SAN FRANCISCO — After the events that have rocked Silicon Valley this year, are you more or less hopeful about the prospects for women in the tech industry? That's the question that we put to all 65 of The Recorder's Women Leaders in Tech Law this year. From a viral blog post about Uber's culture, a Google engineer's internal memo suggesting women are biologically less apt to succeed in technical fields, and allegations of harassment at some of the Valley's most prominent VC firms, this year's biggest tech stories are a reminder of the challenges that women still face in the field. But the response from our honorees was a resounding chorus of optimism. They pointed out that you can't address a problem until you define it and that sunshine is often the best disinfectant. As lawyers, advocates and advisors, they also have a special role to play in helping the tech industry take on issues of discrimination, bias and harassment. They have tackled some of the industry's biggest courtroom challenges, negotiated market-moving deals, and helped protect the industry's most valuable intellectual property assets. Given all these accomplishments, the optimism is understandable. | SAN FRANCISCO — After the events that have rocked Silicon Valley this year, are you more or less hopeful about the prospects for women in the tech industry? That's the question that we put to all 65 of The Recorder's Women Leaders in Tech Law this year. From a viral blog post about Uber's culture, a Google engineer's internal memo suggesting women are biologically less apt to succeed in technical fields, and allegations of harassment at some of the Valley's most prominent VC firms, this year's biggest tech stories are a reminder of the challenges that women still face in the field. But the response from our honorees was a resounding chorus of optimism. They pointed out that you can't address a problem until you define it and that sunshine is often the best disinfectant. As lawyers, advocates and advisors, they also have a special role to play in helping the tech industry take on issues of discrimination, bias and harassment. They have tackled some of the industry's biggest courtroom challenges, negotiated market-moving deals, and helped protect the industry's most valuable intellectual property assets. Given all these accomplishments, the optimism is understandable. |