Nina M. Gussack Quoted in American Lawyer Article, 'Are Women Allergic to Power?'
Pepper partner Nina M. Gussack was quoted in the November 1, 2015 American Lawyer article, "Are Women Allergic to Power?"
For women in the legal profession, the Harvard study findings are both familiar and disturbing. "Getting women not to bail out after their fifth or sixth years is a challenge," says Pepper Hamilton partner Nina Gussack, the firm's biggest rainmaker. "We offer cutting-edge maternity leave, flextime and part-time, but the sensibility is, 'I can't handle it all.' Typically the second kid throws them over the edge."
It's not that women don't want high-power positions, they're just managing so much, says Gussack. She advises women to get better support, starting at home. "If your partner can't provide it, you need to get live-in help or other help," she says. Gussack also says that women should tell managers if they need a different work arrangement. "Talented people are not a dime a dozen," she says. "Women need to speak up about what they need. Women tend not to ask at home or at work. They just suck it up!"
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