The editorial staff of The Legal has always been aware that the hiring and retention of female attorneys is an ongoing issue in the legal community. In an effort to discuss some of the specific problems facing female attorneys and present potential solutions to those problems, we invited eight practitioners to talk about how to bolster the role of women in the law. Since videoconferencing has become the norm in our post-COVID world, we opted to once again hold the discussion via Zoom.

This year, the panelists tackled attrition and how to reverse the trend, working from home and setting boundaries with family members and clients, utilizing mentors to reach career goals, and how being underestimated by male colleagues and clients affects them. Finally, the panel discussed ways to build relationships to gain respect and to use their unique talents in this evolving landscape. The group's takeaways included these five key words: authenticity, boundaries, communication, integrity and relationships.

Danielle Mundekis, the director of inclusion at Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, moderated the discussion. Editors selected the panelists from a number of volunteers. The transcript has been lightly edited for space and clarification. Excerpts from the discussion follow: