In Episode 11 of the podcast, we discuss issues that women face as legal practitioners. Guests Judge Alia Moses and civil litigator Nicole Westbrook talk about how their shared passion for the law forged their respective career paths and offer guidance for navigating the personal and professional perils common to the practice of law. Judge Moses is the first woman federal judge in history to be seated on the federal bench for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Westbrook’s litigation practice at Jones and Keller is focused on complex commercial law; she got her start as a law clerk for Judge Moses.
Topics
3:03 Career beginnings
4:46 Experiences as “baby lawyers”
6:56 Practice areas where men outnumber women
8:46 Judge Moses’s interest in the bench
9:43 Major issues facing women in law
14:40 Work-life balance
15:51 COVID’s effect on flexible workspaces and schedules
19:10 Is remote law work good for women?
20:00 Year Eight “partner track” or “mommy track”
23:30 Women judges at the federal versus state level
25:23 Working with men
28:50 Generational differences
36:20 The “jealous mistress” of law
37:42 #metoo
42:36 Mentorship
46:00 Advice for young women entering law
49:18 Signature signoff question
Quote
“My advice is to pursue a culture, not a paycheck, especially out of some of the larger law firms like the type that the judge and I went to. You’re very much pressured to go into the biggest law firm that you can find and make that big check—and, of course, we all are swimming in debt and so it seems like a good idea at the time. I would strongly encourage you to be more exacting than that and to really focus on the culture, and what role do you see yourself doing, and what do you want to do.” (Nicole Westbrook)
Recommended Resources
Nicole Westbrook (bio)
U.S. District Court Judge Alia Moses (profile)
Building a Pipeline to a More Diverse Appellate Bar (article)