Arbitration & Mediation

Before Women Negotiate, We Need to Re-Think Our Economic Value

By Victoria Pynchon

TRUE STORY:

Lorrie is a working mother and a trial attorney with two children under five years of age. Though working part-time for a part-timer's salary, during the six months preceding year-end bonus time, she'd been billing more hours than most of the firm's other attorneys.  She was putting in the extra hours at considerable hardship to herself as she helped prepare for trial a case for one of the firm's most important clients. The client was extremely pleased with Lorrie's work and had singled her out for particular praise.

Because Lorrie had worked so hard and so well, Lorrie's supervisor recommended that Lorrie receive the full $10,000 bonus the firm's Executive Committee had earlier approved for all full-time associates who met their billing requirements. The Executive Committee approved the request and authorized the firm's Managing Partner to give Lorrie the good news.

When the Managing partner called Lorrie into his office, he told her that the firm was considering giving her a $7,000 bonus, which bore the same percentage to $10,000 as her part-time salary bore to full-time associate pay at her level.  Lorrie said she understood; that she greatly appreciated receiving any bonus at all; and, thanked the managing partner for the $7,000.

When Lorrie's supervisor heard about the bonus, she immediately called the Managing Partner and demanded to know why Lorrie wasn't given the $10,000 bonus she'd recommended.

"I thought you said the Executive Committee approved it."

"Oh, the Executive Committee approved it,' said the Managing Partner.  'But Lorrie seemed so happy with the $7,000 bonus I thought I'd do the firm a favor and save it three grand.'

"She's talking about leaving the firm."

'I don't understand,' the Managing Partner replied.  'She was so happy.  If she wanted more, why didn't she ask for it?  I was expecting her to negotiate.  $7,000 was my opening offer." 

A month later, Lorrie left the firm, to the great disappointment of her supervisor and the firm's client.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE?

If I were advising the firm rather than women studying negotiation, I'd have a few choice words for the Managing Partner about being penny-wise and pound-foolish. But we're not talking about corporate America here. We're talking about your well being; your family's well being; and, your ability to immediately change the income gap between you and your male counterparts (an American gap of 76 cents on the dollar in general and sixty cents on the dollar for women lawyers)

The prescription is available at You Can Negotiate Anything here. 

We begin on April 1 so sign up now!

Full post as published by Settle It Now Negotiation Blog on March 27, 2010 (boomark / email).