyers have a wider range of tasks. For example, during some meetings the woman lawyer was expected to order the food for everyone or even at times the women lawyers were expected to do general work such as filing or paralegal work where their male counterparts would never do such tasks.

Blog # 25

There have been arguments on the pros and cons of using sexualized behavior as “a weapon in the arsenal”. For example, when women use sexualized behavior it is often appreciated rather than frowned upon. This image is highly portrayed in media because in many movies women are portrayed as using their sex appeal or even going as far as being physically involved to get what they want. There are so many seductive scenes at the workplace in movies where women are using their sex appeal to get what they want. However on the other hand, men are hardly portrayed this way in media. I cannot recall a movie where a male has been portrayed in this manner. Generally if a man tries to use his sex appeal in the work place it is considered to be sexual harassment and it is frowned upon.
This image that media portrays is also consistent with the corporate world. There are stories on the news all the time of someone sleeping with someone else to achieve a higher position within the company. I also read at one point in a women’s magazine about pointers on how flirting with the boss can get you moved up quicker and the magazine talked about very subtle flirting tips but it still seems to be along these same lines. Additionally, a friend of mine told me that within her job at a restaurant, this type of behavior was occurring. One of the servers who started after my friend got promoted to an assistant manager and there was a rumor that she had slept with the main manager. Then a couple months later my friend told me she was quitting her job because that same girl got promoted to the main manager because she got the other one fired and my friend could not stand the girl. This is an example of how there are more pros for women who use sexualized behavior and there are more cons for men who use sexualized behavior.

Blog # 24

I have a friend named Brittany who is in her first year of law school and she informed me there are definitely gender expectations and stereotypes. She first noticed them during the application process. When she was filling out the applications she noticed that there were a higher number of men applications than women at a majority of the schools she was applying to. Then when she went to do her interviews for admissions she noticed how outnumbered she was. After attending her first week she informed me that there are gender expectations. She said women had a certain standard of how they needed to appear every day. A new friend of hers who had been in her second year informed her of these standards. The girl told her it was very important for Brittany to dress for success everyday if she was going to make it and be noticed as a good student. Brittany says that it is very different from undergrad because she can’t just roll out of bed anymore to go to classes. She how has to make sure her outfits are neat along with the rest of her appearance. She joked and said it was harder getting ready for class than it was getting ready to go to work. She also stated she struggles with some professors because her gender and ethnicity. She feels that some professors feel like she does not belong there and seem to make things a little more difficult for her than her male counterparts. However, she does have some professors who are willing to help her more because they are supportive that she has chosen to go into the legal field which is predominately a male field. I was a little shocked that these stereotypes or expectations for law school students exist. I know based on our class material there are expectations for lawyers and politicians but I did not realize that they started within law school.

I personally think it is unfair that women in politics are being criticized for their fashion sense. For example, First Lady, Michelle Obama always seems to be on blast for her chose outfits even though most of them are very fashionable. These women in politics are generally remembered based on what they wear rather than what they say, as to where many people do not pay attention to what men wear. It is sad that the criticism of Michelle Obama also leads to criticism of Mr. Obama as well.

This is also consistent with what female lawyers face. Often times they have to be careful with what they wear because if they dress in too much color, or clothing that shows their womanly features then their credibility is questioned. On the other hand, if a woman wears something that conceals her feminine features then she is considered to be more masculine which is also not pleasing. It is almost like they have to find a perfect balance.

This is problematic because a woman is already judged based on what she is wearing before she even is given the chance to speak. Regardless of what a woman wears her credibility seems to be at stake. Based on the article it seems that we only focus on what women wear. It seems as that is what we value over what they actually think. This is problematic because in comparison to men, this is highly sexist. No one seems to criticize male politicians or lawyers for what they wear and they are remembered for what they say. Although we have come a long way in equal rights for women, many women in predominately male positions such as law and politics are faced with struggles that society and their male counterparts regulate.

Blog # 22

When Sonia Sotomayor was appointed as a Justice for the US Supreme Court her qualifications were questioned. She was questioned because her gender, race, and religion are factors that weighed into her questioned qualifications. As a Catholic, Puerto Rican, woman, her high status in the Supreme Court caused controversy. She graduated from Princeton University and attended the Yale Law School. In the history of the Supreme Court there have only been three women and she is the first Hispanic to serve. According to a story on CNN, when Sotomayor took her oath it was the first time a ceremony of this nature was televised. This is important to note because she was put in the spot light more than any other appointed judge of the Supreme Court.

She has been criticized for being racist because she embraces her heritage and she understands what women, especially Hispanic women encounter, and she uses her experience to aid her in her position. She has been evaluated on a totally different level than her male counterparts because of her gender and race. I think this evaluation has to do with our governmental changes. Previously our country has been run by white males, and many of our justices have been predominately white males. However, now we have the first president who is not white and he appointed the first Hispanic Justice. Overall, many of the comments made about her seem to have no relevance. Such as she is racist because her experience being different from that of white males, and she is “not smart”, however she graduated from two qualified schools and she would not have been appointed in the first place if those accusations were true. Sonia is just faced with the notion that so far our country has been run by white males and now that a change has come, people feel threatened by it. I personally think that she is qualified for her position and that she could bring a new insight to certain issues and cases because she is a woman. However, the fact that she is a woman and Hispanic should have never become an issue in her qualifications.