I want to extend my congratulations to each and every one of you on behalf of the Women in the Legal Profession (WILP) Section. I am so proud of you. I am elated to share this profession with you. I am so excited to see you begin your careers with such enthusiasm and unique perspectives. What an absolute honor and privilege it is to practice law.
But I'll level with you: it's not always going to be all sunshine and rainbows. It is going to be hard sometimes. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Women are still facing many challenges in the legal profession. More than half of law school students are women. But only 37 percent of practicing attorneys are women. Women lack representation in litigation, legislation, and the judiciary.
For decades, empirical research has concluded that female lawyers have historically faced substantial adversity in their careers, which continues to this day.
Issues such as unfair standards for women, a significant pay gap, discrimination, harassment, and lack of credit, opportunity, and growth are all ongoing problems that impact the careers of women and female-presenting lawyers. These issues are even more exacerbated for non-white women and LGBTQ lawyers. We have a lot of work to do, but the good news is that we are making great strides and those gaps are closing each year. The people who came before us set the ball rolling and all we have to do is keep kicking it.
My advice for you is not to shy away from or ignore these issues, but to tackle them head-on. Demand respect. Tell people that joke wasn't funny. Negotiate your salary. Reject imposter syndrome. Don't turn down a project just because you don't think you're good enough. You wouldn't have been asked to do it if you weren't. But set boundaries for yourself. Fifty percent of attorneys said they either work long hours or never stop working. One-quarter said they don't take adequate breaks and nearly one-third (32 percent) said they feel pressured to skip out on vacation time. Don't make those mistakes.
Be steadfast and unwavering in your convictions but allow yourself vulnerability. We all grew up watching tough, scary, emotionless lawyers on TV and in movies, but that's not real life. And it's not sustainable. Lean on your colleagues. Ask for help. Ask questions. Tell people when you're not OK. Allow people to stand up for you and stand up for others as well. Take care of yourself and those around you.
And finally, if you have the capacity, get involved. Volunteer for charitable causes and service projects. Do pro bono work. Take advantage of all the events BAMSL puts on. Join a committee. There's a committee and section for everyone. Join the Women in the Legal Profession Section, which by the way is open to everyone, not just women. Make connections. Make friends. Commiserate.
Like I said, we still have a lot of work to do but I truly believe the new generation of lawyers are going to do great things. You're going to blaze trails. You're going to fight. You're going to lose sometimes, but you're also going to win. And I cannot wait to cheer you on in your victories.
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