Women Take the Lead to Guide Law Firms

SAN FRANCISCO—Earlier this month, Cushman & Wakefield hosted its first West Coast Women in Law Leadership Event at the top of the Salesforce Tower. Led by the firm’s legal sector advisory group and women’s integrated network, the privately attended event was an opportunity to assemble a panel of law firm and in-house counsel leaders, both attorneys and executives, to share life journeys, obstacles and solutions that got them to where they are today.

The panel discussion and networking event featured four women within the legal sector: Wei Chen, vice president and associate general counsel, Salesforce; Tessa Schwartz, managing partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP; Susan Spaeth, chief legal officer and former managing partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP; and Erica Wray, legal director, real estate, Uber Technologies Inc. The discussion was moderated by Sherry Cushman, executive managing director and leader, legal sector advisory group, Cushman & Wakefield.

“Technology, globalization of law, shifting demographics and historic generational transitions; as the world around us evolves, so too is the practice of law. And now more than ever, women are taking the lead in guiding law firms and corporate legal entities to adapt to these changes and thrive,” Cushman tells GlobeSt.com. “And while women’s growth in leadership in the legal sector has been substantial, much work remains to be done.”

During the event, panelists engaged in a discussion on their careers, keys to success and actionable recommendations on how to improve diversity within the legal sector. After a Q&A session with the audience, the conversations continued during the reception, with the panelists speaking one-on-one with guests while sharing additional insights and personal anecdotes of their experiences in the legal industry.

“Learn how to strategically say ‘no’,” said Spaeth. “When you look ahead to where you want your career to be five years from now, and you have a vision of what you want it to be, you need to do the work now to get there in the future. Accepting projects that do not help you reach your goals creates an unwanted distraction. So, while you are expanding your skillset and do not want to be shoehorned, you have to get rid of the clutter to reach your goals.”

Now in its fourth year, Women in Law has proven successful in New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC and now San Francisco, with plans to expand to new markets in the coming months.

“Women in Law offers a platform for female leaders in the industry to share their journeys and profound experiences,” said Cushman. “The panelists’ candor and recommendations were embraced by the attendees of all ages to help guide them through their own careers. In addition, how firms are improving diversity, a hot topic in the legal sector, was addressed in detail, providing the audience with ideas to bring back to their own firms.”

Complementing the event, Cushman & Wakefield partnered with Dress for Success, a global nonprofit organization that provides professional attire for low-income women to help support their job-search and interview process. Led by 300 volunteers, Dress for Success San Francisco has served more than 7,500 women in San Francisco since 2006. Cushman & Wakefield’s effort, which has consisted of generous contributions from both clients and company members, has collected a total of more than $10,000 in clothing and monetary donations to date and counting.

Today, there are more than 400,000 women lawyers who make up just slightly more than one in three (38%) lawyers, according to the US Census Bureau. Growth in women’s labor force participation, as well as women breaking into historically nontraditional occupations, account for much of this large increase.

➤➤ Join the GlobeSt.com Women of Influence 2019 conference July 10 and 11 in Broomfield, CO, which celebrates the women who drive the commercial real estate industry forward. The event will address the critical role of women in the CRE business. Click here to register and view the agenda.