Combatting Sexual Harassment

Daily news feeds are filled with stories of women coming forward with allegations of sexual harassment in a variety of industries. Allegations in the tech and entertainment industries have made headlines, but these issues equally impact attorneys.

Several issues contribute to sexual harassment in the legal profession:

• Few Female Leaders:  Despite decades of equal graduation rates, we have seen little change in the number of female leaders in the legal profession and we remain severely underrepresented.  The 2017 edition of the ABA’s "A Current Glance at Women in the Law" report confirms:

o   36% of attorneys are women

o   18% of law firm equity partners are women

o   18% of managing partners are women

o   24.8% of general counsels at Fortune 500 companies are women

o   19.8% of general counsels at Fortune 501-1000 companies are women

o   31.1% of law school deans are women

• Pay Inequity:  Pay inequity persists. Some female attorneys at high-profile firms have filed claims (and won settlements) alleging they are not paid equally despite the same level of experience, output and contribution. 

• The Continuing Prevalence of Unchecked Behavior:  Over the last 12 months, public scandals in the technology and entertainment sectors reveal a pattern of powerful men engaging in offensive behavior. Several stories involve enablers who sat by silently--or worse, helped or rewarded harassers. The Harvey Weinstein scandal shows that many in Hollywood knew about his abhorrent behavior, but kept it a secret. Fox News renewed Bill O’Reilly’s contract amid the Roger Ailes scandal, even after O’Reilly allegedly settled a harassment claim for $32 million.

• Weak Attempts to Address the Issue:  Claiming a “commitment to a harassment-free workplace” will not cut it. Simply implementing requirements that a law firm will not tolerate unlawful behavior fails to address the underlying issue – that harassment thrives in cultures that turn the other way when allegations are raised. Decision-makers must stop viewing human resources as the department that exists to “protect the company.”

The #metoo campaign enabled millions to share their personal stories. This is a wake-up call.

Now is the time for solutions. Lawyers Club is hosting a Solutions Summit on November 3rd. The event will bring together industry experts, legal professionals, professors and students to robustly discuss these vital issues. The conference will focus on finding practical and viable solutions.

Topics that will be covered:

• How to recruit allies
• Practical tools and resources
• How to change workplace culture, with the support of leadership

This is the beginning of a long journey. Join us on November 3rd to be a part of the solution.

Guest blogger Patti Perez is the Founder and President of PersuasionPoint Inc.