Atlanta Lawyers

A recent American Bar Foundation report based on interviews and focus groups with female lawyers revealed that the most cited reasons for female lawyers leaving law firms was unfair or biased compensation systems. The report was based on 12 focus groups located in six cities as well as 12 individual interviews.

The Issues

According to the study, female lawyers reported that they originated more work than some of their male counterparts and still received lower pay. The study and report was done in collaboration with the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Commission on Women in the Legal Profession as part of the ABA’s initiative on long-term careers for female attorneys.

According to the ABA’s May 3, 2021 press release, among the combination of factors that affected women’s decisions on whether to remain at their law firms, leave the profession, or move to a different legal job after being in the legal profession for more than 15 years was unfair compensation. A large number of the women in the study were their family’s breadwinners with spouses who were either low-paid or unpaid. The women reported that the pay disparities affected their ability to support their families as well as engage in leadership opportunities at their firms.

Multiple female lawyers reported that their firms told them they were making less than their male counterparts because the men had to support a wife and children. Many respondents also noted an inequitable distribution of origination credit for cases.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

In addition to inequitable compensation, additional factors that influenced the women’s decisions to leave the profession included:

• Poor collegiality due to a bullying atmosphere and a hyper-competitive culture;
• Driven isolation from colleagues due, in part, by ever-increasing demands for billable hours and lack of women in leadership;
• Behavior that was sexist and racist;
• The want for more fulfilling, interesting, or challenging work that would remain with senior partners;
• Being looked over for promotions, particularly to equity partner, especially for women who worked fewer hours; and
• Unpredictable schedules and long hours, making it difficult to manage personal and professional schedules.

There were, however, positive aspects of the profession that respondents identified even if the final decision was to leave the law. This included:

• Intellectual stimulation in the law;
• Relationships with colleagues at the firm;
• The ability to help clients solve legal issues;
• Autonomy in their work;
• The social impact of the work;
• Monetary compensation compared to other professions.

More information on this topic can be found here.

Elizabeth Gallo Court Reporting is proud to be a woman-owned company.

Attorneys are stewards of personal and sensitive information provided to them by clients. Lawyers are also officers of the court and are in roles of public trust. The standards placed on attorneys are high, however, and lawyers must carefully mind ethics obligations to avoid running afoul of the rules. That being said, issues can arise. Below are tips on how to avoid ethical pitfalls and disciplinary action according to the American Bar Association (“ABA”) Journal.

Tips for Lawyers

Most states across the nation require training in ethics as part of lawyers’ continuing legal education requirements. With the economic challenges that have come as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, both recently licensed and experienced attorneys have had to reevaluate how they practice — and, sometimes, even their career paths. Law school training, however, may not have properly prepared attorneys (especially newer ones) on the ethical and business related challenges typically faced in small firm or solo practice. This leaves attorneys at these sized firms — both new and veteran — in a more vulnerable place when it comes to disciplinary complaints.

• Create strong office management processes: Not only will this help make sure you can meet your clients’ needs, but a good system is critical for avoiding disciplinary issues. Basics should include a diary and docketing system to keep track of court filing deadlines, hearings, and statutes of limitations. Tickler systems for file reviews will ensure you do so at regular intervals and prevent things from slipping through the cracks;
• Intake screening is key: Learning when to accept a potential client’s case and when to reject it is important. Discerning when a potential client will be difficult is a critical skill. Know that you do not have to take every potential client’s case but, rather, you can use discretion in client selection. Undertaking matters in diverse areas of law requires you learn those areas, possibly leaving you overwhelmed or unable to develop an expertise;
• Client and third party funds are sacred: Repeat this to yourself on a daily basis. Lawyers have both a fiduciary and ethical duty to maintain, handle, and disburse client funds only for their intended purpose. These practices must be consistent with relevant rules and applicable law — so learn the trust accounting rules in your jurisdiction. Misuse of client’s funds will guarantee disciplinary action;
• Communicate often: Lack of communication is one of the top complaints made against attorneys. When an attorney does not promptly respond to a client’s emails or phone calls, they become frustrated and dissatisfied. Ethical rules require attorneys to keep a client reasonably informed about their matters and promptly comply with reasonable requests;
• Diligently follow-through: When clients’ matters are neglected, disciplinary charges often include lack of communication. If an attorney just stops working on a matter or delays his or her work, this can be a problem. Accepting a legal matter on behalf of a client requires diligent follow-through until the representation has finished.

For more legal practice tips from the ABA, click here.

For more legal tips on our blog, check out How Lawyers can improve their Online Reputation and Creating Opportunities in your Legal Career.

With the unique challenge of working and keeping businesses going during COVID-19, having a remote office has become our new normal but it can still be an unknown, possibly even stressful, factor amid these disruptive and uncertain times.

