Women see the value of networking

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Many women-centric groups exist in the legal community to try to influence change in law firms.

In early 2005, the Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women invited Chicago law firms to join its ”Call to Action,” a project that promotes women’s leadership in the legal profession.

Nicole Nehama Auerbach, of Valorem Law Group and a founder of the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law Firms, speaks at a coalition event where The Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women’s “Call to Action” initiative is discussed. (Photo by David Durochik)

”It’s the culmination of all the goals of the alliance to improve the percentage of women partners and women associates that start with large law firms,” said Kari Sheinfeld, first vice president and counsel for Corus Bank and co-chair of the alliance.

She said the alliance organizes events and other initiatives that support female lawyers in terms of career and business development, and in their involvement in social issues. It has addressed such issues as the challenges women and minorities face in law firms, and the struggles of a life-work balance, Sheinfeld said.

Some female lawyers say they get excluded from business development opportunities, Sheinfeld said. A female lawyer may be brought along for the official pitch because the firm wants to present a diverse team, but she may not be invited to more informal networking opportunities like client dinners or golf outings.

Some male partners feel more comfortable ”bringing along” those who remind them of themselves — meaning other men, she said. Women need to find networking opportunities that allow them to meet a wide range of people.

”You have to consider it part of your job or career to do networking,” she said. ”I was an associate at a large law firm and that was something I did not do then. I wasn’t involved in bar organizations and that, I feel, was a mistake.”

Creating opportunities
Sharon Calhoun, an associate at Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg, said networking is important to her because it helps her create essential relationships.

She participates in her firm’s women’s committee and diversity committee, and helps with some of the firm’s community service projects.

”I think it is challenging being a female anything in a male-dominated, specifically historically male-dominated profession,” Calhoun said.

She recommends that lawyers get as involved as possible. Network with people not only inside the firm, but also throughout the business community, because that could lead to future clients, Calhoun said.

”The legal community in Chicago is not all that large, so it is better to start networking now with the peers you have,” she said. ”Eventually someone will go in-house and they will think of you …”

Networking helps newer female lawyers learn from more senior lawyers, said Jessica Perez Simmons, also an associate at Barack Ferrazzano.

”Some of the women before me had it a lot tougher and they have paved a path,” she said. ”I think it would be advantageous for associates to try to pick local lawyers’ brains about, ‘How did you get to where you are?’

”I definitely like meeting other people who are in the same situation as me. I like hearing about the different stories, and different experiences people have had.”

Tara Devine, an associate at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, said her firm is flexible about allowing her to take time off for luncheons, and pays for her to attend seminars or referral meetings.

If law firms are not supportive, then lawyers will more likely do the work that needs to be done, but not spend as much time growing the business, she said.

”Historically the trial field and attorneys in general have been pretty much male-dominated. Women have made a huge impact in the last couple years and even before that,” she said. ”A lot of times, the number of men clearly outnumbers the number of women in most firms. There are two female attorneys at my firm, and for a time period there was only one female attorney.”

Devine recommends that women be each other’s best cheerleaders. There can be a fine line between being a strong, determined lawyer, and being someone perceived as pushy. The best female lawyers know where to be on that line without being vulnerable, she said.

”I’m very optimistic for the future of the female trial lawyer,” Devine said. ”If they take advantage of the resources around them, that will only lead to exceptional results for themselves, their peers, and their clients. You really have to be open to the opportunities that are around you.”

Grayson, from Jenner & Block, said networking doesn’t have to be thought of in a formal sense. It can be a group of law school friends or members of the condo board.

Networking doesn’t have to just occur within the legal profession, said Capers, from the City of Chicago.

She attended a women’s conference that spanned across various professions, and she purposely attended a forum outside her profession so that she could learn how those women handle challenges.

Leslie Darling, a partner in the government group at Ungaretti & Harris, said, because of her practice, she often meets new people through political events and business meals. She also tries to get to know people on a one-on-one basis.

”There are so many opportunities, whether in-house or in law firms, for women to have really successful careers and be able to have a full, well-rounded life of work and family,” she said. ”I think those opportunities are there. I think managing them in a law firm environment and work environment can be challenging, but possible.”

When associates become partners they will need to know how to build their own business and reach out to new clients, she said.

”We have to do a great job educating our associates to keep up their contacts, and to not keep their heads down and just do their work for seven or eight years before they become a partner,” she said.

”Don’t say no to those opportunities to get in front of those clients,” Darling said. ”I think that firms, overall, need to do a good job at cultivating that so there is a next generation of partners at the firm who are able to generate business.”

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