Editor's letter: The best of times?

It’s official. We are in the midst of the first-ever ‘equal opportunities recession’.
Yes that’s right. Seemingly not content with being the worst recession to hit the western world in recent times, this fiscal crisis has ensured its place in the history books by striking at a time when more women are employed than ever before, and, therefore, when more women are likely to feel the nasty effects of negative growth.
In fact, this is a downturn that the US Senator Edward M. Kennedy has said is likely to have a “severe and disproportionate impact on women and their families”. It is hardly a comforting prospect.
Certainly, it is easy to succumb to a downturn-induced despondency. Indeed, with New Year festivities now a distant memory, and the determined optimism of early January and February beginning to wane, March can seem the perfect time to batten down the hatches, crawl under your duvet and shelve most, if not all, plans to change various aspects of your lifestyle… at least until next year.
It is a motivational struggle that will undoubtedly be all the more pronounced in 2009, as a determined doom-mongering among the world’s media threatens to dampen even the most optimistic of spirits and ambitious of plans to profit from the pinch. In fact, after months of reported financial gloom, and predictions of worse yet to come, many may now find themselves struggling to muster the last vestiges of motivation to avoid abandoning their steadfast commitment to cheating the crunch altogether.
So, how is it possible to sustain a desire to change? And what skills and strategies can women implement to ensure they emerge relatively unscathed from the current economic climate? Through a series of articles focusing on the ways in which women lawyers can use a downturn to their advantage, we sought to answer such queries. And with the best-selling author Avivah Whittenberg-Cox assessing why now is the perfect time for women leaders to emerge, and talent management specialist Rachel Brushfield revealing the key to successful self-promotion, there is certainly plenty of food for thought.
This downturn need not become synonymous with dejection. Recession can force us to revaluate our lives and see things more clearly – both in our personal and professional lives. Not so much a hangover, as a cleansing. To quote the American author Napolean Hill: “When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.” It would seem the time has come to set sail.
As always, I would love to hear your feedback, or any ideas for features you would like to see in the magazine. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this issue.

Lucy McNulty,
Editor

Features

Profile: Winstead PC Free

Case study: Thompson Hine LLP This article is for subscribers only
Heidi Goldstein and Nina McCollum offer insight into the women's initiative programme in place at US firm Thompson Hine LLP.

Masterclass: Self-promotion: The secret to success? This article is for subscribers only
Rachel Brushfield assesses the importance of marketing yourself in a slowing economy.

Special focus: GOING UP? This article is for subscribers only
An insight into the National Association of Women Lawyers’ Survey on the Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms. Barbara Flom and Marianne M. Trost report.

Case study: Giffen & Kaminski LLP This article is for subscribers only
Karen Giffen and Kerin Lyn Kaminski discuss the launch of their women-owned law firm, Giffen & Kaminski LLC.

Cover feature: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH... This article is for subscribers only
How to fight the effects of economic stress.

Regulars

The last word Free
Change is here and it is likely to have widespread implications. So how is it possible to use this change as a positive catalyst for transformation in your own life and the lives of others?

Lifestyle: Dealing with depression This article is for subscribers only
A guide to tackling depression in the legal profession.

Opinion: A new dawn This article is for subscribers only
Avivah Wittenberg-Cox explains why now is the ideal time for women leaders to emerge.

Opinion: Building bridges Free
Lauren Stiller Rikleen reveals why now is the time for female lawyers of all generations to work together to build a workplace that offers multiple paths to career achievement.

Opinion: Business development deciphered Free
Karen B. Kahn and John E. Mitchell, principals of KM Advisors LLC, answer the five questions female lawyers frequently ask about business development in the legal sphere.

Profile: Tricia Chatterton Free
Regional director at the UK legal education and training provider the College of Law, Tricia Chatterton tells Women Legal about the skills needed to advance in the law firm environment and the drivers for success on entering the profession.

Thought leader: Opportunity knocks Free
12 February 2009 will go down in infamy in the legal sphere. Deemed by some as ‘Bloody Thursday’, this is the day that saw six US-based law firms announce mass redundancies. With an increasing number of lawyers losing their jobs in such a short period of time, there is no question that the downturn in the economy and resulting lay-offs will affect female lawyers, already traditionally under-represented in the law firm context. And yet, no economic downturn lasts forever.