It’s more important now than ever to keep your mental and emotional well-being in check, as well as that of your employees and staff.

SET SCHEDULES 

Keeping a regular, and realistic, schedule is vital. Plan your day as if you were in the office with a start time, lunch time and quitting time. Make sure you allow technology-free time to pamper yourself, whether that’s reading a book, working on a jigsaw puzzle or a soothing bath.

HAVE A DEDICATED WORK SPACE

You don’t need a room specifically for your home office but find space that is to be your work area during work hours. This can be a corner in your bedroom, living room or on your kitchen table. Tell your family this is your work area during your scheduled work times. After hours, it can go back to its intended use.

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK 

Working from home doesn’t (and shouldn’t) mean parking yourself at your desk 24-7. Your mind and body need breaks throughout the day so be sure to take them, preferably every 30 to 60 minutes. It may be getting up to stretch for a few minutes or getting a glass of water. On phone calls, get in the habit of standing rather than sitting to keep that blood flowing.

BUT WATCH OUT FOR THOSE DISTRACTIONS!

Working from home can be wonderful (saving on gas and travel time with no commute and hey, you don’t even have to wear shoes!) but being at home can lend to a host of distractions. Don’t let your laundry, that Harry Potter marathon or social media impact your productivity.

STAY CONNECTED

That said, social media is a wonderful way to keep in touch, not only with family but also co-workers. The office is not only a place to work but also a method to combat loneliness and isolation. Working from home, especially for extroverts, can create anxiety. So check in with your co-workers, not just to discuss work-related matters but also fun things, like sharing recipes and family and pet photos.

AND GET FRESH AIR

Fresh air and sunshine are a necessity. With fewer people driving, and warmer weather upon most of us, getting away from your desk, out the door and into the environment is fundamental. Not only will it invigorate you but will keep your immune system healthy.

SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS

If your workload is lighter than normal, it’s the perfect time to investigate some online courses that will improve your skills, raise the value of your expertise and give you continuing education credit. As a bonus, it also takes your mind off economic worries.

DON’T FORGET YOUR EMPLOYEES

If you’re in management, it’s imperative not to neglect your employees. Understand that they might be feeling anxious, overworked and even isolated. Make yourself available to address any issues they might have. Have regular meetings by video or phone to keep everyone up to date. Let your staff know the best way to reach you with questions or emergencies. Find out if your health plan offers support for insureds who may need it and pass that information along.

Lastly, smile and breathe!

In these trying times, when law firms are being forced to readjust to at-home work, keeping on top of your caseload may seem impossible. Below are some resources you can leverage to keep your business moving. 

VIDEO CONFERENCE

Social distancing requirements have greatly hindered the communication and collaboration necessary for law firms to thrive. However, technology has evolved significantly in the last decade, and communicating while working remotely has become the easiest it has ever been with the use of video conferencing. Platforms like Zoom and WebEx allow attorneys to meet with co-workers and clients, attend trials, hearings, meetings, depositions, and examinations-under-oath all virtually. Many platforms have free accounts with robust features. 

ADVICE FROM THE GEORGIA BAR ASSOCIATION

The Georgia Bar has compiled a list of resources to help Georgia firms to continue operating during the COVID-19 crisis, found here:

https://www.gabar.org/covid-19_resources.cfm 

Among the resources are financial sources for small businesses, as well as the Ready.gov Pandemic Plan, which outlines health tips and links to coronavirus informational pages from FEMA, the CDC, and the EPA, as well as the government’s website for federal response, which is updated as new legislation is passed.

The Bar also includes a list of legal websites that specialize in such services as billing management, advice, educational materials, the use of VPNs for remote accessing to your work computer from anywhere, legal bulletins, talent networks, file sharing, tech support, and more. The comprehensive list is compiled by Robert Ambrogi, an attorney and legal writer. Robert lays out each resource in short, concise paragraphs and includes information on any deals and special offers for each site.

Some of the particularly noteworthy resources include: 

• The Senate, which is a free online platform that allows lawyers and other legal professionals to collaborate on the legal implications of issues, such as coronavirus.
• Time Miner, which tracks time spent emailing and calling in order to recover billable time.
• PandaDoc, which is a document-sharing and e-signature platform that is offering a free subscription plan for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.

The list is certainly worth a look.

Here at EGCR, we are striving to give you and your firm resources to keep your caseload from backing up during COVID-19. We offer online depositions via video conference as an alternative to in-person depositions and will take care of all of the setup for you. Additionally, we are offering free training to anyone interested in trying out this method: click here to sign up. 

For more information on our remote legal services, please email [email protected] or call 404-389-1155.