Action Steps

 

Action Step – Take A Picture of the Glass Ceiling at Your Firm

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

TAKE A PICTURE OF THE GLASS CEILING AT YOUR FIRM

One of the greatest challenges for law firms is to identify their glass ceilings. (For some firms, of course, the greatest challenge is admitting that they have a glass ceiling, but the low numbers of women in the upper levels of leadership at most firms are hard to deny.) By determining the location and parameters of the obstacles to women’s advancement, firms can target their efforts and make better progress toward gender equity. Here are ways to get a handle on where the obstacles for women exist in your firm:

  1. Slice and dice the number of women in every sector of the firm for the last several years…

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Action Step – Support Diversity & Flexibility Programs at the Top

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

SUPPORT DIVERSITY & FLEXIBILITY PROGRAMS AT THE TOP

Visible support from the firm’s top management is essential to incorporating diversity and flexibility into the culture. Stating support in memos or meetings is a good start, but by itself will not get the job done. Much of the communication within a firm is nonverbal, and includes what leaders do, what gets noticed, and what gets rewarded. Here are some action steps firm managers can take to align their deeds with their words:

  1. Chair the initiative, and attend every meeting
  2. Stop by the office of a lawyer of color or a part-time lawyer to chat…

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Action Step – Make Your Flexible Work Policy A Recruiting and Retention Tool

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

MAKE YOUR FLEXIBLE WORK POLICY A RECRUITING AND RETENTION TOOL

If your firm’s flexible work policy is largely unused, or used only by a handful of lawyers who are mothers of young children, you may be missing out on an easy, effective, and comparatively inexpensive way to recruit and keep great lawyers. If your firm wouldn’t exactly be called a “lifestyle” firm, then a reduced hours program that lawyers are encouraged to use can be a strong recruiting and retention tool. Candidates will flock to your door, and the attrition treadmill will slow, but only if your flexible work program is non-stigmatized… Read more

Action Step – Take Your Firm’s Measure

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

TAKE YOUR FIRM’S MEASURE

What gets measured gets done, so measuring the effectiveness your firm’s retention program makes sense. Benchmarking where your firm is now with respect to key indicators will let you know where your firm needs to concentrate its retention efforts and will tell you later if your firm is making progress in retaining its valued lawyers. Here are some key measures worth exploring:

  1. The number of men who are working flexibly
  2. The number of female and minority lawyers at your firm’s highest levels
  3. The demographics of the lawyers working on your firm’s biggest and best cases…

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Action Step – Remove Mixed Messages From Flexible Work Policies

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

REMOVE MIXED MESSAGES FROM FLEXIBLE WORK POLICIES

It makes good business sense to have a policy that puts in writing the terms and conditions under which lawyers can work reduced or flexible hours – unless the policy contains negative messages that undermine your firm’s flexible work program. What sort of mixed messages? Here’s just one example of a grudging introductory paragraph that makes it clear that flexible work is not encouraged:

“Lawyers are expected to work full-time schedules as necessary to meet the needs of the Firm’s clients. The Firm will consider requests to work less than full-time, but such requests will not be routinely granted.” Read more

Action Step – Develop Your Firm’s Unique Business Case for Flexibility

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility.  Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center.

DEVELOP YOUR FIRM’S UNIQUE BUSINESS CASE FOR FLEXIBILITY

Too often flexible work programs are viewed as special accommodations for women lawyers with young children – and that virtually guarantees that they will fail. Research shows that nonstigmatized flexible work strengthens law firms by increasing tenure among the firm’s lawyers and leading to stronger client relationships, better recruiting, and more profitability. While you can tell your firm this, you can make the point more effectively by showing the specific ways your firm will benefit from increasing retention… Read more