Related Posts
Bowl Leader
Pro
Additional Posts in Attorneys of Color
Hi I run a podcast called The Lawtrepreneur Briefing that explores what's makes a modern lawyer modern. We do this by having conversations with people driving the transformation of the legal profession.
Excerpt of the most recent conversation can be found here: https://twitter.com/lawtrepreneurco/status/1282688181419347968?s=19
If any of you have thoughts about the subject, I'd love to have you on. You can apply to speak here: https://www.lawtrepreneur.co/podcastguest/
Roo to my bruhs. Happy founders day
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Tales as old as time. Unfortunately, this happens everywhere to every POC, just at varying degrees. My best advice, find a group or firm/organization that is a bit more diverse and mentors that will champion you. Until then, put your head down and find community outside your organization that will give you the support you need.
Sorry that you’re experiencing this. It’s very hard being the only one, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
There are some partners that don’t give me work even though I have only received positive feedback on my work product. I don’t know why. It is really weird.
100%. People are quick to judge me unfairly while giving their white colleagues all the grace in the world. I once "offended" someone by just trying to genuinely be nice to them.
This is so common. I recall once being on a large multidisciplinary team on a major corporate project. I was one of two lawyers from my area. When a specific legal issue related to my area came up, the other lawyer from my group (who is white and similar age and experience as me but not in this specific area) told the team lead that he (referring to me) is the expert in this area. We were together over three weeks, holed up in a hotel— all of 14 of us. Needless to say, every time the same issue pops up, the team lead would conveniently forget that i was the person she should ask and goes straight to the white guy, who invariably would send her back to me. So, as poc, you are never good enough until the white guy approves you! Incidentally, the team lead was a Korean-American woman. She met me and the white guy from my team the same day— the first day the team was assembled.
Absolutely. The expectations for me are set so high, and I am not paid enough to justify the amount of work that I have to create on my own. My partner told me that I need to bill more than my monthly target each month. Yet, a white colleague who has a much lower billable requirement and does not hit her target every month is paid more than I am. And I have more experience than my colleague, so that can’t be why she’s paid more. I’m navigating this by planning my exit. I already knew I was underpaid, but that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I shouldn’t have to chase work and bill high, while being paid less.