From the “puppy paw” handshake to how you sit at the conference table, there are verbal and non-verbal communication techniques women can employ and avoid to overcome gender bias and find greater success in the legal workplace.
Andie Kramer and Al Harris provide practical communication tips and techniques to improve gender diversity in law firms and organizations. Andie and Al present a frank discussion on how gender bias affects women in the legal profession, the root of the problem and communication techniques that can help men and women lawyers overcome gender bias. Additional subjects covered include: why the law continues to be a traditionally male profession, the gender achievement gap, the ABA Presidential Initiative for Achieving Long-Term Careers for Women, communal & agentic stereotypes, other’s peoples impressions & the image you present and how to encourage organizational change. The following biases will also be discussed: affinity bias, negative bias, agentic bias, self-limiting bias, benevolent bias and motherhood bias.
Andrea S. Kramer is an attorney and a partner in the international law firm of McDermott Will & Emery, LLP. The managing partner in the Chicago office of Nixon Peabody, Al is a frequent writer and lecturer on the financial markets, financial regulation, corporate governance and diversity in the legal profession.