You would think lawyers would know better.  But, really, often we do not.  Molly DiBianca recounts a story about a senior lawyer she met at a conference of some sort with attendees from all over the country.  Molly hails from Philadeplphia.  By her own account, she has a bit of a Philly accent. 

Yet, some senior male partner from a Midwestern law firm confused Molly for a Midwestern lawyer, suggested she dyed her hair, all apparently before saying hello.  Then, speaking to three female lawyers, he said with no hesitation that when it comes to hiring new lawyers, female candidates were always better.  But, as all three women knew, said the senior male law firm partner, women lawyers always quit when they have a baby and do not return.  As Molly says, "really?"  

The remarkable thing is how he said it, as though all three practicing female lawyers would agree with him.  See Delaware Employment Law blog post. 

I am on a listserv with many female and male lawyers.  One of the women lawyers started a thread titled " the only girl in the room."  The female lawyer mentioned that at her law school, women made up some 45% of the student body.  But, she finds herself one of the very few lawyers in any courtroom, no matter how busy the court is that day.  Her point was that many areas of the local bar are still quite male dominated.  It was surprising to me as a male how many women responded echoing her experience.