Marilyn Bergen presented at the April Queen’s Bench Luncheon on the topic of how to attract and keep women clients.  According to recent studies, women control 50% of U.S. private wealth and control 40% of all U.S. businesses.  A recent study, the Family Wealth Advisor’s Counsel Women of Wealth study, sheds light on what women want from their advisors, and the critical issues women face both now and in the future.

Marilyn explained that the relationship with a wealth advisor is very similar to that between an attorney and client, and much can be learned from this study.  The study showed that many women are dissatisfied with their financial services advisors and believe that they are frequently disrespected or condescended to. One of the key problems is that frequently when women meet with an advisor or an attorney, those advisors will defer or look to the woman’s husband. Marilyn explained that one of her current clients previously consulted with a stockbroker that would not even talk to her over the phone without first speaking with her husband first.  After the client’s husband died, she quickly changed stockbrokers. 

One of Marilyn’s key recommendations is to focus more time on establishing trust and making a personal connection with the client.  All advice should be given nonjudgmentally and the law firm should focus on the firm’s positive impact on women clients. An attorney should also spend more time on educating the client on issues or concepts and ask for understanding after explaining a concept or recommendation.  The attorney should also practice active listening and avoid industry
jargon.  Marilyn suggested that during initial meetings, even if a male is going to be taking a lead role, a male/female team should meet with the client.  The meeting should focus on simple deliverables that address the client’s concerns.  Attorneys should also prepare a prioritized “to do” list for actions both the attorney and client need to take and provide a timeline.  Further
the attorney should offer to coordinate other advisors as needed.

Marilyn explained that women perform their due diligence relevant to your ability to serve their specific needs and tend to make financial decisions based on their values and priorities rather than what’s hot or what everyone else is doing.  A way to build trust is to provide regular education, but also provide more visual and anecdotal support for your advice.  Marilyn also stressed that it is very important to follow up after a meeting or a phone call by sending a short email and comment on one point that you think is important to the client.

Learn about one of the inspiring founders of Queen's Bench - Manche Langley, who practiced law in Forest Grove, and later in Portland, from 1909 until her death in 1963.

http://www.pacificu.edu/magazine/content/historic-beginnings

February’s Queens Bench Luncheon featured Laura Schroeder who shared her experience in deploying for a USAID mission to an active warzone in Kabul, Afghanistan in order to provide nstruction regarding public administration and water law. 

After many years as a successful water law practitioner, Laura found herself looking for a new challenge.  Upon the suggestion of a colleague, Laura began looking into international water law. She interviewed with several international agencies and non-governmental organizations, including the UN and the State Department but was rebuffed because of her lack of experience and lack of contacts in the international law arena.

Never one to give up, Laura then joined the United States Committee on Irrigation and Drainage where she was initially the only the female member.  This opened up an opportunity to work on the water code in Armenia. After several years working on several projects in Armenia, Laura again sought out a new challenge and was given the opportunity to travel to Afghanistan and teach the Afghan people Public Administration and Water Governance.

Laura related her preparation for travel to Afghanistan and how she tried to fit in with the culture by covering her décolletage and her head (specifically her ears), even showing a sample outfit that she wore. She stressed that she tried to dress practically and not flashy owing to the wealth disparities between cultures. On every trip Laura donates all the clothes she brought with her not only to free up space in her suitcase but also to help the people in the country she is visiting. 

In describing her experience, Laura related that she tried not to think about the potential dangers and trusted her 3-man security team to keep her safe.  While in Kabul she stayed in a walled compound. Unlike many Americans, Laura was able to leave the compound as she traveled daily to the Water Ministry where she taught her classes.  

Laura taught all of her classes with the aid of a translator, which had its particular challenges. There was only one women in each of her classes and the women would not ask questions or even speak until the male students left the room- at which point the women would then feel comfortable asking questions.  Laura talked about a young woman whom she taught who could not even talk to her work supervisor because he was a man.  

Laura was amazed at the differences between US and Afghan water law.  There the water code is only 15 pages long vs the volumes of statutes, administrative rules and case law found in the US.  Also records of historical water use had been kept for thousands of years, going back to 300 BC!  Now that’s some common law.   

The hardest part of Laura’s trip was seeing the poverty and the many casualties of war, including children with missing limbs.  She witnessed how hard women in Afghanistan work to raise their families and keep their families together.  However, despite all the differences between cultures, this is common thread with women everywhere.

Laura ended by encouraging everyone to have an adventure, to step out of their comfort zone and that you can always find another way to reach your goals (even if the UN and State Department turn you down!). 

Try out these leadership tips.

On March 11, Cheryl Myers, State Director of Economic & Business Equity, will speak about promoting access and opportunity to Oregon’s disadvantaged, minority-owned, woman-owned and emerging small businesses. RSVP by March 5.  Here's a Q&A with this month's speaker. 

Please join Queen's Bench and the Women's Law Caucus of Lewis and Clark Law School on March 5 after work for our annual attorney and law student mixer.   

We are very excited to announce that our special guest speaker this year will be U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon.
 
This event is generously sponsored by Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt and will be held at their offices downtown.  Light hors d'oevres and beverages will be provided.

This reception offers Lewis & Clark law students an excellent opportunity to meet and interact informally with judges and attorneys.  We hope you can make it!

Event details are below.  Please click here to RSVP. 

Date: March 5 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Location: 1211 SW 5th Ave #1900, Portland, OR 97204

Check out 44 stock photos that hope to change the way we look at women...
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ashleyperez/stock-photos-that-hope-to-change-the-way-we-look-at-women

Ever think about the effect of how we talk to children?  Check out this article on How To Talk To Little Girls...

http://latinafatale.com/2011/07/21/how-to-talk-to-little-girls/?fb_action_ids=10202592611689857&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B10150423908659689%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

This weekend, groups of artists and tech-savvy folks around the country are taking aim at
gender imbalance in representation of female artists on Wikipedia through the "Art + Feminism
Edit-a-Thon".   Check out how this group is changing online culture one Wikipedia post at a
time! Read more at: 

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/an-epic-edit-a-thon-takes-aim-at-wikipedias-gender-gap