BREAKING THROUGH THE GLASS CEILINGHOW FEMALE ATTORNEYS CAN PROSPER

Featuring Lyndsay A. Markley

TODAY’S WEBINAR IS SPONSORED BY

The National Trial Lawyers

Host

Larry BodinePublisher, National Trial Lawyers

Speaker

Lyndsay A. Markley, Esq.The Law Firm of Lyndsay A. Markley

ABOUT LARRY

Publisher

The National Trial Lawyers

Website: TheNationalTrialLawyers.org

Email: LarryBodineNow@gmail.com

Phone: 520-577-9759

ABOUT LYNDSAY

Recognized, Chicago-based personal injury/wrongful death trial

attorney.

Currently Principal Attorney at the Law Office of Lyndsay A. Markley, Ltd.

Previously was an equity shareholder at an established Chicago law

firm since 2011.

Acknowledgements Include:

THE REALITY

Approximately 34% of attorneys in private law firm practice are female.

Of these women, only 17% percent are equity partners .

Only 3% are in a management partnership at the largest 200 law firms.

Female shareholders at the largest 200 firms make 11% less than their male colleagues.

From ‘A Current Glance at Women in Law’- July 2014, American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Legal Profession

TYPES OF GENDER BASED INEQUALITY

Pay

Promotion

Treatment

Presumption of

Mommy Track

WHERE DO WE BEGIN?

Define success for yourself. What does success look like for you?

Large or Small Firm? Junior Partnership

or Equity? Name on the door? Autonomy?

Management?

Tailor your career trajectory to these long

term goals.

Find a mentor.

LYNDSAY’S STORY

“Success” = trial attorney

My name on the door of a small, established law firm.

Associate 2005 at defense law firm.

Associate 2006 - 2011 at small plaintiff firm.

In 2011, achieved my goal of named shareholder status at a small established

firm.

In 2014, my game plan was changed abruptly and I started my own law firm. So

far this “unplanned” aspect of my career has been the best and most exciting

part!

WHY AREN’T WOMEN BEING PROMOTED?

Fear:

Of asking for promotions, raises or what we want.

Assuming:

Our talents will be recognized and then promotions handed to us.

Failure:

To apply for jobs we qualify for.

To take advantage of a business plan that allows for an alternative schedule.

To recognize the importance of acquiring business.

To make career goals known to superiors.

Overestimating the importance of the worker bee.

The Mommy Track and its assumptions

HOW CAN WE CHANGE THIS?

1. Ask for the promotion!

2. Bring in Business

3. Seek out a mentor

4. Bring in Business

5. Make your goals known

6. Bring in Business

7. Make your accomplishments known

8. Oh, and also, bring in business

A STEP FURTHER

What if these actions do not work?

Get Feedback- Speak with your mentor

and/or employers

Take your business and start up your

own!

MAKE YOURSELF INDISPENSABLE

The most important aspect to any business (including a law firm) is the kind of

long-term financial gain the business (firm) stands to gain from you.

Ask yourself: “How valuable am I to the business?” And be honest.

Prioritize bringing in new business or forming strong relationships with

existing business.

HOW CAN THE FELLAS HELP MAKE A CHANGE?

It’s not all on women’s shoulders! Male

counterparts can assist by:

Realizing that not all women want to bear

children

Knowing that even those who do can still

be great attorneys

Embracing a woman’s need to physically

recover after having a child and delight in

the fact that a woman wants to

emotionally-bond with a child for its health

TIPS FOR GOING SOLO:

After honestly assessing the business that

would follow you and determining that you

can financially make a move, consider

taking your destiny into your own hands

and starting your own business.

Branding

Technology

Marketing & Social Media

QUESTIONS

Contact: Larry Bodine

520.577.9759

LarryBodineNow@Gmail.com

NationalTrialLawyers.org

Contact: Lyndsay Markley

312 523 2158

lmarkleylaw@gmail.com

www.lmarkleylaw.com

Follow Lyndsay On:

www.facebook.com/lyndsay.a.markley

www.linkedin.com/in/lyndsayamarkley/

twitter.com/lyndsaymarkley