IN THE PROFESSION in Georgia through the present and highlighted the impact of the “ Lawyer ’ s Creed and Aspirational Statement on Professionalism .”
The second part of the CLE was a discussion on " Diversity and Unconscious Bias " and featured a panel of distinguished women in the legal profession , including Judge Ashley G . Drake ( Magistrate Court of Fulton County ), Megan L . Quinn ( Insight Global LLC ), Anita Wallace Thomas ( Nelson Mullins Riley Scarborough LLP ), Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Sheri Crosby Wheeler ( Fossil Group , Inc .). Deputy General Counsel Heather D . Ancrum ( Atlanta Housing ) moderated the panel .
In a decade-by-decade review , Lemke and Lerman highlighted the experiences of women as they applied to law school , attended law school , applied for legal practicing positions , and as they practiced in law firms . Note , the first female to earn a law degree in Georgia , Minnie Anderson Hale , did so in 1911 .
Prior to the Civil Rights movement , there were still many law schools that did not admit women and law firms that did not hire women . During the 1950s , it became more common for law schools to admit women , but women continued to struggle finding jobs as practicing attorneys , with many women instead offered legal secretary and that allowed them to practice law , with many women being offered legal secretary and educational positions instead .
In the 1960s , the women ’ s rights movement was underway , but women continued to find educational environments at law schools difficult , including limited on-campus restrooms available for women or constantly having to prove that they were attending law school to become lawyers rather than for the sole purpose of finding a husband .
By the end of the decade , President Lyndon B . Johnson abolished the Vietnam War draft exemption for males in graduate schools . This was important for the 1970s as the prospects for women attorneys increased due to the higher number of men now eligible for the Vietnam War draft , including male graduate and law students . Despite the growing number of women in the legal field , difficulties continued to prevail . Women were doubted for longevity in the profession and expected to leave their positions after getting pregnant or to care for children . They continued to be questions about their legitimate interest in the profession . Women were eventually steered towards certain types of legal practice areas that seemed to include more female clients – like estate planning as the number of widowed women increased due to the Vietnam War .
By the 1980s , with more women in the workforce , many law firms were focusing on inclusivity and diversity in their hiring practices . Women began to experience more support from their male classmates and colleagues ; however , women encountered obstacles that negatively impacted their ability to attract clients and maintain client relations . For example , women were not allowed in many country clubs , which was often an ideal place for cultivating client relationships .
In 1990 , the Supreme Court of Georgia approved the Lawyer ' s Creed and the Aspirational Statement on Professionalism was approved by the Supreme Court of Georgia . These two documents serve as guidance and a reminder to lawyers of the importance of service to others . During the 1990s , the partnership track and the number of billable hours increased – another obstacle for women with children . However , many law firms created a non-equity partnership track , which allowed law firms to give the appearance of diversity and inclusion . It was common to offer women a nonequity partnership ; yet , there were still few women who were equity partners . Non-equity partners have less authority and get less compensation than equity partners .
Moving into the 2000s , women represented almost half of the junior associate positions , but women were not equity partners in large numbers . Law firms , although , were beginning to accept parttime legal positions which heavily benefitted women who were caring for children .
The 2010s witnessed pressure on corporations to do more with less . Corporations began limiting its use of law firms , forcing many law firms to reduce their work force significantly .
The question for the audience and readers of this article , in 2022 , is what would you do in scenarios where a female summer intern , associate , or even partner , is treated differently from their male counterparts ? Does the Lawyer ’ s Creed and Aspirational Statement on Professionalism require you to take action ? In what scenarios would you act ? In what scenarios would you not take action ?
The Diversity and Unconscious Bias panel was an opportunity for our panelists to share some of those scenarios . This group shared personal experiences , including how they handled situations where they were the cause of the bias directed toward another ; where they were the recipient of bias ; where they did not feel comfortable pointing out biased behavior ; and moments when they felt comfortable enough to point out bias behavior to the person exhibiting biased behavior for the purpose of creating awareness .
It was decided early on that this panel would not be effective if they did not share their very personal , and sometimes difficult experiences . The panel agreed to first define for everyone the terms diversity , inclusion , equity , and bias . Diversity is who we are – our various backgrounds , nationalities , perspectives , and work styles . Inclusion is how we work with each other – not necessarily in agreement but with respect of others ’ opinions
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