Stephanie Scharf was a guest speaker at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law for a guided discussion entitled, “Family or Career? Challenges and Solutions to Parenting in the Legal Profession.” Moderated by Anika Grey, Northwestern’s Director of Gender Equity Initiatives, the discussion focused on new, profession-wide research conducted by Red Bee Group members and scheduled for release in late October 2023 by the American Bar Association. The research report, entitled “Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers: Results And Best Practices From A National Study Of The Legal Profession,” is a first-of-its kind national report showing how parenting can impact day to day law practice, the long-term effects of parenting on women’s careers, and the policies and practices that are especially needed to retain and advance women in law.
Joining Ms. Scharf as a panelist at the Northwestern event was Paulette Brown, former President of the American Bar Association. Ms. Scharf, Ms. Brown and Red Bee Roberta (“Bobbi”) Liebenberg co-authored the new ABA report.