Jackson Walker partners Kathleen LaValle and Retta Miller were quoted in a Dallas Morning News article and related blog post on the challenges Texas women face in obtaining top business roles.
This is the second recent article in which The Dallas Morning News singled out Jackson Walker for its impressive success promoting women to partnership. Ms. LaValle told the publication that success in advancing women attorneys requires more than recruiting women at the front end of their careers. With women coming into law schools in large numbers, that’s not the problem it once was. Instead, the question is how to keep women engaged with their careers to the point that they will grow into senior leaders.
Ms. Miller echoed this sentiment, telling the publication that it is imperative for law firms to get smarter, and better, at retaining women as leaders.
“Everybody struggles with it at different levels,” she said. “But for all large corporations, for my clients, diversity, and the retention and promotion of women are key factors for them. These are critical priorities for them, and they are looking for us to demonstrate that we are committed to those same things.”
Read the entire article at: http://www.dallasnews.com/business/business-headlines/20140517-mirroring-trend-texas-women-face-tough-road-to-top-business-roles.ece
Read the related blog post at: http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/the-conversation-continues-why-so-few-women-who-lead-u-s-businesses.html
Ms. LaValle has handled a wide range of complex litigation at the trial and appellate level in state and federal courts, including the areas of antitrust, banking and lender liability, healthcare, libel and slander, securities fraud, breach of warranty, product liability, telecommunications, business tort, oil and gas, intellectual property, toxic tort and environmental, and employment discrimination. With each changing trend in complex commercial litigation, she has played a significant role in defining the applicable law, shaping the appropriate procedures, and developing winning strategies. Ms. LaValle received her B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame. She received her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Southern Methodist University.
Ms. Miller is head of Jackson Walker’s trial section and serves on the firm’s management committee. She has more than 27 years of experience representing clients in civil litigation, arbitration, and appeals. She has extensive trial experience, having served as lead counsel in over 30 trials and arbitrations that were tried to conclusion. She focuses her practice on the representation of retail brokerage firms and other financial institutions. Ms. Miller received her B.S. and M.A. degrees from Oklahoma State University and her J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law.