Best Friends at the Bar: The New Balance for Today's Woman Lawyer

Best Friends at the Bar: The New Balance for Today’s Woman Lawyer candidly addresses the problems unique to women in the practice of law and provides practical, helpful advice and solutions. This companion to Best Friends at the Bar: What Women Need to Know about a Career in the Law is based on research, the author’s experience, and interviews with women attorneys who have successfully made the transition from one practice setting to another. These women, many with national reputations, tell their stories in their own compelling words. The lawyers profiled are Sally Blackmun, former Senior Associate General Counsel of Darden; Kathleen Tighe, Inspector General, US Department of Education; Bonnie Brier, General Counsel, New York University; Karen Kaplowitz, Law Firm Consultant, The New Ellis Group; Laura Oberbroekling, Solo Practitioner; Kathryn Spencer, former member of Women-owned Law Practice; Stephanie Kimbro, Virtual Law Firm Practice, Kimbro Legal Services; Victoria Pynchon, Alternative Dispute Resolution, She Negotiates at ForbesWoman ADR Services, Inc.; Deborah Burand, Professor, University of Michigan Law and former GC and VP, Legal Affairs, OPIC; Amy Yeung, Associate Counsel, ZeniMax Media Inc.; Honorable Marianne Short, Managing Partner, Dorsey & Whitney; and Markeisha Miner, Assistant Dean, Career Services and Outreach, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Features of Best Friends at the Bar: The New Balance for Today’s Woman Lawyer

• Candidly addresses problems unique to women in the practice of law

• Provides practical advice and solutions

• Based on research, the author’s experience, and experience of women attorneys who successfully transitioned from one practice setting to another

• The women interviewed, many with national reputations, tell their stories in their own words

• The lawyers profiled:

• Sally Blackmun, former Senior Associate General Counsel of Darden

• Kathleen Tighe, Inspector General, US Department of Education

• Bonnie Brier, General Counsel, New York University

• Karen Kaplowitz, Law Firm Consultant, The New Ellis Group

• Laura Oberbroekling, Solo Practitioner

• Kathryn Spencer, former member of Women-owned Law Practice

• Stephanie Kimbro, Virtual Law Firm Practice, Kimbro Legal Services

• Victoria Pynchon, Alternative Dispute Resolution, She Negotiates at ForbesWoman ADR Services, Inc

• Deborah Burand, Professor, University of Michigan Law and former GC and VP, Legal Affairs, OPIC

• Amy Yeung, Associate Counsel, ZeniMax Media Inc

• Honorable Marianne Short, Managing Partner, Dorsey & Whitney

• Markeisha Miner, Assistant Dean, Career Services and Outreach, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

Summary of Contents

Ch. 1: You Really Need To Love What You Do

Ch. 2: You Really Need to Get Serious

Ch. 3: You Really Need To Be Who You Are

Ch. 4: You Really Need To Put Yourself First---At Least Part of the Time

Ch. 5: You Really Need to Gain Perspective

Ch. 6: You Really Need TIME---And All the Help You Can Get!

Ch. 7: You Really Need Your Friends

Ch. 8: You Really Need to Keep Your Options Open

Ch. 9: You Really Need to Take Credit for What You Do

Ch. 10: You Really Need True Grit

Ch. 11: You Really Need to Be the Best Lawyer You Can Be

Ch. 12: You Really Need to Think about Career Transitions

Where We Are and How We Got Here

The Starting Point

Typical Transitions

The Law Firm Practice Model

From Law Firm to In-House Corporate Practice

Profile of Sally Blackmun

Profile of Amy Yeung

From Law Firm to Public Interest/Non-Profit Lawyer

Profile of Bonnie Brier

From Law Firm to Government Lawyer

Profile of Kathleen Tighe

From Law Firm to Solo Practice

Profile of Laura Oberbroeckling

From Traditional Law Firm to Non-Traditional Law Firm

Women-Owned Law Firm

Profile of Kathryn Smith Spencer

Virtual Law Firm

Profile of Stephanie Kimbro

From Law Firm to Law Firm Consultant

Profile of Karen Kaplowitz

From Law Firm to Academia

Profile of Deborah Burand

Profile of Markeisha Miner

From Law Firm to the Judiciary

Profile of Honorable Marianne Short

From Law Firm to Alternative Dispute Resolution

Profile of Victoria Pynchon

Epilogue: From A Queen of Reinvention