​​​​​​​​​​For Women Lawyers

(for gatherings to empower and inspire women in the law)

 

Your permission slip to bring “Feminine Genius” into the law

As women, we have edged into the practice of law over the last 150 years by assimilating into a system set up without our input. As we slowly grew in numbers to a male-dominated profession, we defied the patriarchal beliefs that women could not hold such esteemed positions as lawyer, judge, and lawmaker. We integrated by accentuating the part of ourselves that is favored by the legal system, our masculine energy: logic, aggression, competition, and striving for achievement. Today 37% of lawyers are women and 52% of law students are women. We are now on the cusp of comprising half the profession. And so the time is ripe for equality not only in numbers but also in ideology. 

 

As women, we desire to operate in our feminine energy which innately calls us toward creativity, collaboration, and caring deeply in our relationships as well as progressing in all matters following our intuition and the natural flow. As such, we are very attuned to innovative and effective new ways to practice law. Yet, we don’t feel free to share these genius ideas widely. It is time to come forth authentically and in collaboration with each other to discuss these ideas that can rightly be called: Feminine Genius. These ideas speak to and serve many members of society who want more nurturing and creative ways to navigate criminal justice, property rights and transfers, family separations, liability for injury, and all areas of the law. 

 

Gina Marotta is a criminal defense attorney turned restorative justice practitioner. For a decade, she put on the masculine adversarial armor in law yet felt an inner knowing that something was off and that her work was not yet a full realization of her potential. Gina knows from her experience about the inner transformational process required for women to understand these types of inner yearnings and to overcome the fears that go along with being a leader for change. In transforming her own legal career from adversarial to restorative, Gina proves that it is possible (and important) for us as women to feel permission to embrace a style of law that satisfies our feminine nature. Indeed, she writes about this in her essay published in the book Readings in Restorative Justice (Vandeplas Pub. 2021). Today as a women’s potential coach and transformational teacher, Gina brings wisdom and practical guidance to the complex conversation of change. She offers collective permission for women lawyers to practice law in our Feminine Genius and sparks individual clarity around what that looks like for each of us so that together we can create a more balanced and caring legal system and world. 

​

For a Mixed-Gender Audience

(for diversity + inclusion education and empowerment)

 

How to shine in or support “Feminine Genius” in the workplace

Ancient wisdom teaches that we operate with two complementary energies: yin and yang. The yang energy is also known as masculine energy as it has traditionally been recognized as more innate for men. The yin energy has been known as feminine energy because typically it feels more natural for women. Men have designed and led the modern workforce, and so we have mostly been conditioned to use masculine-yang energy as the dominant way we work. This includes: goal-setting, strategy, focus, logic, linear pathways, rational thinking, aggression, and competition. We know that masculine energy moves forward goals and creates growth and progress in a company and industry.

 

Now that women make up half the workforce and are emerging into leadership in companies and industries, the time is ripe to also understand and activate feminine-yin energy inside the workplace. Feminine energy includes: receptivity, sensitivity, fluidity, creativity, intuition, nurturing, emotional-awareness, heart-centeredness, vulnerability, and collaboration. This energy brings to a company and its employees more connection to purpose and fulfillment, teamwork that feels enjoyable and supportive, systems that nurture people’s best talents, and innovative new ways of doing things that better serve individuals and the environment. 

 

In modern times, both men and women alike are speaking out about wanting more satisfaction, fulfillment, and flexibility at work but not knowing how to authentically transform themselves and their work environments. This talk opens up a real discussion about creating employee satisfaction while also increasing your company’s higher potential through understanding and activating the missing link: Feminine Genius. Offering both big picture wisdom and practical tools, this talk helps your company: learn what Feminine Genius is, how to recognize when it’s missing, and how to call forth the untapped Feminine Genius in your teams. Employees and leaders will be able to identify whether they are meant to shine in their Feminine Genius or whether they can be more supportive of the Feminine Genius in others so that your entire company knows it’s pathway to come into balance and reach its higher potential.

​