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May 1, 2007
Taking the Lead
A leadership program just for women partners. By Laura McClure
By Laura McClure
Edited by Martin Lasden
Though law firm leadership programs aren't hard to come by, a unique one kicks off in San Francisco this month designed solely for women partners. Known as the Hastings Leadership Academy for Women, the program is sponsored by the Project for Attorney Retention, an initiative of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California Hastings College of the Law.
Director Ida Abbott says the academy's premise is twofold: First, even when a firm has a substantial number of women partners, the representation in management is usually still low?a gap that affects not just the women in question but attorney retention and the firm as a whole. Second, women partners encounter specific gender bias that isn't addressed by existing programs. One-on-one leadership coaching aims to help women transcend the "assertive/bitchy" cliché. "We don't have as much wiggle room as men do," says Abbott, "because if men are very forceful, it's sort of expected and accepted behavior, whereas women need to find a way to be tough and assertive on their own behalf that doesn't turn people off."
Modeled after "women-only" business school executive-education programs, the six-day initiative, which begins May 31, is split into two three-day sessions separated by six weeks. Topics will include dealing with gender stereotypes, choosing an effective leadership style, mentoring the next generation, and getting full credit for contributions to the firm's bottom line. "Ours isn't the 'how do you find clients?' focus, since we're assuming that if you're a partner, you've at least got some," says Abbott. "Ours is more of an internal focus on how to take it to the next level, whether that's becoming an equity partner, practice group leader, or department head."
With a price tag of $7,500 per participant (less if a firm sends two or more partners), the program isn't cheap. But depending on the results, it just may start a "women-only" trend among national law firm education programs.
Edited by Martin Lasden
Though law firm leadership programs aren't hard to come by, a unique one kicks off in San Francisco this month designed solely for women partners. Known as the Hastings Leadership Academy for Women, the program is sponsored by the Project for Attorney Retention, an initiative of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California Hastings College of the Law.
Director Ida Abbott says the academy's premise is twofold: First, even when a firm has a substantial number of women partners, the representation in management is usually still low?a gap that affects not just the women in question but attorney retention and the firm as a whole. Second, women partners encounter specific gender bias that isn't addressed by existing programs. One-on-one leadership coaching aims to help women transcend the "assertive/bitchy" cliché. "We don't have as much wiggle room as men do," says Abbott, "because if men are very forceful, it's sort of expected and accepted behavior, whereas women need to find a way to be tough and assertive on their own behalf that doesn't turn people off."
Modeled after "women-only" business school executive-education programs, the six-day initiative, which begins May 31, is split into two three-day sessions separated by six weeks. Topics will include dealing with gender stereotypes, choosing an effective leadership style, mentoring the next generation, and getting full credit for contributions to the firm's bottom line. "Ours isn't the 'how do you find clients?' focus, since we're assuming that if you're a partner, you've at least got some," says Abbott. "Ours is more of an internal focus on how to take it to the next level, whether that's becoming an equity partner, practice group leader, or department head."
With a price tag of $7,500 per participant (less if a firm sends two or more partners), the program isn't cheap. But depending on the results, it just may start a "women-only" trend among national law firm education programs.
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Megan Kinneyn
Daily Journal Staff Writer
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