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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/69071
Description
Title
The Importance of Mentoring for Women in Law
Author(s)
Rottman, Lori Schreur
Issue Date
1986
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Women's Studies
Education, Guidance and Counseling
Abstract
The literature on support networks indicates that the mentoring relationship is vital in the professional socialization process. The purpose of this study is to investigate possible gender differences between male and female lawyers in areas such as who mentors whom, job satisfaction, the mentoring relationship, who initiates the relationship, mentoring functions, factors influencing law careers, and current influential individuals.
The participants for this study include members of the Columbus Bar Association who practice in Franklin County, Ohio. Female lawyers were matched with male lawyers who graduated from the identical school during the same year. The investigator asked each pair to return a completed Questionnaire. From those returning the Questionnaire, the investigator selected 50 representative matched pairs to participate in a structured interview. The Alpha level for significance was set at 0.05, and set at 0.10 for trends.
The results indicate that female lawyers tend to have more mentors, and have significantly more female mentors and female proteges than male lawyers. With more female mentors and proteges, female lawyers may be exposed to more female role models. However, female lawyers are also exposed to female mentors who have significantly less legal experience. In addition, female lawyers are significantly older than male lawyers when they are first mentored, tend to experience more problems with their male mentors, and have significantly fewer office contacts with their female mentors. These differences may impede the professional socialization process for female lawyers as well as their career goals, and could contribute to the fact that female lawyers earn significantly less money than male lawyers. The results also indicate that non-mentored lawyers tend to be less satisfied with their jobs than mentored lawyers.
As for mentoring functions, male lawyers report receiving significantly more role modeling from their mentors whereas female lawyers report receiving significantly more emotional support and teaching from their mentors. No significant differences between male and female lawyers emerge in terms of the number or gender of lawyers perceived as helpful for their current career goals. Many of the significant differences and trends found between male and female lawyers in terms of mentoring may result in negative consequences for career achievement for female lawyers. More research is needed to determine the effects of these differences.
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