San Francisco partner Linda Moroney along with two other Bay Area women attorneys have spearheaded efforts to launch a career development program for women attorneys in the San Francisco/Bay Area called "Ladder Down." Sponsored by the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), "Ladder Down" is a year-long program that provides direct training and career development to participants through a combination of experienced coaches/faculty, sponsors, attorneys and judges in the San Francisco community. The goal is to empower women lawyers in three critical areas: leadership, business development and mentoring.
As a member of FDCC and Co-Chair of "Ladder Down" San Francisco, Moroney worked closely with the program's founders, two Arizona women attorneys Alison Christian and Beth Fitch, to closely model the San Francisco program to be in line with the successful format of the original program, which began in 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The San Francisco/Bay Area program will start in January 2017, with monthly sessions that will primarily take place at Gordon & Rees's San Francisco office and at another Bay Area law firm. Space in the San Francisco program is limited to about 24 lawyers per year, which will make it especially conducive to the hands-on training and networking aspects of this unique program.
Started as a grassroots effort, "Ladder Down" has become the premier business development/leadership program for women attorneys in the Phoenix area with more than 100 program graduates. The feedback on the program has been extremely positive and participants report increased client relationships, improved self-confidence, promotions to partnership, greater community involvement, more frequent opportunities for speaking and publishing, and an enhanced referral network.
Gordon & Rees will sponsor at least one of the firm's attorneys in the 2017 program with the goal of sponsoring many more in future years. Please encourage your colleagues and contacts to participate! For more information on "Ladder Down" San Francisco, to register or to learn how to support this important program, please click here.
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Linda Moroney is the Assistant Managing Partner of Gordon & Rees's San Francisco office, where the firm originated more than 40 years ago. Linda helps lead the firm’s Women’s Initiative, which is committed to providing leadership, inspiration and opportunity for women. Her practice is focused on all aspects of employment litigation and counseling, as well as professional liability claims. She maintains a very loyal client base and a practice extending throughout California and nationwide. Linda can be reached at lmoroney@gordonrees.com or (415) 875-3276.