Blog Post #27

Female attorneys experience much negativity as a result of the legal field remaining male dominated. Women often feel they have to prove themselves, and excel over their male counterparts in order to gain respect. Holly English found some rather shocking statistics in her research for her book, Gender on Trial. She found that 60% of women feel they need to be better objectively in order to be seen as equal. 64% of women and 345 of men feel that women get less respect in the workplace. Also, 70% of women and 39% of men felt that women are treated condescendingly by their male colleagues. Unfortunately, many high level women are not treated with the proper respect by there younger male colleagues. They tend not so see the women as someone to impress because they see them as less threatening. Because of the general assumption that women lack power, people automatically assume that the male is in the position of power. This forces women to have to assert their status just to get to the starting line. Also, women tend to be under more scrutiny and they are constantly being tested. All too often, women are given either domestic or administrative tasks when they are in a group with male attorneys. They are sent to make copies, get the coffee, or serve lunch to everybody.

Many times male attorney will greatly underestimate the female attorneys. The will attempt to use scare tactics in an attempt to throw the female attorneys off track. Especially if the female counsel is young, a male opposing counsel may attempt to upset her, and make her get emotional by making rude remarks and objections. Some men try to bully and intimidate the women. Some will try to undermine the woman’s confidence by questioning her questioning skills, or saying, “Do you have a point?” Anther tactic that may be used if the woman has children, the opposing counsel may try to push the trial as late as possible so she is put in a time bind.