“Attrition of women lawyers is one big obstacle to improving gender diversity at the top. When asked recently to identify major obstacles for women advancing to equity partner, 31% of the nation’s largest law firms said attrition. Nearly all (94%) reported that retaining women lawyers was a problem for the firm.” Law Practice Today 

In this latest episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Karla Eckardt speak with Anne Brafford to discuss what the studies are telling us about the current state of women in the law, how firms can successfully retain and engage female lawyers, and how doing so improves the profession for everyone.  

Anne Brafford is a former equity partner at Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius LLP and the founder of Aspire, an education and consulting firm for the legal profession. Anne is the Vice President of the Institute for Well-Being in Law, formerly known as the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. She is the Chair and founder of IWIL’s Well-Being Week in Law. She was the Editor-in-Chief and co-author of the 2017 report of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. Anne is a past Chair of the ABA Law Practice Division’s Attorney Well-Being Committee. She created the ABA Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers and is the author of an ABA-published book titled Positive Professionals, which provides science-based guidance to law firm leaders for boosting work engagement for lawyers. Anne is nearing completion of her doctoral work in positive organizational psychology. Her research focuses on lawyer thriving, positive leadership, workplace well-being, work engagement, motivation, mental health, inclusion, and the retention and advancement of women lawyers. 

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1 hour of General CLE credit including 1 hour of Mental Illness Awareness credit. Course #5467.

REFERENCED RESOURCES: 

• New Strategies For Engaging and Retaining Women Lawyers 
• Building Workplace Well-Being 
• Workplace Well-Being Handbook For Law Firms 2021 ($100.00)
  • Review the 23-2021.pdf">Table of Contents to see all the helpful information that’s included.
• 30-2018.pdf">ABA Well-Being Toolkit for Lawyers and Legal Employers 
• Positive Professionals: Creating High-Performing Profitable Firms Through the Science of Engagement 
• Aspire: Helping Law Firms & Lawyers Thrive