CHICAGO,  – A group of accomplished women lawyers from a variety of cultural backgrounds and practice settings are reaching out to the next generation with roadmaps for success in the legal profession.  The resulting “atlas” is Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters—Strategies for Success from Multicultural Women Attorneys, a compilation of inspirational and instructional letters from 44 experienced women lawyers of color. 

The book is a joint project of the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession and the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.  The authors are litigators and transactional lawyers, judges and law professors, who penned words of inspiration to guide readers on their career path.

Four of the 44 contributors are featured in a podcast, which can be accessed here: http://abavideonews.org/audiovideo.php?id=349.   

“We want to empower our young sisters,” said C. Elisia Frazier, a Georgia lawyer who co-chaired the project.  “Our message to them: Success is how you define it.”  

“I am inspired by the fact that these trailblazers took time to invest in the next generation by sharing their tips for success,” said Ernestine Forrest, a Los Angeles lawyer who edited the book. “I hope this next generation of multicultural women lawyers accepts the same responsibility to help those who follow them.” 

The book follows a companion volume of letters published in 2000.  That book, Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters—Words of Wisdom from Multicultural Women Attorney Who’ve Been There and Done That, captured the experiences, feelings and concerns of women lawyers of color regarding their inspiration, their careers and the legal profession  The new book builds on the first volume with strategies for career advancement.

“Our research has shown that women--particularly women of color–face a multitude of challenges when it comes to advancing in the legal profession,” noted Roberta D. Liebenberg, chair of the women’s commission. “The collective wisdom contained in these essays serves as an invaluable career guide and inspiration for generations of women lawyers of color to come.”

The essays are organized by practice settings, including large and midsize firms; solo and small firm practices; public service; and academia.  They address issues of marginalization, sexism, racism as well as work-life balance and the significance of mentors.

Title:                      Dear Sisters, Dear Daughters—Strategies for Success from Multicultural Women Attorneys

Publisher:              American Bar Association

Pages:                   200

Product Code:        4920044

ISBN:                     13: 978-1-60442-020-3

Size:                      6 x 9

Binding:                 Paperback

Price:                     $29.95; $23.95 for Law Student Division members

Order:                    http://www.abanet.org/abastore

With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.