Counsel Corner: How to Position Yourself for — and Land — Leadership Opportunities as a Woman GC

In the past 50 years, women have made incredible gains in carving out their well-earned place in the legal profession. In 1970, only 3% of lawyers were women, a number that climbed to 40% by 2023. Notably, women made up the majority of associates for the first time last year.

But despite these advancements, significant gender disparities persist, particularly in senior leadership roles. As of 2022, only 39% of Fortune 500 GCs and 28% of law firm partners were women. When it comes to pay, women still lag behind, with men in top legal positions earning 6% higher base and 18% bigger bonuses than women with the same title. Most women in law also report facing negative work situations, including being overlooked for promotions and missing out on key assignments and business development opportunities.

If you’re a female GC, these challenges are likely all too familiar, and you’re here for actionable solutions to advocate for yourself and advance your career in the face of them. We’ve gathered insights from accomplished legal minds, including Jolene Marshall, Chief Legal Officer at project management software company Smartsheet, and Katherine Duncan and Amanda Rose, both Partners at Fenwick & West. Read on for their valuable advice on securing leadership opportunities as a tech lawyer.

Key Takeaways:

• Begin by understanding the expectations for advancement or a comp increase and how your current skills and experience align with these requirements. Identify any gaps and create a targeted action plan.

• Commit to ongoing professional development, both with the intent of deepening your legal knowledge and also widening your experience with leadership skills that are highly valued in high-growth companies.

• Become comfortable with self-promotion to ensure others know about your work and accomplishments.

• Cultivate relationships with mentors and other strategic allies who can help you get in front of the right people and position you for opportunities for advancement.

Assess What You Need to Advance

Begin with a rational assessment of your current position and the expectations necessary for advancement — whether that’s a comp increase, a promotion to CLO, or a broadened scope of your current role. Then, you can identify gaps and create a plan to get there.

“I have worked places where there was no career ladder or transparency about expectations, and it was really frustrating to feel like you were doing all the right things but not making progress,” said Marshall. “Even if you have to initiate the conversation with your manager or

develop the plan yourself, having a framework that allows you to know what to focus on and how to effectively demonstrate readiness is worth the effort.”

“When you’ve clearly identified the requirements and shown that you’ve met them, it is harder for people to continue to object,” she added.

Key steps she recommends for conducting this assessment include:

• Look for company documentation: Many large organizations provide detailed rubrics outlining the skills and experience required for advancement or the factors influencing compensation. Gather as much information as possible regarding promotion criteria and comp adjustments.

• Utilize benchmarking data: In the absence of company-level data, research salary and promotion surveys (like The L Suite’s annual salary report), talk to recruiters about expectations for similar roles at other companies, or join communities where you can candidly poll your peers about their experiences. This data can be particularly compelling if you believe your company may not be up to par in terms of gender pay equity.

• Seek feedback from key stakeholders: Start conversations with your boss, your CHRO, your mentors, and anyone else who may have insights that could help you formulate your case for promotion or a comp adjustment. Their perspectives may also illuminate areas for further development.

With this information in hand, you can do a self-assessment against those expectations — enabling you to effectively present your case for advancement or develop a plan to fulfill any remaining requirements.

Be the Best at What You Do

“I don’t really believe in ‘fake it until you make it,’” said Rose. “Don’t fake it — know it. Dig in and do the work to be the best,” she added.

Being at the top of your field obviously involves continually deepening your expertise around key legal issues, but it’s also essential to cement your reputation as a business-oriented attorney by widening the breadth of your experience. Recommended strategies include:

• Staying informed of industry trends and developments: Gain regular insights into your business and industry as well as issues that affect all companies today, like cybersecurity and AI. “Being responsive to business or industry changes shows a level of engagement that lends credibility to the advice you deliver,” said Duncan. She personally attends annual conferences like the Games Law Summit to gain firsthand knowledge of what clients and other practitioners are seeing and hearing.

• Seeking out stretch assignments: “We’ve all heard that men get opportunities based on potential while women get opportunities based on experience, which can become a chicken or egg problem,” shared Marshall. “Asking for an assignment that will allow you to develop some new skills in a time-bound and contained manner is a good way to build that experience.”

• Investing in relationships: “Invest in cross-functional relationships through all levels of the org, with the board, and with outside counsel; understand how your CEO and board chair operate and how best to partner with them,” said Marshall. This approach not only deepens your understanding of the company's operations, enabling you to make a greater impact, but also helps you gain allies who can support your advancement (more on that in a minute).

Don’t Shy Away From Self Promotion

Duncan shared that, earlier in her career, she kept her head down and believed that hard work alone would pave her path to partner. “I realized later in the game that it’s not enough to just do a good job and hope people notice; you have to tell others that you really want to rise to the occasion, be a partner, and not be shy about it,” she said.

Self-promotion has long been a struggle for women, with research indicating that men rate their performance 33% higher than equally performing women and that 69% of women would rather minimize their successes than highlight them.

To overcome these challenges, Duncan suggests adopting a perspective shift: “Sometimes I find myself questioning my own approach, tone, or process, in part because I’m worried I’ll be perceived differently because I’m a woman. I try to ask myself, ‘If I was a man and did this, would anyone care?’ If my answer is ‘no,’ then I’ll push myself forward,” she said.

“Developing relationships with clients and other service providers who are willing to share your name and be your cheerleader in their conversations can really help boost your credibility and lead to positive word of mouth,” she added. “It’s a great way to self-promote if you’re uncomfortable doing it directly.”

Self-promotion can be as simple as highlighting accomplishments in regular meetings with your CEO. It can extend beyond your organization via posting on LinkedIn or submitting yourself for speaking opportunities — especially helpful if you’re looking to get in front of recruiters or other job opportunities.

“For me personally, self-promotion often feels uncomfortable. I’ve found the best way to overcome that is to be proactive and intentional,” said Rose. “Rather than waiting for an opportunity to arise and potentially doubting myself in the moment, I strategically plan promotion efforts. That might be asking to present on a topic and, when doing so, mentioning a recent win, or preparing a list of recent accomplishments that I want to highlight during a pitch.”

Find Allies (and Be One)

Another way to get comfortable with promotion? Find allies who can advocate on your behalf.

“It’s important to work with people who give you credit, give you opportunities, and regularly inform others that they should pay attention to what you have to say,” said Duncan, sharing that she’s made a point to work with more senior and experienced partners who regularly tee her up to demonstrate her skills and expertise with clients.

Whether it’s your boss, sponsors, mentors, or even peers, these people can also help you identify opportunities and provide moral support as you work your way up the ladder.

Finally, make sure you pay it forward by mentoring women who are coming up behind you in the organization. “In the same way that more senior and experienced partners have helped me get access to good deals and clients, I try to do the same with more junior women, both associates and clients, to ensure that I am giving them opportunities to demonstrate their skills and expertise, and try to make sure they are getting appropriate credit for their work and ideas,” said Duncan.

“Mentoring younger women is so important. Mentor and support them. Introduce them to the right people and help put them in opportunities where they have a chance to shine,” said Rose.

In the end, this is the heart of being a leader: By mentoring younger generations, promoting the work of your peers, and providing opportunities to help teammates grow, you’re showcasing the leadership skills that matter most.

Want to build new connections that can grow your influence and career? The L Suite members are a valuable resource — apply for membership today.

About The L Suite

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