Anderson Center Symposium: What It Takes to Be a Trial Lawyer, If You’re Not a Man

Winston & Strawn’s Chicago office once again hosted the Kimball R. and Karen Gatsis Anderson Center for Advocacy and Professionalism Fall Symposium on November 8, 2024. This year’s symposium—What it Takes to Be a Trial Lawyer If You’re Not a Man—explored the continued struggles and issues faced by female trial lawyers and featured Winston partner and Chair of the Product Liability and Mass Torts Practice, Sandra Edwards, as a speaker.

The symposium revisited keynote speaker Professor Lara Bazelon’s 2018 article, “What it Takes to Be a Trial Lawyer If You’re Not a Man,” which highlighted the challenges faced by female trial lawyers, emphasizing that despite equal law school enrollment, women remain underrepresented in leading courtroom roles and face heightened scrutiny based on biased expectations. This program revisited these issues, gathering legal professionals to discuss the ongoing struggles of female lawyers, including those of women of color, and exploring solutions like judicial leadership, mentorship, and training to create more equitable opportunities.

The Kimball R. and Karen Gatsis Anderson Center for Advocacy and Professionalism at the University of Illinois provides top-tier advocacy training and emphasizes professional responsibility in legal practice, distinguishing itself from other programs, and was founded through the philanthropic support of Kimball and Karen Anderson, longtime benefactors of the College of Law.

Learn more about the symposium and register here.