Page 9 - CLT102620

NEWS OCTOBER 26, 2020 ¦ 9

leaders. All the progress we’ve
seen over the past six years could
be erased.”
Let that sink in: Progress erased.
As we know, that progress has
been hard-fought and slow for
women in Big Law. It’s only in the
last year or so that women finally
hit the 20% equity partnership
mark, even though women
have constituted about 50% of
students at top law schools for
three decades. (Interestingly, the
growth of female equity partners Photo: Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

parallels that of senior women in corporate Amer- Indeed, whether a woman quits depends on how
ica. The study finds that female representation in vital her income is to the family. If she’s the main
the C-suite grew from 17% to 21% from 2015 to breadwinner, I’d bet her spouse would be supportive
2020.) of her career—and likely has been,
So what happens if a quarter of way before the pandemic.
women in law firms start drop- But what happens if both spous-
ping out or put themselves out of es have comparable careers? Or if
the partnership track? Do we go the husband makes more?
back to that 15-16% equity quag- In those cases, the bets are off.
mire where women were stuck It still seems too early to tell but
forever? More than one in four there’s general nervousness that
women are thinking of women will fall behind because of
“It is an acute concern of the leaving the workforce the pandemic.
women executives and legal or downshifting their
professionals I work with,” says “We are just starting the analy-
consultant Brande Stellings, who careers—an unthinkable sis but I would not be surprised if
advises firms and companies on thought just six months we see women deciding to leave

gender and culture issues. “As ago, says the latest the legal profession,” says Roberta
the pandemic goes on, women Liebenberg, who’s authoring an
face continuing uncertainty over McKinsey/LeanIn study. upcoming American Bar Associa-

schooling and day care, and that tion study with Stephanie Scharf
pressure typically falls on them. on the effects of the pandemic.
The current pace may not be Liebenberg isn’t saying what the
sustainable.” findings are but she struck an
But not all women believe ominous note: “Many firms have
COVID will set women back. In not adjusted their billable hour
fact, one senior in-house counsel tells me the op- requirements, which seems pretty hard to sustain if
posite: “I have not seen any woman leave. Women you have no child care or home schooling.”
have been doing well and have adapted. This is Well, I can’t wait to read that report. Something
a perfect environment for a women’s leadership tells me it won’t be bright and sunny.
style. It has been harder on men.” She adds, “Why ¦

would a woman leave when the economy is in Vivia Chen is a senior columnist at The American
such a bad state?” Lawyer and the creator of The Careerist blog.

CONNECTICUT
Law Tribune