If you're a female senior associate or partner at your firm, be the ARCHITECT of your future and BUILD as follows:
#1 Learn how to protect your origination credits for your book of business.
See our article here that explains this. Because it is not just your book of business but the credit you get for it that counts. When you secure your credit, you yield a powerful shield against gender bias and politics and a weapon for power and influence.
#2 Invest in yourself and master the skill of business development.
The monumental failure of our legal education is that it does not teach you this. So most lawyers attend tiring networking events and come across like a used-car salesman. Stop the madness. If you have a book of business, you have the passport for recognition at your firm or for moving to a better firm.
#3 Develop your practice away from the herd.
A real niche is where you’ve identified the biggest problems faced by clients that others have missed. The goal is to build work you love, hours you can handle, and premium fees that clients will want to pay because of what you solve for them.
#4 Many women don’t think about gender bias until it stings.
Instead, learn its markers ahead of time and navigate the “double bind” with panache. (The “double bind” refers to the phenomenon that women are criticized for speaking up and disadvantaged when they don’t).
#5 Seek out peers and mentors so you can escape the toxic aspects of a toxic culture and “detox” yourself in order to keep thriving in law.
They can be at your own firm, outside, or in other industries, but must have proven methods. Then pay it forward to other women. A deep activator of change is women helping women.
If you’re interested in learning about our methods for any of these items, just reach out and we’ll share our insights on a complimentary strategy call, no holds barred...
