The Resourceful Lawyer

Gender equality is a pernicious problem for most law firms. Even the "best for women" firms barely break the 1/3 mark for women in equity partners. Join me to learn how human-centered design can accelerate gender equity in your firm. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gG3Sdf5E

Are early humans responsible for today's implicit bias against women and BIPOC? Could be. When lions, tigers, and bears are threatening you, staying with your own herd becomes a matter of survival. Yes, I'm aware that women and BIPOC were in the prehistoric "herd." But we're in offices, not in the wild. When we're hiring, there is an implicit bias in favor of those who look like us. So what can lawyers and other employers do? ?? Design a hiring process that favors objective criteria over "instincts" and "fit." ???????? Be sure the hiring team includes a critical mass of underrepresented folks. ? Use a rubric (now that takes me back to my teaching days where rubrics were a big deal.) ?? Create standard list of questions Does you law firm have these in place? Have you noticed a difference? Comment and let me know. ********************************************************************************** Hi! I'm Katherine and I'm on a mission to achieve #genderequity in law. If that matters to you too, grab my free Gender Equity Playbook: https://buff.ly/4fFTERf #GenderEquityChampions #womenattorneys #equitablelawfirm #genderequityinlaw #designforequity #lawfirmgenderequality #GenderEquityAccelerator

In the fifth stage of the Gender Equity Framework, it is time to look back on the results of our experiments and see whether our tested solutions moved us closer to an equitable law firm. Hopefully you designed your experiments to give you valuable information. Use it to refine your solutions. You may also find that the solution simply didn't work the way you thought it would. This could be from an incomplete understanding of the issue, a poorly defined problem, or a flaw in the idea itself. While I talk about a 5-stage framework, it's important to know that these stages are not linear. You may revisit them several times and/or in different order as you work to find a solution that works for your firm. ?? Join me at my next masterclass where I will go deeper into the 5-stage framework for achieving gender equity in your firm. Register here: https://buff.ly/3TTmCUz #womenattorneys #equitablelawfirm #genderequityinlaw #designforequity #lawfirmgenderequality #genderequitybrief #genderequityaccelerator

In this stage of the Gender Equity Framework, we put ideas in action. First, we need to evaluate ideas based on their viability, feasibility, and desirability. One way to do this is to compare the effort and impact for them. Then, we figure out how to test them in the real world. This could be a pilot program, or even a draft policy circulated for feedback. The trick is to smart small so you can gather as much information as possible before heading into the 5th stage. More on that coming up. Learn more about the human-centered approach to gender equity: ?? Join me at my next masterclass where I will introduce you to my proven 5-stage framework for achieving gender equity in your firm. Register here: https://buff.ly/3TTmCUz #womenattorneys #equitablelawfirm #genderequityinlaw #designforequity #lawfirmgenderequality #genderequitybrief #genderequityaccelerator

The reasons for gender inequality are complex but solutions don't have to be. This quote from What Works: Designing for Gender Equality explains that by putting a little thought into the systems, such as using structured interviews when hiring, can be "low hanging fruit" that increases the odds you get your fair share of the best talent. ********************************************************************************** Hi! I'm Katherine and I'm on a mission to achieve #genderequity in law. If that matters to you too, grab my free Gender Equity Playbook: https://buff.ly/4fFTERf #GenderEquityChampions #womenattorneys #equitablelawfirm #genderequityinlaw #designforequity #lawfirmgenderequality #GenderEquityAccelerator

My favorite stage of the Law Firm Gender Equity Framework is Ideate & Innovate. This is the time for generating lots of ideas - unlike most of our work, quantity counts more than quality. The wilder the idea, the better. If that sounds unhelpful, it isn't. A crazy idea can spark new ways of thinking and lead to breakthrough solutions. I love seeing lawyers unleash their creativity and get excited about gender equality. If you're a lawyer and you care about gender equality, register for my next masterclass. I'll share my proven strategy for achieving gender equity in law firms. Let's design an equitable future together. ?? Register here: https://buff.ly/3TTmCUz

People drive change. Law firms are made of people who have their own fears, needs, and desires. Changes are doomed to fail if they do not account for the human element. This is one reason my gender equity framework starts with empathy. Not just for women, but for everyone in the firm - and beyond. If you're a lawyer and you care about gender equality, register for my next masterclass. I'll share my proven strategy for achieving gender equity in law firms. Let's design an equitable future together. ?? Register here: https://buff.ly/3TTmCUz #designthinking #humancenteredlawfirm #legaldesignthinking #designingforequity #lawfirmchange #buildbuyin #startwithwhy

As my law firm clients move through the Gender Equity Accelerator series, we spend a good amount of time defining the problem and building consensus on which problems are the most important. Having different perspectives in the room is especially important during this stage because (1) it ensures you're working on the right problem; (2) aligning on priorities now means fewer conflicts later; and (3) it amplifies marginalized voices. ?? Join me at my next masterclass where I will introduce you to my proven 5-stage framework for achieving gender equity in your firm. Register here: https://buff.ly/3TTmCUz

No one likes to make mistakes. On the other hand, few of us get it right on the first try. When it comes to tricky human problems like supporting women throughout their careers, the odds of getting it right the first time drop even lower. Let's plan for that. In design thinking, we call it "failing fast." Find a way to test solutions out in a small way - maybe a pilot program or even a draft policy. Invite failure but only if you also invite honest feedback. Rapid prototypes can be the key to discovering a solution that works - without the cost of "spectacular failure." This is just one of the key concepts in my Gender Equity Framework. Learn more by joining me at my next Thursdsay masterclass. Register at https://buff.ly/3BrDBal. #designthinking #humancenteredlawfirm #legaldesignthinking #designingforequity

It astounds me that gender equality remains so elusive in the legal profession. We know it isn't the pipeline - women are graduating from law school in equal numbers, and have been for years. But we still face barriers. Unconscious bias - Most of us would say a person's gender, orientation, race [insert other characteristics here] doesn't matter to us. Yeah, that's why it's called unconscious bias. It's the bias that is secretly lurking in our hiring, promotion, and compensation systems. It's there, and law firms shouldn't be afraid to admit it. Lack of mentorship - This is a big one for me. When I was struggling to find the right balance between work and family, no one was there to listen. Technically, I had mentors - like the one that told me I had to change my personality. But supportive women I could turn to without repercussions? Not a single one. Work/Life "balance" - I've never liked the term "balance." It implies a zero sum game and that there is some elusive state of stability that looks the same for everyone. I think firms need to recognize and not penalize women for those times when "life" is heavier than "work." Pay disparity - Perhaps if we managed to address the first three issues, this one would go away. It's not just law firms but that doesn't excuse it. Limited leadership opportunities - this is another one that is a direct result of the first three. I've definitely seen more women as practice group leaders or executive committee members, but the gender gap is still much too large. Law firms can do better! Let's #breakthebarriers. #womenattorneys #equitablelawfirm #genderequityinlaw #designforequity #lawfirmgenderequality #genderequitybrief #genderequityaccelerator ?? Join me at my next masterclass where I will introduce you to my proven 5-stage framework for achieving gender equity in your firm. Register here: https://buff.ly/3TTmCUz