Heike Wagner on women in law

What traits characterise you as a lawyer?

I am instinctively curious. I find law fascinating and am genuinely interested in the business of my clients. For every organisation I work with, I like to get completely involved, understanding their needs and working closely with them to provide quality counsel. 

What are the most important challenges facing a woman who wants to have a career in a law firm?

It is important to be self-confident, back your decision-making and trust that you are as good as anybody else. It is too easy to fall into the trap of thinking others with similar experience know more than you, an attitude that can really hold you back.  

Like in all professional careers you need a wider network amongst your friends and family to help guide you. Ultimately, our work is unpredictable and requires us to be available at unusual times in the day. You need those around you to understand this. 

Do you think that the situation of women in the legal profession has improved in recent years?

It has improved significantly, in particular for women with children. The introduction of part-time work, flexible maternity leave and remote working have all been major developments.

The industry has also responded to wider society’s push towards greater equality – with our clients demanding a more representative team. 

Both of these elements have helped increase the number of female lawyers making partners and female partners in management positions within law firms. 

And if so, do you think there is still room for improvement?

There is always room for improvement, in particular we need more female partners in management positions at law firms. Ultimately for women with children, their priorities have to be client work and their families. This can make it more challenging to take on management positions, which can be both time consuming and under rewarded. 

In terms of fixing this, mentoring programmes for women can help. Quotas might also help to a certain extent for these roles, but more importantly, we need continued pressure from wider society to break down barriers. 

How do you think the legal profession has improved since many women have started a career in the legal profession?

When I started as a lawyer more than two decades ago, many women had joined the industry, but it was considerably harder to make partner.

For example, I remember being asked why I wanted to become a partner when I had a husband, while another said he did not think clients will accept female lawyers.

Thankfully, times and perceptions have changed considerably. The number of female partners has increased within the last few years. Diversity - not only gender diversity- helps to have different views on things and improve business success.

Is equality becoming as relevant an issue in law firms as, for example, sustainable policies or digital transformation?

It has become at least as relevant as these issues, with our clients insisting on working with organisations with shared values of equality. 

First published in The Impact Lawyers