The Summer 2020 issue of Trial Reporter is the publication’s Women In Trial issue, and it includes two articles written by attorneys of Brown & Barron. Associate Eleanor T. Chung interviews Mary Koch and Sarah Smith to discuss the journey to success for women in law. Founding partner Leah K. Barron examines the barriers to equality for women in law and how they can be overcome. Trial Reporter is the flagship publication of the Maryland Association for Justice, which focuses on important news and key voices in Maryland trial law.

Reaching Success as a Woman: Interview with Mary Koch and Sarah Smith

By Eleanor T. Chung

Eleanor: How has the practice of law changed for women, since your first year out of law school to today?

Mary: I started out in the State’s Attorney’s Office, where there were a lot of female practitioners. I hate to say this, but people perceived government as being more flexible and with great benefits, and so I think it was perceived as more female-friendly, if you will. It was not like it was when I went into private practice, in 1999. The law firm where I worked had very few female attorneys, and no female lawyers that were first chairs of any civil litigation. At that time, a few defense firms had lead female attorneys.

For the full article, click HERE (pg 18).

What Can Plaintiffs’ Firms Do to Promote Equity? The Current and Still Inequitable Status of Women in Law

By Leah K. Barron

Despite widespread efforts to better promote and retain women in the legal profession, real progress remains elusive. For over a decade, the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) has collected data on women’s progress in the legal profession. Throughout this time, the pattern has remained virtually undisturbed: women make up approximately 50% of law school students but only 20% of law firm partners. Additionally, at all levels of their careers, female attorneys earn less than do male attorneys.

For the full article, click HERE (pg 30).

The Maryland Association for Justice, Inc. (MAJ) represents over 1,200 trial attorneys throughout the state of Maryland. MAJ advocates for the preservation of the civil justice system, the protection of the rights of consumers and the education and professional development of its members.