Exploringinequalitiesin the professionalcontext: The case of Finnishand Polishwomen attorneys

Transcription

1 Exploringinequalitiesin the professionalcontext: The case of Finnishand Polishwomen attorneys Marta Choroszewicz Department of Social Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu Campus Contact: Research sponsored by LabourNet, Kone Foundation and University of Eastern Finland Marta Choroszewicz Institutions in Context: Inequality

2 Research questions 1. How do women attorneys compete for fieldrelated capital in their field of professional activity? 2. How do Finnish and Polish women attorneys differin termsof theircapital? Titleof my PhD: Managingcompetitivenessin pursuit of legalcareer: womenattorneysin Finland and Poland 2

3 Theoretical framework Career theory: career, career satisfaction and career success (e.g. Galos 1987; Gersick and Larwood 1989; O Neil and Bilimoria 1995) Bourdieu s theory of practice (1990): field, habitus and capital Bourdieusian feminists (e.g. McCall 1992; Lovell 2000; McNay 1999, 2000; Moi 2001) 3

4 Data sets Quantitative data collected in 2010: Posted survey questionnaire addressed to all women attorneys in Helsinki and Warsaw Attorney Chambers supplemented with the electronic form of the same questionnaire addressed to all women attorneys from Finland and Poland. Data set consists of 304 responses in total (F=127; P=177) Data analysis: descriptive analyses and cross-tabulations, Principle component analyses, significance tests. Qualitative data collected in 2011: Semi-structured interviews conducted with 25 Finnish and Polish women attorneys. Grounded theory method 4

5 Outline The motives for the study Main argument Myth of equal opportunities Forms of precious capital 5

6 Women attorneys what is the problem? Very hierarchical structures of legal practice and glass ceiling (Hagan and Kay 1995) Less opportunities for advancement, training, meaningful work assignments and strategic clients (Thornton 1996) Women do not have time to make necessary career investments due to their family responsibilities (Seron 1996; Bacikand Drew 2006) Long hour culture and old boy s club (Bacikand Drew 2006; Rhode 2003) Women need to mould in into the structures of legal practice (Brockman 2001) The gender segregation within profession (Silius2003; Fuszara2003, 2005) 6

7 Womenattorneysin the fieldof legal assistance Socio-cultural setting The fieldof legal assistance Legal advisers Bar Association Legal counsels Womenand men attorneys 7

8 Main argument The inequality is omnipresent among attorneys. It originates from the fact that professional structures are inherent with specific values, norms, styles of behaviorwhich are seen as innateor available to only some members of the professional group. Becoming successful attorney requires projecting an appriopriateprofessionalpersona, professionalcompetences, orientation, preferences, showingrightconnections. 8

9 Internal hierarchy among attorneys in relation to accrued symbolic capital Advanced professional respectability Highest professional respectability Basic professional respectability 9

10 The myth of equal opportunities It does not matter whether you are a woman or a man, but the personality needs to be a perfect match ( ) [Finnish corporate attorney] You need to have certaindrive and spirit [for this profession] because if you really like what you are doing then you will find the time and energy [Finnish corporate attorney] So everyone has a possibility to reach them [promotions and partnership level] if they work hard enough but of course it depends on your expertise area, sometimes if you hit a golden line you were just lucky [Finnish corporate attorney] 10

11 The individualisation of women s choices It is demanding in the sense of combing family and work, I think that many make this choice that they are not willing to make that effort. I am not saying that it would be any more difficult for any woman to succeed, I think that yes probably in some areas but generally in Finland we have quite equal possibilities, it is really all about your own willingness and attitude, if you want to do it you are able to. And I think women more often they just want less and are satisfied with less. [F] This is the matter of choice in regard of what you like to do. Women to the same extend as men can succeed here [in the legal practice], for example, in terms of financial success if we speak about it in these terms. Also women alike men can achieve prestigious success. They can have many various cases, but probably different cases. This is why maybe, according to the rankings, more men attorneys who are seen as experts. This is maybe due to the fact that men are in charge of those spectacular strategically projects, because they are better in them ( ). [P] 11

12 WHAT are these appropriate forms of capital and dispositions? 12

13 Social and cultural capital So it was a personal recommendation which gave me an opportunity to meet the managing director and all the key partners of the firm. This has sort of open up the door. No doubt it is important that you have someone that at very initial phase when you do not know anyonethat says well I know her she is a very good person. [P] I was lucky to have some people who guided me and maybe opened some doors that would not be opened without them but on the other hand it is not like that, I mean if someone opens you the door you need to step in yourself and take the floor in order to prove your competence ( ) because you always need help you always need some little help and some little luck and then you do your work well.[f] 13

14 Culturalcapital: educationalcapital So when you know something special, you possess knowledge of niche area which you might not get from many lawyers, so then you are desired specialist. So then you can get important clients and put the adequate price for your services ( ) You need to always try to find something valuable for the clients not for us so that we offer something unusual to them. [Finnish corporate attorney] 14

15 Culturalcapital: Embodiedcapital This is still kind of old-fashioned and business orientated field. I mean nobody with bring you anything just for a good heart. It sounds a bit cold, but I mean you need to be a bit of arrogant..of course...not for any cost, I mean putting aside your colleagues, or..or..or playing nasty game, I do not like that but I think women should be more louder and more tell what they want and deserve from their perspective. [F] I have not been extremely career orientated, hmmm I had kids and you know it took 13 years from my graduation to make a partner. I mean it could have been a shorter period if I have been very aggressive and you know pushing ahead but I did not have to do it that way ( ) here you can have also your own pace for getting partnership, it can be slower but you need to be important for the company and clients [F] 15

16 Culturalcapital: embodiedcapital Professional purity (Abbott 1981) This profession is mentally damning. I always repeat that it is forbidden to have emotional attitude to the cases you work on. Attorney alike doctor should not get engage emotionally. All should be set professionally, but attorney cannot get engaged emotionally. Otherwise you would get divorce 10 times a month. You cannot do that, you cannot get engaged emotionally [P, sole practitioner] 16

17 Conclusions There are many inequalities among women in professional contexts. The gender and class intersections have increasing meaning for women attorneys career choices and opportunities for successful performance as attorneys. Women need to be FLEXIBLE. Gender and class inequalities are moderated by the specific professional and national contexts. 17

18 Multi-dimensional model of career success Personal dimension Symbolic dimenion Compatibility of a career and personal life Prestigeand recognition Personal dimension Personal fulfilment and achievement Financial success Economic dimension 18