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V O L . X X I V N O. X X V I N OV E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 8 16 L AW F O C U S G ender equity, and diversity and inclusion in general, are on the minds of leaders in Maine's legal industry. Women make up more than half of the graduates from the University of Maine School of Law. Women are com- ing into the profession in droves. For over a decade, half of all law students nationwide have been women. Law firms have recruited women as entry-level associates in similar proportion, according to the National Association of Women Lawyers. But while women have a growing presence in law firms, the number of women drops off as they rise in the ranks. And their compensation drops. According to the trade association, woman equity partners earn 88% of what their male counterparts make. Nationally and in Maine, firms are looking to even the playing field by establishing programs, like diversity training, bias reduction, mentoring programs and family-friendly policies, designed to make it possible for diverse populations to stay in the profession and advance equitably. Diversity task force Trailblazing women have been role models in the profession since the 1940s, says Maine Law Dean Danielle Conway. "While the numbers were slight at that time, the fact that women were trailblazers in the law, and attempted to integrate within the large legal community, gave their successors an opportunity to see themselves in this profession," she says. Verrill Dana, headquartered in Portland, hired its first female attor- neys in the 1970s. "It's hard to say why the leaders at that time were of the mindset to be inclusive, but it certainly has been important to the success of the firm," says Jacqueline Rider, partner and chair of the firm's diversity task force, estab- lished in 2012. "And certainly there's a lot of recent data that shows gender-diverse companies perform better." In 1992, Verrill Dana was the first major law firm in Maine to elect a woman as managing partner. In 1998, the number of female attorneys at Verrill Dana was close to 2017's national average. At the end of 2017, nearly 38% of its attorneys were women and 40% of the firm's equity part- ners were female, surpassing national averages for firms its size by approxi- mately 3% and 20%, respectively. (e firm has 78 attorneys in Maine and 128 across all offices.) Women serve in elected and appointed management P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY At Verrill Dana, Michele Pattenaude, left, is director of human resources, while Jacqueline Rider is chair of the diversity committee. Nationally, women make up roughly half of law school graduates, yet as lawyers in senior ranks their pay still lags behind men. Law firms have more women associates but leadership roles are elusive B y L a u r i e S c h r e i B e r balance Gender

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