What makes a great leader in law? Not what you’ve been told
“They’ll tell you you’re too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway.”
Over the past few months, I’ve been working on something very close to my heart, and it’s now finished and ready for publication.
I’ve written a chapter for the upcoming second edition of Beyond Bias: Unleashing the Potential of Women in Law, a book that brings together leading voices in the legal profession to explore what still holds women back, and how we move forward.
My chapter is called: “Who Made the Rules? Dismantling Gendered Leadership in Law”
And if you’ve ever felt the pressure to act like an alpha-male, ‘macho’ corporate type just to get ahead, this is for you.
What the chapter is about
The chapter explores how outdated assumptions about what a “good leader” looks like still dominate in many parts of the legal profession. Confidence is rewarded - but only if it looks a certain way. Assertiveness can be misunderstood, and mislabelled as aggression when it comes from women. Empathy, collaboration, and flexibility are often undervalued.
We’re still clinging to an old-school “command and control” leadership model - and it’s failing us all.
Research consistently shows that leaders who demonstrate empathy, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and supportiveness - traits historically labelled as “feminine” - are often more effective than those who rely on hierarchy and control.
This should be front-page news in every law firm. And yet, the old stereotypes continue to be held up as the gold standard. It’s time for the profession to wake up.
Who’s in the chapter
The chapter features contributions from several senior women leaders in law firms, as well as members of the Female Lawyers’ Club and readers of this blog, who generously shared their stories. I’ve also included a few of my own experiences; moments that stayed with me over the years and made me realise how subtle and deep-rooted some of this bias can be.
I don’t believe the bias I experienced was intentional. Most of it was baked into the system: part of the culture, part of “how things are done”, and largely invisible to those benefiting from it.
But that’s exactly why we need to keep talking about it.
The more we bring it into the open, the more we empower the next generation of lawyers, women and men, to lead in a way that works for humans, not just for tradition.
Thank you to everyone who contributed
To those of you in the Female Lawyers’ Club who shared your stories - thank you. Your words gave depth, realism and courage to this piece, and I’m so grateful.
This is an issue that matters deeply. And it’s going to take all of us, with all our voices and experiences, to change the narrative about what leadership in law really looks like.
Pre-order the book - and get 25% off
Beyond Bias: Second Edition will be published soon by Globe Law and Business. If you’d like to read it, and my chapter, you can pre-order now with 25% off using the code BUPW25.
Just to be clear, this isn’t an affiliate link - I’m sharing it because I believe in the message, not because I make anything from it.
Thanks for reading, and for being part of the change.
Rachel