Why Aren’t Women Becoming Head Trial Lawyers?

Legal Talk Network producer Laurence Colletti interviews Bobbi Liebenberg and Stephanie Scharf about their study “First Chairs at Trial: More Women Need Seats at the Table” at the 2015 American Bar Association Annual Meeting. Liebenberg and Scharf discuss the statistics that show potential implicit and unconscious biases that affect the number of opportunities for women to become head trial lawyers. They suggest solutions that can come from law schools, law firms, governmental institutions, judges, clients, and the female lawyers themselves.

Bobbi Liebenberg is a senior partner at Fine Kaplan and Black, a nationally-recognized antitrust boutique in Philadelphia. She concentrates her practice in complex commercial litigation, particularly antitrust cases.

Stephanie Scharf is a founding partner of Scharf Banks Marmor, the largest women-owned law firm in the Chicago area. Her practice concentrates on litigation.