Equal footing

I have followed with considerable fascination one of the most contentious legal debates that has been raging in cyberspace over the past month or so. As ambitious, diligent lawyers with a vested interest in the profession, I am sure that you have too. But when I say “fascination” I really mean “a wry smile, raised eyebrow and vast incredulity”. For the issue I refer to is not an argument over the finer points of a tricky legal principle, nor a high-profile case with a potential judgment that threatens to shake the legal industry to the core.

Rather it is on the subject of whether it is appropriate for female lawyers to wear peep-toe shoes.

The story first appeared in US-based blog The Careerist and has been picked up subsequently by a large number of media sources. Legal journalist Vivia Chen recounted the following on the careers blog:“Waiting in line in the ladies’ room at the Waldorf Astoria hotel recently, I heard this discussion: ‘In my day, I always wore pumps to court,’ said in a woman in her fifties. ‘Can you believe this associate went to court with open-toe shoes?’ Her companion shook her head, then asked: ‘How did she do?’ The first woman replied: ‘Her work was good, but her shoes weren’t right.’”

The ladies’ room has a long-standing reputation as a fruitful outlet for gossip, but this scuttlebutt has far more serious undertones. It shows that women continue to be judged on style over substance. It demonstrates that women are often other women’s harshest critics. It suggests that junior lawyers are suffering from a lack of guidance and quality mentors. And it exposes the fact the female sex is divided rather than united in the quest for equality, to name but a few.

All of these topics are picked up on in this issue of Women Legal. Our special focus on the passage to partnership exposes just how far women still have to go before they are truly equal in terms of both number and perception. But while the vast majority of female lawyers agree as to the ultimate goal, there seems to be considerable difference of opinion as to the optimal way to get there. Women’s initiatives are popular with law firms as a means of championing the cause, but how effective are they in reality? Are women guilty of hiding behind the discrimination argument to the extent that they are compounding it? What more can women do to help each other, and themselves?

Perhaps the most depressing aspect of such incidents like that recounted above is that it reinforces just how far off true equality remains.

As usual, if you have any comments on any of the articles we feature, please drop us a line. You can also enter the debate and keep abreast of developments through our LinkedIn group. Enjoy the issue.

Kathryn Young, Editor

Features

Going global This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5:

The invisible women This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5:

Going for gold This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5:

In the pipeline This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5:

United we stand This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5:

The secret of my success This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5:

Passage to partnership This article is for subscribers only
Originally from Women Legal Volume 2 Issue 5: