Tomorrow, we celebrate International Women’s Day, a movement that has been driving change for over a century. What started as a small push for equal rights and worker protections in the early 1900s has grown into a global call for action. And while progress has been made, there’s still work to do—which is exactly why this year’s theme is “Accelerate Action.”
At SWMW Law, we believe action speaks louder than words. It’s not just about acknowledging inequality; it’s about actively working to dismantle it. It’s about making workplaces more inclusive, amplifying the voices of women in every industry, and ensuring that opportunities aren’t limited by gender.
That’s why today, we’re highlighting the women at our firm—their journeys, their challenges, and the steps they’re taking to push the legal field forward. Because when we accelerate action, we don’t just move the conversation along—we create real, lasting change.
Lauren Williams, Member
Why did you want to be an attorney?
“I have always, on some level, wanted to be an attorney. I enjoy the academic side of studying the law, as well as the problem-solving and strategy associated with practicing day-to-day. I focused my undergraduate studies on history, and there is a dynamic intersection between historical events, laws, and how they shape one another.”
How do you plan to contribute to the future of women in law? What can others do now?
“I think it is important to spend more time with women discussing the practical realities of balancing personal and professional goals. I think conversations about ‘women empowerment’ need to progress further into discussions centered around providing women with resources, advice, and concrete information that sets them on a more informed path towards planning and achieving their goals, both personally and professionally. I plan to spend more time sharing my personal experiences and encouraging others to do the same.”
Sophie Zavaglia, Partner
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman practicing law?
“Being taken seriously. People (both men and women) like to talk about promoting women and putting women in positions of power. But when it comes down to business, I think men get taken more seriously and quicker than women do. I feel like our negotiation demands are seen as polite suggestions, our complaints are seen as whining, and our warnings are taken as conversation starters.”
How do you plan to contribute to the future of women in law? What can others do now?
“I do my best to not just hire women at this firm, but also to promote the work of other women. We rise and fall together, and I try hard to be intentional with promoting other women doing good work, even if they are my “competition.”
Holly L. Deihl, Partner
What barriers continue to exist for women practicing law?
“I think the biggest issue facing women right now is the pull between having a family and having a career. I serve as the Chair of our Women in Law Division of the Allegheny County Bar Association and the issue I hear about most from our members is the family/career dynamic. The expectation to attend evening work functions without a consideration that childcare could be an issue. Or to travel for work, sometimes at the last minute, without consideration that things at home need to be arranged and covered. It’s leading to many women quitting the profession to stay at home with their children or taking time off and then struggling to come back after their kids are older. More needs to be done to help women balance this struggle.”
How do you plan to contribute to the future of women in law? What can others do now?
“My mission has been to help mentor younger women as best and as often as I can. I did not have a female mentor as a young lawyer and I think it was absolutely to my detriment. I needed someone to show me how they navigated issues, climbed the ladder, and smashed through the proverbial ceiling. Instead, I was left trying to figure it out on my own. I think the most important thing we can do is to help the younger generation and continue to pull up those behind us and lift those standing next to us. We, as women, are the only ones that can genuinely understand our daily struggles so it’s imperative to listen to each other, help each other, and make sure our voices are heard loud and clear.”
Stephanie Gold, Partner
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman practicing law?
“Subtle sexism. The times when your gut tells you things aren’t quite right, but it’s not so blatant that you have the immediate outrage to call it out directly. Listening to your gut and taking action rather than just letting things slide is incredibly difficult. The feeling that you are being excluded because you’re a woman and figuring out how to deal with that. Gathering the confidence to push to be invited to the event or included in the conversations is so hard. You question whether you’re being excluded due being a woman or something else. Hindsight makes it much easier to spot those times, but acting on them before they pass is what we need to strive for and is the most difficult.”
This year’s theme is Accelerate Action; what actions can we and others take to continue to eliminate the proverbial glass ceiling?
“We can continue to promote and support our female colleagues and peers. We can also continue to push back, or forward as the case may be, by asking for promotions where it’s warranted rather than sitting back and waiting. Ask for the project or to be part of the meeting or whatever is going on that interests you. Men don’t hesitate to push for what they want and women need to step up and do more of the same. We also need to show up and vote for government representatives that support women’s rights and not the ones who want to strip our rights and relegate us to the 1950s.”
Emma Sikora Paulus, Associate
How do you plan to contribute to the future of women in law? What can others do now? Why is it important?
“I plan to contribute to the future of women in law by embracing anyone who identifies as a woman, and providing support by teaching them how being a woman in law can be the most beneficial to their clients. I think the most important thing women in law can do is to make sure that the rights of the trans and female communities are protected so that everyone who wants to be provided with a pathway for practicing law is able to do so. I am currently trying to do this by focusing on grassroots organization and by engaging in political conversations, even when it’s tough. It is important for anyone who identifies as being a woman to be able to practice law because we need representation in the legal field and clients suffer without it.”
What barriers continue to exist for women practicing law? Have you noticed things shift in your time as an attorney?
“As a newer attorney, I think I have been fortunate in some regard because I have heard of some pretty bad examples of how female colleagues have been treated. The good news is that those examples seem to be fewer and further between. The biggest barriers I have faced mainly surround feeling as though I am not being taken seriously when a male counterpart would be. I will not speak on the experiences of women of color, but I think we have massive work to do when it comes to celebrating, supporting, and uplifting women of color in the legal field.”
This year’s theme is Accelerate Action; what actions can we and others take to continue to eliminate the proverbial glass ceiling?
