arly in my career, I felt as though I was fighting for credibility before I ever opened my mouth. The boxy suits that career services recommended didn’t help, and neither did the looks of disbelief I got when senior partners introduced me to clients.
Then I got my first pair of glasses. It seemed like partners started treating me with new respect, and clients stopped second-guessing me. Nothing about my legal ability had changed, but everything about how people experienced me did.
That experience taught me something law school never addressed: In a profession built on trust, judgment, and advocacy, professional presence shapes perception. And those perceptions matter. Law firms that are serious about developing and advancing female attorneys should view professional presence as part of a broader leadership and professional development strategy.
Asian Woman Leadership 