A Maddening Statistic That Needs To Change

According to the 2022 ABA Profile of the Legal Profession, one of the top reasons women leave their law firms is due to the emphasis on marketing/originating business (a staggering 51% cited this as one of the main reasons for leaving).

Why do so many female attorneys cite the need to market and originate business as a major factor for leaving their firm (even law altogether)?

It’s not about a lack of commitment.

I’ve heard it said that the women who leave aren't as committed as those who stick it out (even from fellow women). And also that maybe it shows a lack of belief in themselves. Or that they have different priorities.

Sorry, but no. These are high-achievers who committed themselves to law school, debt and time already invested.

Although it might be easy to convince yourself they don’t have what it takes and/or they have different priorities, it’s a cop out.

To understand what’s going on, take a look at some of the other statistics within this survey as to why women leave their firms:

• 58% cite caretaking commitments.
• 46% cite work-life-balance.
• 42% cite personal or family health commitments.

In my experience, women lawyers have more personal and home responsibilities than their male counterparts.

Let me be clear: I’m not saying that the guys aren’t doing anything. And I realize some men do a lot. But the fact remains that women as a whole tend to have more at-home and personal obligations than men do.

It’s no different with attorneys.

Female attorneys don’t feel supported enough to make partnership and business development worthwhile. They’re already so drained by the work-life juggling act that they can’t even fathom proactively joining the work-life-business-of-law juggling act.

And they’ve begrudgingly come to the conclusion it’s not worth it. And so, they leave.

Which is problematic - not just for them but for everyone.

What’s the fix?

Obviously, women need more support from everyone (their firms, colleagues, peers and families).

But what if you don't have that right now? Is there a formula for creating your own success starting now?

Yes...

The answer is counterintuitive.

Ladies, you do not have to do it the way the men do. Or build the same type of practice. You can do it your own way.

I’m proof this works (it’s how I built a $2.5MM practice in Big Law while staying balanced, even as I navigated through 2 pregnancies - and bed rests - plus cancer). My clients are also proof this works.

Here’s my formula for balanced success (that BTW applies to everyone):

#1: Strategy

There are two components for balanced growth:

• A values-based vision, plus
• A strengths-based growth strategy.

I cannot express to you how important having a values-based vision is.

It’s your roadmap for what you want and how to make it happen. And the lynchpin for giving yourself permission to hold others to higher standards (so they can better support you) and having strong boundaries you’re willing to enforce (without the guilt).

Once you have your vision, it’s time to build a simple strategy for growth. One that leverages your unique strengths so that you can maximize your ROI spending less time on marketing and business development activities.

And bonus: this makes business development more enjoyable, which means you’re more likely to stick with it and see results.

#2: External Support

Attorneys love to overcomplicate things and do everything by themselves.

This is especially true for us women who have been convinced we can - and should want to - “have it all”. And that we must “prove” ourselves.

Let go of this and instead embrace help through:

• A strong support network of people you trust to get help from, brainstorm with, gain knowledge from and so on. Your support network should include mentors, peers, friends, family members and so on.
• Systems and processes that simplify your work (and make it easier to delegate).
• Technology to further support you, your systems and your people.

The biggest roadblock is the belief you must prove yourself and go it alone. Stop it! You can’t be the best at everything. Get help from others, delegate what you can and focus on the work you enjoy and are good at.

I leave you with a parting note from a former client (Sabrina):

“I’ve always believed I needed to figure out everything on my own, but now know that’s not true.”

It's time for you to realize this too.

#3: Internal Support

Your brain can be your best advocate and worst enemy (at the same time). The good news is that you can rewire it to support you more fully and stop holding you back.

Through research-backed tools (and coaching should you determine you want it), you can train your mind to:

• Stop overthinking and instead feel content in your decisions.
• Be resilient and confident (even when you don’t have all the answers).
• Feel calm and present - no matter the circumstances.

Want to get started on rewiring your mind to function at its best (and feel your best)? Download my free guide of mindset + stress management strategies >>>here.

I don’t pretend that this will always feel easy. Growing your own legal practice IS hard work. It takes time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Or that you won’t have fun.?

Do these 3 foundational things to thrive in both law and life.

Ready To ELEVATE Yourself & Your Practice?

My attorney business mastermind (ELEVATE) is uniquely designed to help private practice attorneys with all of the above. And I’m about to open the doors for another round.

Go here to learn more about and sign up to be on the ELEVATE waitlist.

Not sure what a mastermind is? Curious to know more about how they work? Check out Episode #15 of the Life & Law Podcast to find out everything you need to know about masterminds.