YLD Diversity Reception June 13 at Franklin Institute

Please join the Young Lawyers Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association and our co-hosts Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania, Barristers' Association of Philadelphia, Hispanic Bar Association and South Asian Bar Association as we honor five outstanding local law students at our eighth annual Diversity Reception on Thursday, June 13.

The scholarship recipients are Tarik Brooks, Rutgers Camden School of Law; Chintan Desai, Rutgers Camden School of Law; Kenisha Marks, Temple University Beasley School of Law; Renata Sobral, Temple University Beasley School of Law; and Rebecca Song, Temple University Beasley School of Law.

The keynote speaker is Grace Manno, senior corporate counsel, Americas and president of Delaware Valley Association of Corporate Counsel.

Registration is required in advance and includes heavy hors d' oeuvres, beer & wine. The event begins at 6 p.m. at The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St. in the Patent Library in Pepper Hall. Click here to register. Thank you to our Supporters - Archer & Greiner P.C., Business Law Section and Probate & Trust Law Section and our Sponsors - ALM and Love Court Reporting.

Marketing Corner: Challenges and Taking Control

By Kimberly Alford Rice
After spending nearly two decades working in law firms, I have witnessed and experienced enough discrimination and recrimination to know from the front row the many challenges women lawyers face in law firms today.

According to a 2012 National Association for Law Placement (NALP) survey on the demographics of equity, we should not be surprised to learn that 64 percent of male partners are equity partners while 47 percent of both women and minority partners were equity partners, a differential of 17 to 18 percentage points. More dramatically perhaps, among equity partners, about 85 percent are men, 15 percent are women and fewer than 5 percent are racial/ethnic minorities. (The minority figures include both men and women, so the three figures add to more than 100 percent.)

Among non-equity partners, the respective figures are 73 percent men, 27 percent women and 8 percent racial/ethnic minorities. Finally, among all partners, the equity/non-equity split is about 61 percent-39. Just over half of partners are male equity partners, just over 9 percent were women equity partners and almost 3 percent are minority equity partners.

What these stats may convey to us is caucasian males remain in the power seats and women lawyers must step it up if we are committed to making a measurable advancement in our careers and the quality of our work environments.

Despite these figures, the ranks of women lawyers also must claim their role as well by "leaning in" (Sheryl Sandberg reference intended) to clear the path for power and advancement in their legal careers.

In Sheryl's book, "Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead," she says that we women are hindered by barriers erected by ourselves, as well as society (read "law firms"). "We hold ourselves back in ways big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in," she says, pointing out that women tend to internalize lifelong negative messages that say it is wrong to be outspoken, aggressive, more powerful than men. "We lower our expectations of what we can achieve," she says. "We compromise our career goals … Compared to our male colleagues, fewer of us aspire to senior positions."

Compound these troubling realities with the well-known fact that the law school curriculum does not appropriately prepare law students for the business of law or how to build and grow a client base, and women lawyers have their work cut out for them, as we sometimes say.

Difficult, no doubt, but possible nonetheless.

Over the summer, I will address how women lawyers must take control over their careers and not be hindered by history.

Kimberly Alford Rice (kimberly@klamarketing.net) is principal of KLA Marketing Associates.

Live, Lunch and Learn: Social Media Strategies for Nonprofits June 17

Evan Polin, president of The Training Resource Group, will present "Cost-Effective Social Media Strategies for Nonprofits" at a Monday, June 17 YLD Live, Lunch and Learn program.

This program will focus on what every board member needs to understand about how to better utilize social media in an effective manner to further the goals of the nonprofit organization. Join us to learn the special issues facing nonprofit board members, as well as the best ways to improve board performance and productivity. Particular emphasis will be on how to effectively integrate and utilize social media to advance the organization's goals.

The program begins at 12 p.m. in the 11th floor Conference Center at the Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St. There is no cost to attend this program. Lunch is available for purchase to those who register in advance. The cost of lunch is $8 for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association and $12 for non-members. Click here to register.

Battle of the Young Lawyers Bowling Party June 26 Benefits SeniorLAW Center

SeniorLAW Center and the Young Lawyers Division are proud to co-host the inaugural Battle of the Young Lawyers bowling party and fundraiser benefiting SeniorLAW Center on Wednesday, June 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at at North Bowl, 909 N. 2nd St.

SeniorLAW Center and the YLD are asking firms and corporate counsel departments to sponsor a bowling team of their young lawyers at $1,000 per team (for up to eight attendees and bowlers).

The Battle of the Young Lawyers bowling fundraiser is open to anyone; we are especially seeking associates and summer associates to participate. Both bowlers and non-bowlers are encouraged to attend; fun is guaranteed for all. Enter your firm or group of young lawyers today: creative team names encouraged!
The event will feature a light-hearted competition among the firms, trophies for best and worst bowling teams(as well as best dressed, most creative team name, and other surprise awards), as well as food, drink, pool, arcade games and celebration.

All proceeds benefit SeniorLAW Center, a nonprofit public interest law organization which protects the rights of Pennsylvania's senior citizens, including victims of elder abuse, elder homeowners and tenants facing homelessness, and grandparents raising grandchildren, through free legal representation, education and advocacy.

For more information or to arrange for your team to participate, please call Larry Felzer at (215) 701-3203 or via email at lfelzer@seniorlawcenter.org.

Giants of the Business Bar with Carl Schneider June 20

The Business Law Section will hold its inaugural "Giants of the Philadelphia Business Bar" program on Thursday, June 20 with Carl W. Schneider, former Chair of the Wolf Block Corporate Department and noted author and lecturer on corporate and securities laws, including Pennsylvania Corporate Practice and Forms, as our featured guest, and Albert S. Dandridge III, Vice Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, as our moderator.

The event is the first in a series of programs in which the Business Law Section will recognize legal giants who have had a significant impact on the practice of business law in Philadelphia and beyond. The series presents a unique opportunity for new and experienced lawyers to network and gain insight into the path to a satisfying and successful professional career.

The event will be held at Pepper Hamilton LLP from 5 to 6:30 p.m. There will be no charge for members of the Philadelphia Bar Association to attend this event. Light refreshments will be provided. We hope you can make it. Please RSVP by clicking here.