Brown Bag Series



October 14, 2009 at Noon CST by teleconferencing


RSVP to Merisa Lima (mlima@mayerbrown.com) by Tuesday, October 13th.  Each firm will be assigned one participation line to dial into the call.


“Advancing Women Lawyers in Turbulent Times”


Featuring Linda Chanow, Director of Research, PAR (Project for Attorney Retention)


Program Description

 

How can law firms continue to make progress and advance women in the current economic climate?  What is the status of work/life balance in this economy?  What are law firms saying and doing about flexible work arrangements – and what should they be saying and doing?  Linda Bray Chanow will discuss what law firms can do in this economy to continue to advance women attorneys.  She will cover the status of part-time programs in this economy, the results of PAR's groundbreaking part-time partner study, the renewed importance of accurate evaluations in view of current developments, and how to position your organization for the upswing when it happens.  

 

  

About the Speaker

 

Linda Bray Chanow is a lawyer and the Assistant Director of the Project for Attorney Retention.  A frequent author and speaker, Linda has worked to advance women lawyers and promote greater workplace flexibility in law firms since 1997.  At PAR, Linda conducts research, assesses law firm programs and policies on flexible work schedules, and provides implementation guidance.  She recently co-authored Reduced Hours, Full Success:  Part-Time Partners in U.S. Law Firms (2009) and Actions for Advancing Women Into Law Firm Leadership:  Report of the National Association of Women Lawyers National Leadership Summit (2008). 

 

Linda is also active in local and national bar associations.  She served as Co-Chair of the D.C. Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia Initiative on Advancement and Retention of Women and was instrumental in the WBA Initiative's groundbreaking 2006 report, Creating Pathways to Success.  Linda designed and implemented, Ready to On-Ramp?, for the National Association of Women Lawyers to help women lawyers develop their own personal strategy for re-entering the legal workplace.  Prior to joining PAR, Linda was the head of the Women's Career Development practice at the international legal consulting firm Shannon & Manch, L.L.P.  Linda began her legal career as a commercial litigator and bankruptcy lawyer at WilmerHale. Linda graduated from American University's Washington College of Law in 1999. While in law school, Linda focused on employment law and worked with Distinguished Professor of Law Joan Williams on the development of Professor Williams' book, UnBending Gender.