Why Women Leave Law Firms, And What Anusia Gillespie Hopes To Do About It

Lawyer and consultant Anusia Gillespie shares her insights and career advice with columnist Renwei Chung.

“Who had Eminem on the first album? / Who had Kanye saying, ‘She a problem’? / Who came in the game, made her own column?”Nicki Minaj

Anusia Gillespie, founder and principal consultant of Banava Consulting, recently wrote an article for Law360 titled The Horrible Conflict Between Biology And Women Attorneys. In her article, she cites the top two reasons why attorneys leave their law firms: (1) unsustainable billable hours and work/life considerations, and (2) a limiting culture.

Do you agree?

Gillespie was born and raised in Marblehead, a small town in the North Shore region outside Boston. It didn’t take very long for her to know that she wanted to be involved with the legal profession in some way, shape, or form. In third grade, she confidently declared, in a class project, that she was going to be a lawyer one day:

i-want-to-be-a-lawyer

Gillespie had two powerful sources of inspiration. Her father didn’t attend law school until he was in his forties, and her aunt was the first woman to be promoted to partner at her firm.

Not to be outdone, Gillespie received her undergraduate degree from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business in New Orleans, then went on to obtain her MBA and JD from Boston College. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Gillespie. Here is a (lightly edited and condensed) write-up of our conversation:

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RC: You recently wrote a piece titled The Horrible Conflict Between Biology And Women Attorneys — can you tell us more about this?

AG: As a woman attorney who has left a law firm, but is also deeply committed to the retention and advancement of women attorneys, I am often asked why women leave their firms. One significant reason is that women are “biologically encouraged” to have children at the same time that their careers command the biggest commitment of time and energy. A managing partner I discussed the issue with referred to it as a “horrible conflict.”

The article notes that this is not the end of the answer, however, because not all women want children, and many leave their firms before children are even a consideration. Other reasons fall under the umbrella of cultural headwinds, including (1) the well-documented old-boy networks that result in inferior deals and cases for women and less client exposure, and (2) the lack of a model for success that women attorneys can aspire to become.

Anusia Gillespie

Anusia Gillespie

RC: What prompted you to start a consulting firm?

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AG: As I embarked on my legal career, I assumed that the issues I watched my aunt navigate as she progressed in her career wouldn’t exist by the time I entered the legal profession. I was wrong in that assumption. Furthermore, it can take three to ten years for one company to implement a change effort. I realized it would take much longer for the profession.

I started a consulting firm to give attorneys more choice and voice in their careers on the individual level, while the profession works to implement change. I have developed a niche in working with women attorneys to build business as a way to become more valuable to the firm and combat the cultural headwinds to their advancement.

RC: Could you tell us about your firm’s Wellspring Process?

AG: I created the Wellspring Process as a framework to use in building a marketing and branding strategy for professional services providers. The framework draws on leadership, communication, and sales concepts, while infusing emotional intelligence principles to create an authentic marketing strategy that sets an attorney apart as a leader and generates buy-in and loyalty.

The process consists of four phases: Reflect, Research, Strategize, Arrive. As a grand example, an immigration attorney who:

  • {Reflect} is continuously inspired by an aunt who started the first schools for girls in certain Afghan villages, and values supporting women as well as health and wellness;
  • {Research} discovered she has an aligned target market with late-stage startups;
  • {Strategize} enjoys creating events, which is an effective recognition strategy for her target market given that startups value perks,
  • {Arrive} arrived in the market with “Vino & Vinyasa” on a Boston roof deck, inviting women in startups and non-competing attorneys for referral sources, and delivered a well-rehearsed and coached speech about the reasons for her immigration practice, support of women, inspiration from her aunt (who also attended the event), and proud participation in a firm with 42% female equity partnership.

Vino & Vinyasa is now an annual event.

RC: You practiced as a commercial real estate finance attorney for a while. What is your favorite aspect of being a lawyer?

AG: I did, and I do still practice as a pro bono attorney for the Women’s Bar Foundation. “Being” a lawyer encompasses a lot – education, practice, and standing. My favorite part about each aspect, in turn:

  • I have the ability to research and find the answer to most legal and professional issues. And, I know when I don’t know.
  • Practice. As an associate in a respected law firm, I had the opportunity to watch the minds of really smart people work. I also enjoyed tearing my hair out at the challenge of drafting my first construction loan agreement.
  • As a barred lawyer, I have the privilege of being a member of the legal profession, which allows for a stronger voice in helping to improve it.

RC: It was great chatting with you. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience?

AG:  Most people go to law school because they want to help clients. I realize now that I went to law school because I want to help lawyers. During the beginning stages in my consulting practice, when I experienced inevitable doubts, I looked out into Boston. I imagined all of the attorneys who were alone in their offices working the days (and nights) away. Thousands of them.

I created a motto that I still repeat to myself, “I’m going to help thousands of lawyers, they just don’t know it yet.” I still hold faith in that, and believe it to be true. What I’d like to share is, for any attorney experiencing doubts: find a guidepost, hold onto it, be active in effectuating it, be open to what form it may take, work hard, and trust the process.

RC: On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, I would like to thank Anusia Gillespie for sharing her story with our audience. We wish her continued success in her career.

Anusia Gillespie can be reached at agillespie@banavaco.com, and you can follow her on Twitter at @banava_co.

The Horrible Conflict Between Biology And Women Attorneys [Law360]


Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at projectrenwei@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn.