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Might as well … Jump!
The New York Times had an interesting piece in its Sunday edition examining why so few women make it as partners in big law firms. Though law schools are graduating equal numbers men and women these days and law firms are absoring new associates in numbers that reflect that balance, the percentage of female partners is still barely one in 10. The Times surmises that it’s not simply because of child-rearing; rather, in many cases women don’t make partner because they intelligently leave for other careers or opt to explore different ways to practice law. The other major reason, however, is grounded in biases and not, as one would figure, discrimination.
Of course, the Anonymous Lawyer kids that it might be because women don’t want to deal with men or that they know something that men don’t. One woman in the Times piece even argues that “women are held to higher standards, and if they don’t jump up and down like a man would at a meeting they aren’t seen as partnership material.” Knowing the nerdy white, male heirarchy at law firms as we do, however, we figure that “jumping up and down” would probably work to the benefit of many female associates, particularly if they aren’t wearing a bra.
Sad. But, even in 2006, it’s probably true.
