Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 10

FEATURE

STAYING PUT IN BIG LAW

Women Attorneys
Defy the Odds
By June P. Johnson

U

The American Bar Association has released several startling reports
on the issue, including " Walking Out the Door: The Facts, Figures, and
Future of Experienced Women Lawyers in Private Practice. " The 2019
report showed that the number of women lawyers named as new
equity partners at large firms has declined by nearly 30 percent over
the past several years, and firms are increasingly relying on the hiring
of lateral partners, over 70 percent of whom are men. Going beyond
the statistics, the report explains why senior-level women are far more
likely than men to leave the practice of law.
For women attorneys of color, the numbers look even more dismal.
Another report published by the ABA, " Left Out and Left Behind: The
Hurdles, Hassles, and Heartaches of Achieving Long-Term Legal Careers
for Women of Color, " revealed that although women of color comprise
14 percent of all associates, they represent less than 3.5 percent of
partners. The 2020 report also detailed specific factors that, according
to the women surveyed, blocked their " access to success, " including
limited business development opportunities, being perceived as less
committed to their career, and being denied or overlooked for promotions. Furthermore, women attorneys of color are more likely to be subjected to both implicit and explicit bias and far more likely to want to
leave the profession than their white colleagues.
Despite the negative outlook for a woman attorney considering a career
in Big Law, there are glimmers of hope and progress. Some women have

10

WASHINGTON LAWYER

*

MARCH/APRIL 2021

Patrice Gilbert Photography

.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
famously stated, " We educated, privileged
lawyers have a professional and moral duty to
represent the underrepresented in our society. "
The question then becomes, what happens if the
lawyers themselves are underrepresented? A case
in point is Big Law, which has a serious problem
retaining women attorneys.

Advocacy within Big Law is critically
important for diverse attorneys ...
I am there to help them succeed.
MONYA BUNCH
WilmerHale LLP
(Bunch shown here with her husband, attorney Marc Battle, and
daughter, Monarc.)

iStock



Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021

Digital Extras
From Our President
Practice Management
Calendar of Events
Toward Well-Being
Staying Put in Big Law feature
A Sisterhood of Latina Lawyers Sidebar
Increasing Diversity & Inclusion the the Legal Profession feature
Cultivate Mentorships sidebar
A Tribute to Judge June L. Green feature
Delicate Balance for Black Women Attorneys in Government Feature
Falling Short on Disability Inclusion feature
Elusive Justice in Violence Against Native Women feature
Worth Reading
On Further Review
The Learning Curve
Member Spotlight - Marcia Madsen
Member Spotlight - Simon Zinger
ABA Delegates Corner
Attorney Briefs
Speaking of Ethics
Disciplinary Summaries
The Pro Bono Effecy
A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Cover1
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Cover2
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 1
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 2
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 3
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Digital Extras
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 5
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - From Our President
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Calendar of Events
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Practice Management
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Toward Well-Being
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Staying Put in Big Law feature
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 11
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - A Sisterhood of Latina Lawyers Sidebar
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 13
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Increasing Diversity & Inclusion the the Legal Profession feature
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 15
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Cultivate Mentorships sidebar
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 17
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - A Tribute to Judge June L. Green feature
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 19
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 20
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 21
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Delicate Balance for Black Women Attorneys in Government Feature
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 23
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 24
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 25
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Falling Short on Disability Inclusion feature
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 27
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 28
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 29
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Elusive Justice in Violence Against Native Women feature
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 31
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 32
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Worth Reading
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 34
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 35
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - On Further Review
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - The Learning Curve
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Member Spotlight - Marcia Madsen
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Member Spotlight - Simon Zinger
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 40
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 41
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - ABA Delegates Corner
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Attorney Briefs
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Speaking of Ethics
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 45
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Disciplinary Summaries
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 47
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - The Pro Bono Effecy
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 49
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 50
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - 51
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Cover3
Washington Lawyer - March/April 2021 - Cover4
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