CBA Record May-June 2020

Navigating Motherhood and Your Legal Career • There’s no good time – plan around YOU, not your career • Gather together other women lawyers/mothers at your firm; create a group for support and internal advocacy • Find a mentor and “speed” con- nect over a 20-minute coffee once a month • Join the Alliance for Women • How to “roll out” news of upcoming parenthood (mater- nity and paternity)” • Keep it positive • Consider your ramp down period [reduce hours one month before due date] • Communicate your ramp up period [increase hours one month before you are scheduled to be back at work full time] • Stay flexible in your planning, and ask for help Panelists at the session included: Lauren Novak, Partner, Deputy Practice Group Leader, Labor and Employment, Schiff Hardin (mod- erator); Anita Alvarez, Managing Director, Alvarez &Marsal Disputes & Investigations; Cailee Alderman, Lopez Law Group; Alexis Crawford Douglas, Associate Attorney, K&L Gates; and Melody Cross, First Vice President and Corporate Counsel, Prudential. have the opportunity to do something you really like – raise your hand. Take the long view. This is a lifelong process” Diane Webster: “Practice authentic leadership. There’s not one way to do this – find someone whose leadership you admire and talk to them. Leadership is service to others. You can have your own agenda and help others along the way.”

Pictured at the conference from left to right: Alexis Crawford Douglas, Partner, K&L Gates; Melody Cross, First Vice President and Corporate Counsel, Prudential; Anita Alvarez, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal Disputes & Investigations; and Lauren Novak, Partner, Schiff Hardin.

Studies) added that, “although tradition- ally women have been socialized to be team players, they need to be trained to be leaders – ‘ask for what you need.’ ” Women need to close the confidence gap – and encourage other women to ask for what they need, too. “Sit down at the negotiating table knowing and articulating your worth and your value-add,” Lavin recommended. “Our secret weapon is each other – social- ize; make friends and connections.” Panelists recommended concrete actions for participants to ask for – and get – equi- table compensation and to prepare for their next career steps (see sidebar). Learning Your Leadership Language The closing panel highlighted the varying paths to leadership of women manag- ing partners of Chicago-based law firms. Moderator Joy V. Cunningham, Illinois Appellate Court Justice, asked for rec- ommendations to effect positive change for future women leaders in the profes- sion. Pivoting on the results of a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, panelists commented on questions such as, “What holds women back?” “We are not bound by the past,” said Regine Corrado, managing partner of Baker McKenzie. “We can – and should – change the world. Together, we can make this happen.” “Don’t get bogged down in mistakes,” added Patricia Brown Holmes, Managing Partner, Riley, Safer, Holmes & Cancila. “View mistakes as course corrections.”

Justice Cunningham added, “We are making progress and moving in the right direction. This is the time to empower each other and look forward. Women need parity in treatment, opportunity and measurement of success.” Panelists also discussed another finding of the Pew Research Center survey: women need more connections and support. “We need to create the vision for more women sponsors at the top level.” Holmes said. “No one should leave a discussion about achieving parity and diversity in hiring without a path forward for everyone.” Corrado recommended that women should “be intentional in what [they’re] doing. Build a pipeline and a platform of support among women and share the success of those who lead.” DianeWebster, Partner in Charge of the Chicago office of Hinshaw & Culbertson, reminded the group that “Leadership takes a lot of time. Women need to build influ- ence and responsibility and get credit for this work as well. Take time for introspec- tion and to think of strengths and how to leverage them for the next steps to success for you and the firm.” The Takeaways Justice Joy V. Cunningham: “Advocate for yourself, be bold. Have a strategy.” Patricia Brown Holmes: “Find the one thing you always wanted – remember how you got there. Apply this to your career. Be bold. Be who you are.” Regine Corrado: “The next time you

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