New Acquisitions: Her Story

Her Story: The Resilient Woman Lawyer’s Guide to Conquering Obstacles, Book 2, ed. Teresa M. Beck, Alicia M. Menendez, and Shayna M. Steinfeld

We recently received a stack of new acquisitions from the ABA at the law library, and one highlight is Her Story: The Resilient Woman Lawyer’s Guide to Conquering Obstacles, Book 2, ed. Teresa M. Beck, Alicia M. Menendez, and Shayna M. Steinfeld. Beck and Steinfeld, along with Jacqueline Mecchella Bushwack, edited the first volume, Her Story: Lessons in Success from Lawyers Who Lived It, in 2017. Her Story 2 collects short essays from women lawyers and judges on topics like “understanding and conquering bias,” “hidden hazards and ho to overcome them,” “succeeding at the business of law,” and “own your unique career path and be true to yourself.” Many of the essays focus on how the personal experiences of the authors speak to broader issues in legal practice. The book also includes discussion questions for further reflection and an in-depth biography of each author that not only includes legal education and law practice experience, but also their “best advice.”

Though the book obviously focuses on women in the law, it also includes discussion of intersectional issues in pieces like “Mandatory Magic: Being Black and Being a Woman in Big Law” and “Recognize the Obstacles Ahead: A Deeper Dive into the Statistics Affecting Women and Women of Color in the Practice of Law.” Several pieces also comment on potential roles for men in supporting women, like “Inclusion of Women and Diverse Men at the Highest Levels Holds Incredible Potential for All of Us” and “How We as Men Can Make a Meaningful Difference in the Fight for Gender Parity.”

Her Story explores many aspects of women’s experiences in legal practice, from Big Law to public service, law school to bar committees, integrating work and home life to building relationships at work. Anyone interested in the experiences of women in law will find something of interest in this volume; it covers both practical advice for navigating the field as it currently stands, as well as suggestions on how to change legal practice for the better.