Juris Education Interview With Tamra Katcher, President, Women Lawyers in Bergen
Exclusive Interview Spotlight
Juris Education sat down with Tamra Katcher, President of Women Lawyers in Bergen, for an inside look at what makes the Trial Advocacy Program truly stand out.
From building courtroom confidence to sharpening advocacy skills, discover how this program is shaping the next generation of trial lawyers.
From your perspective, how has the legal profession evolved over the years when it comes to supporting and advancing women in law?
I live and practice in New Jersey. I say this because I can only speak to what I have witnessed and experience in that area. The practice of law differs from state to state so my experience may not be the same as others.
I have been practicing for 26 years, and my practice focuses on criminal law. When I first started practicing, there were one or two female judges. There were a number of women who were practicing law, but the large majority were men. I cut my teeth as an assistant prosecutor so I was always in court honing my craft. The prosecutor’s office also had a large number of female attorneys and over the years there have been a number of female prosecutors running the office. As a result, I never felt different from my male counterparts. When I went into private practice, things changed a bit. It took time to develop my reputation as a female attorney who did not have the power or prestige of the prosecutor’s office behind her. I had to learn to stand on my own two feet. For the most part, my career has gone smoothly as it pertains to being a woman in what remains a male-dominated career. I do find in a small percentage of situations that I am still asked my name because court staff is checking in clients and they think I am a client. I have been asked to go through the magnetometer in court when I have seen male attorneys walk right through. As a single mom, I have sometimes had to bring my child to court with me and have had court staff tell me that my child cannot be in court or had to sit outside – or believed that I was a client and not an attorney merely because I had a child in tow. I am quick to correct those misconceptions (and my child never sat outside a courtroom!) but the fact that these interactions still occur makes me sad and question the advancements that have been made on behalf of women in the legal community.
That being said, what I have experience cannot be compared with what the women who have come before me in this profession experienced. I have heard many stories over the years. One specific story that I always remember is that women had to wear skirts in court and were not allowed to wear pants. I am thankful to those women who chose this profession before me because their sacrifices allow me to have the career that I have.
The legal profession has come a long way, but it still has a long way to go toward demonstrating 100% support for female attorneys.
