E X E C U T I V E
D I R E C T O R ’ S
M E S S A G E
J o h n F. K y n e s - H i l l s b o r o u g h C o u n t y B a r A s s o c i a t i o n
Continued from page 8
The findings are set to be released before the 2018
ABA Annual Meeting in August.
Bass acknowledged a number of women “superstars”
have achieved great success in the law and have landed
top leadership positions at their firms.
But, Bass added, “I’ll know when we have really
arrived — when the average hardworking diverse
attorney can be as successful as the average hardworking
white male. When we get there, we will know we have
solved the problem.”
initiatives this year: increasing the number of women
lawyers who pursue successful long-term careers in
the law.
She noted that although women have been graduating
from law school in roughly equal numbers to men for
almost 30 years, their career paths are quite different.
And some 20 years after law school — when lawyers
should be in their most productive years — far too many
women have not achieved the
*
*
*
*
same success as men, or have left
the profession entirely, Bass said.
The theme for year’s Bench
Thus, even though women
Bar Conference was “Perception
comprise 45 percent of law firm
is Reality: Identifying the
associates, they account for only
Dangers of Hidden Bias in
19 percent of equity partners in
Our Profession.”
private firms, she added.
Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
“The numbers tell us we have
Judge Samantha L. Ward was the
a lot of work to do,” Bass told the
conference chair this year, and
more than 500 luncheon attendees.
she and the other dedicated
Bass went on to discuss the
members of the Bench Bar
unique workplace challenges
Committee worked for months
women face — especially implicit
planning the conference.
bias, which she said is much
“The Bench Bar Conference
harder to detect and eliminate
this year was truly exceptional,”
than explicit bias.
said Ward, “and all the
Implicit bias refers to the way
presenters and panelists are to be
we interact with people who look
commended for putting so much
Judge Samantha L. Ward
or act differently than ourselves,
effort in making their sessions
Bass said, and it ultimately creates
both substantive and timely.”
an uneven playing field for women and other minority
(Photos from this year’s conference are on page 38.)
groups to get ahead.
There were a record number of attendees at the
“We all have implicit bias,” Bass said, adding, “But it
various CLE breakout and plenary sessions held
is possible to overcome. The first step is to recognize that
throughout the day, and a huge crowd attended the
we have them.”
annual judicial reception held afterwards.
Bass said it’s incorrect to assume that work-life balance
“The success of the conference is a testament to the
is the main reason women leave legal practice, and that
excellent collaboration between members of the local
studies actually indicate the top reasons women leave
Bench and Bar,” said Ward. “The committee is already
o