Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts on motherhood in the legal profession, in partnership with our friends at MothersEsquire. Welcome Lindsey B.W. Savage to our pages. Click here if you’d like to donate to MothersEsquire.
Women lawyers are unique and diverse individuals; we do not have the same specific goals in our pursuit of personal and professional advancement and development. The past twelve months drove home, many times over, the crucial ways in which women bar groups can support and empower to improve the status of women in the profession. As a director and officer of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA), a national “bar association for women’s bar associations” that advocates for equality in the legal profession and in society by mobilizing and uniting women’s bar associations, I have seen firsthand these benefits in action.
Based on my anecdotal research (questioning women lawyers I know), it seems a familiar path into participation in women’s lawyer groups is: someone made me go! Similarly, as a military spouse, I have leaned heavily on various bar groups throughout my career when landing in a new legal market. Depending on the size of a community, the local (city/county) bar group and, often, the women’s bar group are a natural place to join to meet the locals and become integrated into the legal community. Participation in national bar associations further expands our network, especially as virtual event popularity has increased. MothersEsquire is one of my go-to virtual groups as a mother to three young kids and is an essential piece of the lawyer toolkit for moms. And although not exclusively a women’s bar group, the Military Spouse JD Network has been another crucial virtual community for me throughout my career. (They just “get it,” they are everywhere, and they know everything!) Through the NCWBA, I engage with dynamic women leaders from across the world. Personally, my involvement in women lawyer groups has opened up a robust network of women attorneys from which I draw inspiration, motivation, and support. I encourage you to increase your involvement in women bar groups!
When I speak of “women’s bar groups,” I’m not only referencing the formal, established bar associations, with dues and bylaws -– any group of women attorneys collaborating may provide essential support for women in the profession in various capacities. You may find great support in person and virtually from groups of women lawyers brought together with even more specific interests: spin bikes, motherhood, practice area, an interest in law firm management, social justice, hiking, and even a love of a certain grocery store or an interest in drinking tea, to name a few. Not every women’s lawyer group will be the perfect fit for you. It may take some time, trial and error, and luck to find “your” group, but your time will be well spent. Chances are, if you have an interest and you are a woman lawyer, there’s a women’s bar group for that (especially on social media)! The NCWBA’s Annual Women’s Bar Leadership Summit (August 2021) will explore the theme, “What is Your Why?” surrounding issues important to women in the legal profession. To find a group that is right for you — you might consider, What is your Why?
You might be a new mom searching for support from attorney moms who have been-there-done-that: navigating parental leave policies, finding or creating lactation rooms in courthouses, navigating child-care tips and tricks, finding a way to work a flexible schedule, weighing the risks and rewards of taking some extended time off — there’s a bar group for that.
You might just work so much that you never have time to socialize. You need some friends who get it. There’s a bar group for that.
You might be ready to refer out cases to trusted members of your profession, have more work than time and be ready to hire some associate attorneys, or co-counsel. There’s a bar group for that.
You might be on the path to partner at your firm; but you’re the first woman there; you are seeking mentorship from women partners elsewhere as you lay your path to success. There’s a bar group for that.
You might be in-house counsel or the only attorney at a start-up or a solo practitioner looking to scale your business and seeking colleagues to bounce ideas off and collaborate. There’s a bar group for that.
You might be searching for leadership training and opportunities. There are MANY bar groups for that. (Seriously, check the list at ncwba.org or e-mail me, I’ll find you somewhere to volunteer.)
You might be ready to retire, but not ready to abandon your legacy or leave your clients. You wonder what life without billable hours may have in store for you. There’s a bar group for that.
The past twelve months were rough. Personally, I got by with a lot of support from my friends, mostly virtually, and many of them attorney moms I only know through involvement in women’s bar groups. If you have not yet found “your people” in the legal profession, I urge you to do some exploring — it can be very low risk while so many events are being held virtually –- you can even keep your camera off. Or, if you prefer in-person events, find a few attorneys in your local community to have a socially distanced coffee or attend a meeting of an established bar group in your community. On social media, searching for groups of lawyers related to an interest you have may help you connect. Once you have found your people, bring someone along the next time you attend an event — growing our networks helps everyone succeed!
Lindsey B.W. Savage is an attorney at SRD Legal Group, a women-owned virtual law firm and is licensed to practice law in New York, California, and Washington state. She is a Director and Treasurer of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations and Co-Chair of the NCWBA’s Women’s Bar Leadership Summit Committee. She is a director of the Military Spouse Advocacy Network and past director and current member of the Military Spouse JD Network. Ms. Savage enjoys life as a Navy spouse and mom to three young children, one rabbit, and a sweet rescue dog.