If you are having trouble viewing the email, you can view it online.

September/October 2018 Newsletter

Welcome to Fall!  The leaf show has begun, and there is a briskness in the air.  It is an invigorating time of year.

WHAT’S UP AT BEST FRIENDS AT THE BAR?

THE NEW BOOK IS AVAILABLE!

What Millennial Lawyers Want:  A Bridge from the Past to the Future of Law Practice was released by Wolters Kluwer/Aspen Publishers in early September. A review in the Virginia Lawyer describes it as exploring “millennial lawyers and the issues and challenges they face as they coexist within a legal profession created by past generations.  Blakely offers advice on retaining millennial lawyers, improving outdated firm cultures, and how millennials might best fit into current environments.”

It is a little book with a big message — a cautionary tale for law firm leaders and a hopeful and validating message for today’s young lawyers. For both audiences, it is an opportunity to collaborate in a way that law firms have forgotten and young lawyers need. The endorsements confirm that this book should be read to safeguard the future of law firms and law practice. So, you need to get a copy!

ON THE ROAD AND IN THE NEWS

Speaking Engagements

My appearance at Washington University Law in St. Louis was a great pleasure and success. The panel discussion focused on effective mentoring, professionalism, and skills for advancing careers. Thank you to Wash U Women’s Law Caucus!

Confirmed future speaking engagements include:

  • Immigration Justice Center, DC, December 2018;
  • Book Launch, Kirkland and Ellis, Chicago, February 2019;
  • DC Women’s Bar Association Young Lawyers, March 2019;
  • DC Women’s Bar Association IP Lawyers, Spring, 2019; and
  • Georgetown University Alumni, Geneva, Switzerland, June 2019.

Press and Media Articles

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

For Women Lawyers and Law Firms: Taking Gender Issues Seriously

In the wake of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, many of us have a heightened awareness of gender issues in our profession. We know that things are not right, but we are receiving mixed messages on how to fix them.  It is complicated.

CNN recently reported reasons why victims of sexual misconduct do not come forward.  Psychology Today did the same, as well as other media outlets. The reasons are disturbing. Shame. Fear of not being believed. Concern for reprisals in the workplace.

I address the subjects of sexual harassment, gender discrimination and implicit bias in almost all my remarks at law schools, law firms and law organizations. I discuss it in my books and on my blog, and I will continue to do so. It is important information for both young lawyers and law firm leaders.

I urge you to take these issues seriously, whether you are a young woman lawyer or a law firm leader. “It cannot happen to me or my firm” is old school. To ignore these important issues is to put career satisfaction and harm to your organization at risk.

For All Lawyers:  Go Forth and Mentor!

Some of you may recall hearing me say, “You cannot be who you cannot see.” It makes the case for the value of effective mentors. I also like this twist that I read recently: “Be who you needed when you were younger.”

“Be who you needed when you were younger” conveys a responsibility. It conveys an opportunity lost. It conveys what should be our mission as senior lawyers.

Recently I was contacted by a young lawyer in NYC, who has no mentor and is struggling in a big firm. He is smart, and he is competent. But, advancing in unfamiliar territory requires more. This young man needs a guide. It is the responsibility of the law firm to provide him with an effective mentor who has an interest in his career and his development as a lawyer.

If that was not the case, why did the firm hire him in the first place? Was he hired so others could watch him struggle alone and fail — as if it is some kind of a spectator sport?  Or a power play?

How does that make sense, and what is the message that such a failure of leadership sends?

BE MY GUEST!

It always is my pleasure to spotlight women law leaders.  Meet Maria Vathis, 91st President of the Federal Bar Association and of counsel at Bryan Cave.  In her own words:

Bar association involvement is a long-term investment in your career. Membership provides opportunities for networking, professional development, mentoring, and friendships. From the Law Student Division to the Senior Lawyers’ Division, the Federal Bar Association recognizes the importance of supporting its members throughout the various stages of their careers. Bar association membership also can provide meaningful ways to give back to the community. Each April, chapters throughout the nation provide a program for students in their communities. In Chicago, we bring high school students to the courthouse for a mock oral argument presented by the federal judges, and it is evident that the experience has a positive impact on the students. In particular, one girl commented that until that day, she did not know that a woman could be a judge. We are fortunate to be part of a profession that helps others, and bar association membership provides a myriad of ways to make a positive difference in the community.

Thank you, Maria. I hope my readers will share these remarks with a young lawyer.

That’s a Wrap!

Are you interested in an event at your law firm, law organization or law school? See my website for venues where I have spoken and endorsements from clients, and contact me for program descriptions and scheduling.

You also are invited to Be My Guest! by contributing a column to a future newsletter. It is a good way to connect with my readers.

Buy My Books from Amazon and Wolters Kluwer/Aspen Publishers direct from my website. All of my blogs are reprinted on my Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages, and most of them also are reprinted on the Ms JD website. Click “share” and re-tweet to move them on to others and show your support for BFAB.

Keep up with me on:

Watch for my next newsletter in December 2018. Until then, turn to the Best Friends at the Bar website to keep up with recent happenings on the blogs and social media there.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Be happy, be safe!