We have been bombarded by stories of the "glass ceiling" in the office--a mythical barrier that the "patriarchy" imposes upon women to stop them from advancing.

My experience has been the opposite. Women have a "glass elevator." My experiences, working in several law firms shows:

  1. Female new hires (particularly if they are attractive and supplicant) get taken on client pitches almost immediately whereas the overwhelming majority of young males do not, and never do...they are expected to find their own business. Young females get brought along as "eye candy" and get immediate client contacts that help both with obtaining continuing work and serve an educational purpose for how to "pitch."

  2. Women are expected to take maternity leave and suffer very little adverse consequences so long as they don't royally screw things up and drop the ball on a project. As a male, I was scoffed at for wanting to take a few weeks to be with my newborn daughter and wife after a pregnancy with complications. I am still dealing with the jeers/fallout of this. Indeed, I have been told that I have to make a choice between being a good dad and a good attorney and can't be both.

  3. For the same reason as No. 1., young female associates get quicker access to court/depositions/arguments---again, particularly if they are attractive. The new males have to fight each other for such opportunities.

  4. New female associates get appointed to a variety of "women in law" committees both in the firm and with the local bar---thus giving them early contact with judges and "bigwhigs" from other law firms.

  5. In my 10 years at my current firm, I have never seen a woman rejected for partnership....the existing partners go out of their way to make sure women meet the requirements. Again, men have to fight tooth and nail to be even considered and often must undergo a pro forma rejection before advancing.

  6. Men are expected to stay late everynight. Women are given a pass for picking up their children.....same is true with regard to child heath issues--perfectly acceptable for a woman to miss work to attend to a child's doctor appointment or "work from home." Not acceptable for men to do they same.

And, by "not acceptable", I do not mean there is a FORMAL policy...but there are unstated expectations and if you fail to conform to the babbyboomer stereotype of the alpha-male sole breadwinner, you are derided and looked down upon. Females are treated with a paternalistic attitude in contrast.

  1. I am on the personnel committee and routinely see women being given "extra" chances before being disciplined or fired. "Double-secret probation" where men would get the boot immediately.

  2. "Gifts"----young female attorneys are more apt to get "gifts" from partners for basic accomplishments (new ipad for passing the bar); discretionary bonuses, etc...where it is unheard of for men to get the same.

It is all quite disgusting and incredibly frustrating. If you dare speak up, you are accused of being anti-women and misogynistic.