Kirsten Scheurer Branigan and Beth P. Zoller, along with Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Rutgers Law School International Human Rights Clinic, Penny Venetis, co-authored a commentary in the October 20, 2023 edition of the New Jersey Law Journal entitled “Rutgers Law School Launches Study to Advance Women in Law.” The commentary discusses the inequities women continue to face in the legal profession, the groundbreaking Rutger’s study focusing on the challenges related to the advancement and retention of women lawyers (specifically focused on New Jersey).
It is the first study of its kind in New Jersey, gathering information from the following sectors: private law; in-house; government; public interest; academia; and the judiciary. The initial focus groups were successfully conducted in Spring 2023 (virtually and in-person) and included over 70 participants. Additional focus groups will resume in the coming months to be followed by a written survey.
The Study aims to do more than compile data. It will provide a roadmap of solutions to help the legal profession address the persistent impediments to the advancement of women, the perpetuation of unequal pay, and the departure of female lawyers from the profession. The Study will also explore the impact that the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, is having on women lawyers.
The goal is to have the Study be a model that can be replicated in other states, as well as internationally. Advocates around the country have shown great interest in the Study and see it as a model to be replicated in other states, as well as internationally.
The Study is being spearheaded by Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law Penny Venetis, and her former student, Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, the Managing Partner of KSBranigan Law, P.C. a woman-owned law firm in NJ.
View the full commentary (PDF).
Click here for additional information about the study.
This summary is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. This information should not be reused without permission.
