ABA Commission on Women in the Profession

American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession

Publications, Reports, and CLE Material

Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters: Strategies for Success from Multicultural Women Attorneys

Order the book - $29.95 per copy, $23.95 for Law Student Division members; quantity discounts are available

Learn more ... and listen to a podcast interview with four authors

This is a unique, inspirational collection of letters from 44 experienced women attorneys of color to the next generation outlining various roadmaps for success in the legal profession as a minority woman attorney. The book is organized by practice settings: (a) large and midsize firms; (b) solo and small firm practices; (c) public service, including government, nonprofits, executive roles in government and nonprofits, the judiciary, and elected officials; (d) in-house practices; and (e) academia. Following the essays in each chapter are tips for success from the authors featured in that chapter; these tips serve as a quick reference for you to refer to for inspiration. The essays end with a response from a sister/daughter from the next generation.

Fair Measure: Toward Effective Attorney Evaluations, Second Edition (Includes CD-ROM)

Order the book - $69.95 regular/$59.95 ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Members

Listen to an audio interview with co-author Joan C. Williams, law professor and co-director of the Project for Attorney Retention at UC Hastings College of Law

View a video interview with Roberta D. Liebenberg, chair of the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession

This completely revised and updated second edition contains a current, comprehensive review of the psychological literature on stereotyping, and it outlines a step-by-step process for implementing and conducting performance evaluations that are free from bias. Additional material includes sample evaluation forms, performance evaluation training materials for supervising attorneys, and instructions for completing performance evaluations.

Removing Bias from Attorney Evaluations CLE Webinar Downloads Now Available

Audio and video downloads from the CLE program, Removing Bias from Attorney Evaluations, presented on October 16, 2009 are now available for purchase. This is the first program in the ABA Presidential Diversity Program Series: Strategies for Success. Click on the appropriate link for more information and to order the MP3 audio download, MP4 video download (for iPod), and/or WMV video download (for Windows Media Player).

Commission Publications and Reports

For more information on a specific publication, simply click on its title below.

1988 Report to the House of Delegates - download PDF at no cost

Balanced Lives: Changing the Culture of the Legal Practice - download PDF at no cost

The Burdens of Both, The Privileges of Neither

Charting Our Progress: The Status of Women in the Profession Today - download PDF at no cost

Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters: Strategies for Success from Multicultural Women Attorneys

Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters: Words of Wisdom from Multicultural Attorneys Who've Been There and Done That

Directory of Associations for Women Lawyers (online format - no cost)

Don't Just Hear It Through the Grapevine: Studying Gender Questions at Your Law School (out of print)

Empowerment and Leadership: Tried and True Methods for Women Lawyers - download PDF at no cost

Fair Measure: Toward Effective Attorney Evaluations, Second Edition (Includes CD-ROM)

From Visible Invisibility to Visibly Successful: Success Strategies for Law Firms and Women of Color in Law Firms - download PDF at no cost

Legal Progeny: A Guide to Providing Child Care Benefits for Legal Employers, Lawyers & Bar Associations - download PDF at no cost

Pioneering Women Lawyers: From Kate Stoneman to the Present

Removing Bias from Attorney Evaluations (CLE downloadable product)

Sex-Based Harassment: Workplace Policies for the Legal Profession, Second Edition

The Unfinished Agenda: Women in the Legal Profession - download PDF at no cost

Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms

Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms - Executive Summary - download PDF at no cost

Walking the Talk: Creating a Law Firm Culture Where Women Succeed - download PDF at no cost

How to Order or Subscribe

To purchase or subscribe to any of these publications, reports, or CLE material, call the ABA Service Center at 800-285-2221, send an e-mail to orders@abanet.org, or visit the ABA web store at www.ababooks.org.

Perspectives - The Quarterly Magazine for and About
Women Lawyers

Perspectives magazine is a unique magazine that focuses on topics specifically of interest to women lawyers. Inside each issue of Perspectives are advice and career building tips, interesting articles, and exciting interviews - plus many resources and ideas that you can't afford to miss! Learn more ...

Subscribe now

View main articles from previous issues

From Visible Invisibility to Visibly Successful: Success Strategies for Law Firms and Women of Color in Law Firms

Download the report at no cost (PDF)
Learn more about the Women of Color Research Initiative

Find information, insights, and advice gathered from women of color partners in national law firms as well as an examination of law firm practices that contributed to their success.

Commission CLE Material

Effective Strategies for Business Development

Removing Bias from Attorney Evaluations - MP3 audio download, MP4 video download (for iPod), and WMV video download (for Windows Media Player) formats

Stepping Up: Rising to the Lead Lawyer

Strategic Planning for Law Firms: Defining, Setting and Achieving Your Firm's Goals

Women's Initiative: Building a Collective Voice

Free Commission Publications

Charting Our Progress: The Status of Women in the Profession Today
This summary of testimony presented to and data collected by the ABA Commission on Women at hearings held in 2003 provides another marker in the progress of women in the profession. Both the hard data and anecdotal testimony reveal some incremental advances in the status and leadership positions held by women lawyers in the United States but also reinforce the need to continue the work of the Commission in the future.

A Current Glance at Women in the Law 2009
These current statistics reflect women's status in the legal profession.

From Visible Invisibility to Visibly Successful: Success Strategies for Law Firms and Women of Color in Law Firms (2008)
Find information, insights, and advice gathered from women of color partners in national law firms as well as an examination of law firm practices that contributed to their success. This publication is a follow-up to the groundbreaking report Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms released in Fall, 2006.

Goal IX Report Card
This annual report card provides detailed statistics on women involvement in the ABA and measures women's progress in attaining leadership positions within the ABA.

Supplement to The Burdens of Both, The Privilegs of Neither: A Report on the Experiences of Native American Women Lawyers
This report of MWAN (the ABA Multicultural Women Attorneys Network), the Native American Bar Association, and the Indian Law Section of the ABA is based upon a 1998 survey of Native American Women Lawyers.

Ten Steps to Protecting the Legal Rights of Breast Cancer Patients
This pamphlet prepared by the Commission informs breast cancer patients about possible issues concerning their legal rights can be viewed on the Commission web site.

Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms - Executive Summary
The Commission on Women embarked upon a research initiative to fully examine advancement and retention issues among women attorneys of color. This executive summary provides highlights from the final report, which presents the findings of the survey and focus group research and concludes with specific recommendations for law firms interested in retaining women of color.