Hon. Jacqueline A. Connor Los Angeles Superior Court


Women in the


trial trenches When counsel table is “manned” by women on both sides, the dynamics are noticeably altered


After 10 years in front of the jury


and 25 years instructing and managing them, I now find myself looking at retire- ment. Still, discussion about women in the trial courts remains of interest. I con- fess that on the rare occasion when coun- sel table is “manned” by women on both sides, I notice – and enjoy – the notice- ably altered dynamics. The Los Angeles Daily Journal had a timely article on October 17, 2011, by Sally Phillips and Bradley Boyer, Forget the Glass Ceiling, Take the Elevator Up. This article triggered a troubled response from a woman who wrote in a letter to the editor that the article was no more than a thinly veiled piece of advice that women would be


16 — The Advocate Magazine FEBRUARY 2012


more successful if they just acted like men. The tips for women provided in the article were (among other things): to stop apologizing, know yourself, promote yourself, radiate confidence, set bound- aries, be fearless, work from strengths, and find/be a mentor. The interesting aspect of the tips in


the article is that they apply to both men and women trial lawyers (except for one additional part I did not include dis- cussed in the article, regarding emo- tions.)


Are men and women different? Despite what various intellectuals


dating back to the 60s proposed, our


differences are palpable and we disregard them at our peril. Typical traits on both sides of the aisle can be plumbed for their advantages or ignored to their dis- advantage. Starting with the tired conces- sion that yes, everyone is different, there clearly are characteristics that apply across the gender lines whether we embrace them or deny them. If you have any doubts, have a child. Case closed. I have seen successes and failures by


men and women who fail to use their strengths and who adopt strategies they learned from a trial course or “master” that simply did not and could not work for them. I have seen attorneys, men and


See Jurist, Page 18


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