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    Wisconsin Lawyer
    September 10, 2008

    Women lawyers lag behind men in managing partner positions and other key law firm roles nationwide

    The National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) 2007 national survey on retention and promotion of women in law firms found that in the largest U.S. firms, men hold 84 percent of equity partnerships, 92 percent of managing partner positions, and 85 percent of the seats on governing committees.

    Wisconsin LawyerWisconsin Lawyer
    Vol. 81, No. 9, September 2008

    Legal News & Trends

    Women lawyers lag behind men in managing partner positions and other key law firm roles nationwide

    The National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) 2007 national survey on retention and promotion of women in law firms found that in the largest U.S. firms, men hold 84 percent of equity partnerships, 92 percent of managing partner positions, and 85 percent of the seats on governing committees. Male equity partners also earn, on average, nearly $90,000 more than female equity partners at the nation's top firms.

    According to Milwaukee attorney Margo Kirchner, president of Wisconsin's Association for Women Lawyers (AWL), "The advancement and retention of women attorneys is a hot topic. While some reports focus on identifying the causes of the lack of women in senior legal positions, the NAWL report provides a real action plan to move women forward in this profession."

    The report, released in July, recommends law firms align compensation systems to promote:

    • advancing women into leadership positions;
    • retaining and promoting women;
    • increasing women's business development;
    • measuring access to key business development opportunities by women; and
    • offering training for women in leadership and business development, workplace behavior, communication, mentoring, and networking.

    Kirchner intends to increase AWL members' awareness of reports like NAWL's action plan so they can take that information back to their employers or use it in their own career development.

    "In addition to its networking benefits, AWL offers members a forum for raising and discussing issues specific to women attorneys and a support network for the times when those issues require action," says Kirchner.

    For more information, contact Dana Robb at (414) 463-0758, or visit www.wisbar.org/bars/awl. Read the 41-page NAWL report at www.nawl.org.


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