HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - March 31, 2008) - One of the biggest challenges faced by Houston
law firms is on the agenda next month as Rafte & Company (
www.rafte.com)
hosts its upcoming Partner's Breakfast Roundtable: "How to Improve
Retention of Female Attorneys." Rafte & Company is a leading provider of
strategic technology solutions for law firms, corporate legal departments
and professional services firms.
Law firm managing partners identified the subject of retaining female
attorneys as a priority for 2008. The National Association for Law
Placement's "Directory of Legal Employers" indicates that women account for
more than 43 percent of associates at law firm offices in Houston, but they
comprise less than 18 percent of equity partners.
"The hurdles that women face in their legal careers tend to be overlooked
and misunderstood, so we anticipate a valuable exchange of information and
ideas," said Dena Rafte, founder and president of Rafte & Company. "This is
a highly complex challenge rooted in the very way law firms operate,
including everything from compensation practices to reliance on billable
hours."
A lack of senior women can damage a law firm's recruiting efforts, result
in the loss of prospective and existing clients, and increase associated
training and recruiting costs.
Rafte & Company encourages law firms to utilize their resources differently
to help improve retention. Most firms already have the necessary technology
infrastructure to enable flexibility, but firm leaders often resist the
enhancements to increase mobility, process improvements, and training.
Rafte & Company's strategic technology consultants have identified three
key issues to consider:
-- Mobility. Adopt technologies that enable easy and secure mobile access
to law firm information.
-- Business process improvement. Agree on standards and policies,
discontinue the law firm's reliance on paper files, and stop catering to
the habits of individual attorneys.
-- Cultural issues. Reward teamwork and embrace flexibility, giving
attorneys the ability to work anytime, anywhere.
The Partner's Breakfast Roundtable will be held at 7 a.m. on April 3, 2008
at the Lancaster Hotel in Houston. Managing partners interested in
participating should call 713-993-9637.
About Rafte & Company
Rafte & Company (
www.rafte.com) is a leading provider of strategic
technology consulting services, legal software solutions, and information
technology (IT) network design, implementation and management services. To
learn more about how Rafte & Company has been delivering legal technology
strategies and solutions to regional area law firms and corporate legal
departments for more than 20 years, visit the Rafte & Company Web site at
www.rafte.com or call (713) 993-9637 or toll-free (800) 396-9390.
Contact Information: Contact:
Dan Keeney, APR
DPK Public Relations
(832) 467-2904