“Accelerate Action to me means holding space for how women are still treated differently. If we exist within a framework that says everything is better, that women are equal, and there is no inequality or biases then we fail. Inequalities do exist, and we still have a long way to go. Supporting other women in the field while maintaining that we can, and do, deserve better is how we will shatter that proverbial glass ceiling. We must do it together as women for all women.”
Caitlynne Dixon, Associate
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman practicing law?
“As a young woman practicing law, I face daily microaggressions. I often feel underestimated and overlooked by opposing counsel. I’ve even received the advice to ‘play it up’ by using perceived stupidity and femininity to my advantage in hopes opposing counsel will ‘go easy on me’ …advice I’m sure male attorneys aren’t given.”
What attracted you to the legal profession?
“I’ve wanted to become an attorney for as long as I can remember. We’ve never had an attorney in the family, but when I was in elementary school, my mom worked as a secretary at the law office of a Missouri House member. He let my sister and me come to the office and ‘help’ file papers and meet the other attorneys. That day, I told them all I was going to law school and becoming a lawyer to work at his office. He passed away from cancer before I even graduated high school, but I followed through!”
Traci E. Hoover, Associate
What barriers continue to exist for women practicing law? Have you noticed things shift in your time as an attorney?
“Despite women making up equal demographics with men in the field, we still get seen as ‘paralegals’ or ‘assistants.’ I’ve had adjusters cut me out of email chains and leave just the men in because they wanted to ‘cut to the chase.’ Sir, I AM the chase, so blocking me from the conversation was just dumb. I think also we need men on our side and that’s something that I’m starting to see change. Before, this was a movement with women from helm to stern. Now, I think we’re at the beginning stage of men jumping in and taking up for us as well. I think, however, if they were just as passionate and strong about it, without being performative, it would lead to far greater strides for all of us.”
This year’s theme is Accelerate Action; what actions can we and others take to continue to eliminate the proverbial glass ceiling?
“Raise your awareness of your own subconscious bias. Is there a man doing the same work as a woman but he’s getting praised and talked about to management whereas she is not? Change that. Vocalize the successes of other women and bring them into others’ thoughts. I think one of the biggest things holding women back is that we still, consciously or not, see each other as competition. There is an amazing amount of joy and relief to be found in celebrating (rather than competing) with each other’s accomplishments. If Betty is doing a great job in the same space as you, compliment Betty to her face and also compliment her work to others. This goes for all genders, obviously, but I find that women are far less likely to openly applaud and recommend other women to management for fear that they’ll miss out on an opportunity that goes to another. I also think other people drive this narrative to women, making them feel like even if the listener has no intent to passively sabotage another, they think someone else might because of what’s being passed to them as ‘advice.’ There’s room at the table for everyone.”
Dolly Suresh, Associate
How do you plan to contribute to the future of women in law? What can others do now? Why is it important?
“I plan to contribute by bringing my experience as a first-generation lawyer and immigrant in helping others who are first-generation lawyers and immigrant lawyers who need someone to believe in them when the system of law school and the legal field is set up against them. Others can continue to speak up when they hear something wrong. It is not only a woman’s responsibility to fight for equality, but males as well. We all know that sometimes men only listen to other men so it is important that they speak up and use their privilege.”
What barriers continue to exist for women practicing law? Have you noticed things shift in your time as an attorney?
“I think the main barrier I’ve noticed in my short time practicing is that there is really no ‘off’ time as an attorney. I think this negatively impacts women more than men because even though the tides are shifting and household work is becoming more equal in a household, I believe currently women still carry more of the mental load and household burden. Not being able to turn ‘off’ being an attorney means having to carry more at home and at work. However, I don’t think that women, specifically, need the separation from work and home. I think the profession needs to acknowledge that there needs to be a distinct cut off time and that it is not held against an employee, male or female, so that there is a separation between work and life. Not being able to have a separation negatively impacts the employee and the employee’s family.”
Brittney M. Watkins, Associate
What barriers continue to exist for women practicing law? Have you noticed things shift in your time as an attorney?
“Black women lawyers face unique issues in legal practice due to the existence of misogynoir. Black women comprise only 2% of attorneys in the U.S.,[1] and only approximately 1.11% of partners at law firms were Black women in 2025.[2] In 2024 Black women in general (lawyers and non-lawyers included) earned approximately 66% of what their white male counterparts earned.[3] Unfortunately, during my time as an attorney, little has shifted in the legal practice overall to improve conditions for Black women lawyers.
This year’s theme is Accelerate Action; what actions can we and others take to continue to eliminate the proverbial glass ceiling?
“To address oppressive systems folks can work to bring about systemic change, educate themselves, and lean into having tough, uncomfortable, but necessary conversations.”
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman practicing law?
“Experiencing/dealing with misogynoir in the legal field.”
What has been your proudest accomplishment as an attorney?
“One of my proudest moments as an attorney was witnessing families of the Fatal State Violence Program successfully get an executive order from the City of St. Louis banning the use of no-knock warrants.”
SWMW Law celebrates our female attorneys and the many other women imbued with the same dedication to improve the lives of women in this generation and the many more to come. Our clients and community are the direct recipients of the intellect, hard work, and dedication of our female attorneys, and we are proud to have them on our team.
[1] https://www.legallyblkfund.org/mission
[2] https://www.nalp.org/uploads/Research/2024-25_NALPReportonDiversity.pdf
[3] https://signalcleveland.org/black-womens-equal-pay-day-focuses-on-wage-gap/
