Recent studies have shown that the number of women lawyers making partner at large law firms continues to lag behind their male counterparts. This discrepancy has continued despite the enrollment and graduation of female law students being almost equal to that of male students. However,women lawyers have steadily become more diversified in both the areas of practice they enter well as the various business ventures they pursue in their professional careers.

So why are female lawyers being more welcomed into the legal field but yet are still being overlooked for promotion to the most prominent legal positions in many firms? How can female attorneys overcome the law firm barrier to replicate their prominence and stature in other business areas?

Here are some thought-provoking articles on this topic:

Female Lawyers Set Sights on Yet One More Goal: A Seat on the Board

Where Have the Women Attorneys Gone?

What are your thoughts? What particular problems are women lawyers facing at every stage of their careers? What obstacles have you faced in your career as a woman lawyer and have you overcome it? How can such obstacles be overcome? Are women lawyers held to higher standards of competency?

There is growing recognition in the legal profession that effective mentoring is good for business. Studies show that associates leave a law firm for a variety of reasons, including not receiving the type of work which allows appropriate substantive development, lack of business development opportunities, a perceived inability to success within a firm's culture, or a lack of work/life balance. An effective, well-managed mentoring program can provide attorneys  the means of addressing these issues and solving problems within the firm to their satisfaction. However, if you ask 10 different people to explain how best to mentor an associate, you will likely get 10 different answers. What leads to an effective mentoring relationship? What kind of structure encourages mentoring? How can you make an "assigned" mentoring relationship work for you?

This discussion thread will focus on thoughts and ideas that may be helpful to use within your firm's current mentoring program. Even though there may exist truly fabulous mentoring programs within law firms, the focus of this discussion will be helpful ideas for those that are not currently experiencing a positive program.

Please consider the following ideas and indicate whether they would be helpful within the confines of your firm's current mentoring program and why/why not:

• Find a person who has achieved the goal you are trying to reach and use him/her as a role model and advisor;
• Remember that your role models don't have to "look" like you - some very successful women credit a portion of their success to men who mentored them a long the way;
• Choose different mentors for different goals. The person who guides you in how to land a client may not be the best person to help you negotiate extended leave; and
• Look for mentors outside your firm who may give you a different perspective.