Miami, Fla. – Today’s cover story in the Miami Herald’s Business Monday, “Making Their Own Tracks,” discusses women in law and the opportunities and challenges they face. The storyline stems from a recent national survey conducted by the National Association of Women Lawyers.

The article identifies trends and data from the national survey as it relates to South Florida and the state in general. The reporter writes, “In Florida’s competitive legal industry, pressure to meet quotas for billable hours, bring in business and service clients who want instant responses is creating demands on lawyers that are all encompassing. That pressure has led more women to forge their own paths — even to hang their own shingles — rather than navigate the politics of big law firms.”

Gary Sasso, Carlton Fields’ President and CEO argues that big firms need women attorneys and shared that Carlton Fields offers women attorneys one-on-one coaching in addition to a relaxed platform for women attorneys to achieve equity status. He said that some clients have matters they want overseen by women, judges and juries often react well to them in the courtroom, and for internal purposes, diversity promotes more innovative thinking.

“When you’re doing brainstorming, business development or setting policies, we want a diverse group in the room.”

In terms of making equity partner, Sasso shared that the firm puts an emphasis on overall performance and contribution, “relaxing how lawyers qualify for ownership” and “significantly impacting the gender makeup of equity partners.”

READ: “Female lawyers making their own tracks”