Coalition of Columbus law firms attacks pay equity
Porter Wright's involvement with a coalition of law firms addressing gender equity in the legal industry was highlighted in the article, "Coalition of Columbus law firms attacks pay equity," which was published in Columbus CEO on Oct. 1, 2019. Joyce Edelman, partner and chair of our Women's Leadership Initiative, was quoted in the story.
Joyce Edelman, a partner at Porter Wright, says the conversations have been enlightening and can lead to actual changes within firms.
At a recent event, a male participant talked about how lawyers are expected to be able to respond to a client around the clock, but he hadn’t considered the negative impact that expectation may have on a woman who has responsibilities as a family’s primary caretaker.
“It might be better if firms set parameters,” Edelman says. “You can answer up until midnight and then starting again at 7 a.m. but not 24/7 to give that edge to male lawyers. This is an issue that could be perceived as not having a level playing field. Several partners in my group from different firms really appreciated this insight.”