Associate Catelyn McDonough joined fellow female attorneys in Philadelphia today for a Women’s Roundtable Discussion hosted by The Legal Intelligencer.
Attorneys from leading Philadelphia firms such as Cozen O’Connor, Fox Rothschild and Anapol Weiss participated in a virtual roundtable to discuss topics applicable to women in law today, with the goal of raising visibility, generating solutions, and connecting with community. Applicants to join the Roundtable were subject to a rigorous selection process to ensure diverse representation and a lively and meaningful discussion.
Topics discussed included balance, advancement, and work efficiency in the world of Covid-19, as well as intersectionality, promotion and retention. Conversation also focused on the inextricably linked institutional and economic power of law firms, and how initiatives to help women succeed must address them.
Transparency is a key part of helping women to succeed in the workplace, Catelyn argued.
“A crucial aspect of garnering support for promotion is communication with partners at the top. Partners should clearly communicate criteria to associates—both male and female—of what is expected of those who are considered for promotion.”
The Roundtable discussed changes brought about by Covid-19, and how the necessity of working from home has changed mass perception of remote work.
“Remote work for everyone levels the playing field and, I hope, removes stigma of hiring women with the caveat that a woman is going to start a family and have to remote work. We have a lot of technological advancements; we can all be in the same room from wherever we are and take advantage of the convenience that comes with it.”
Catelyn concluded the Roundtable by sharing: “I would love to see more of these. We’re not going out to physically meet people right now, so this opportunity to hear different experiences has been very valuable.”
Catelyn McDonough has been an Associate with Anapol Weiss since 2016, where she focuses her practice on pharmaceutical, medical device and toxic mass tort litigation.
