Testimonials

"Thank you for coming to speak at our recent event in Greater Philadelphia! I am delighted to tell you that we have received tremendous feedback from those who attended the breakfast and in fact, several people have called to request additional copies of your book.

Your words resonated with the audience, particularly with regard to the disconnects you uncovered in your interviews. I especially liked the idea of evaluations based on performance versus potential. You clearly have had a remarkable career and experience around many of these issues, and your book speaks to many professions, not just the legal profession. I look forward to the opportunity for continued dialogue and I wish you great success with your book."

"Lauren's keynote address was a terrific kickoff to Sidley's annual women partners' retreat. Her insights into the challenges faced by women in leadership at law firms -- past, present and future -- provided a strong foundation and important food for thought regarding many of the issues we sought to address throughout the program. I would highly recommend Lauren to any organization looking for an inspiring speaker who can talk knowledgably and with sophistication about women's leadership."

"Ms. Rikleen delivered a very high level and thought provoking presentation that caused participants to re-examine the possible biases they may bring with them to the recruitment, evaluation and promotion process. I would highly recommend her for training and workshops."

Lauren was our guest speaker for a Millennials event held at the Staples Corporate office and I have to say she was absolutely amazing. She truly is an expert in the generational gap and speaks to it intelligently like no one else I have seen. Lauren gives hope of a common workplace between the Baby Boomer generation and the Millennials generation. There is so much potential for a better workplace when both generations have a better understanding for one another and leave behind stereotypes that can lead to tension in the workplace. She not only presented but also took time to spend with our group following her presentation to answer any questions we had. On behalf of the Young Professionals Associate Resource Group, we would like to Thank You for all the thought and effort you put into making our event a success.

"The New Hampshire Bar Association Gender Equality Committee invited Lauren Rikleen to help us train law firm and government attorney leadership. Ms. Rikleen’s presentation on the topic of 'Eliminating Gender Bias in Recruiting, Mentoring, Evaluating and Promoting Women' was terrific. She skillfully used scientific evidence and real life examples to open our eyes to the reality of unconscious gender bias. Ms. Rikleen provided a valuable service to New Hampshire’s legal community and I highly recommend her as a speaker and expert on gender equality issues."

"Lauren has a unique ability to speak on intergenerational issues in a way that is thought-provoking and informative, while at the same time being light and engaging. She speaks in a way that is interactive, clearly not a 'canned' presentation."

"In November of 2010, Lauren Stiller Rikleen gave a very engaging talk to a group of about 25 undergraduate and graduate students in the Pre-Law Society at Clark University. Lauren discussed the challenges of balancing professional life and family life for this generation of new lawyers, both men and women. She also compared some of the work life differences when working as a government lawyer as opposed to working in a large private law firm. She graciously answered many of their questions about the work of lawyers. The students found the talk to be extremely informative and thought provoking. They were quite impressed with her ability to answer their wide range of questions about the legal profession, law school, and other career planning issues. Lauren brought a clear depth of background and experience to the presentation. I would highly recommend her to other colleges and universities as a knowledgeable speaker whose breadth goes beyond the legal profession, and includes the wide variety of workplace issues that any student will face once in the workplace."

"Lauren Rikleen's Navigator Career Workshop is thought-provoking and motivational. It helped me better understand and be prepared to address possible biases in the legal profession, and also challenged me to consider my professional future and overall career path. Another significant difference between this seminar and others is the one-on-one advice Ms. Rikleen offered the participants after the seminar. That follow-up telephone conference helped me to put my professional goals in motion and take my career to the next step. Her wisdom and advice is extremely valuable to anyone thinking strategically about their career direction."

"I had the pleasure of attending a discussion led by Attorney Lauren Rikleen at Clark University. Extremely knowledgeable in a variety of topics, Attorney Rikleen answered a wide range of questions posed by students in a very caring and enthusiastic manner, ensuring that all were given her utmost attention. I was fortunate enough to meet Attorney Rikleen at the end of her talk, and after noting my intention to attend law school in the fall, she offered to help me in the selection process. She is a true leader in the profession, who genuinely cares about those currently within the field and those who wish to enter it."

"Lauren, I sincerely want to thank you for taking time today to speak with us. Your comments have encouraged discussion (and thought). A great success. Your presentation was superb: thoughtful, honest, articulate and professional. Thanks again."

"Thank you, Lauren, for the excellent presentation you delivered for the YWCA Boston annual meeting. Your remarks were insightful, informative, and inspiring to all of our board and association members and guests. People were very appreciative of your work, especially of the details and stories you shared from your research interviews. The question and answer period was lively, and I think added a lot to the presentation. I especially liked the advice you gave about remedying the issues and preparing young women properly at the start of their careers. It's always enjoyable when someone can address such a serious topic in a serious manner, but with just the right touch of humor and hopefulness. Thank you for doing such a great job."

"I attended Lauren's discussion in Philadelphia on October 26 I enjoyed it very much. I find that too often issues related to women's advancement in the legal profession are presented in a negative way. It was both refreshing and inspiring to hear Lauren's take on things, especially given what she has achieved professionally."

"Thank you, Lauren, for conducting such enlightening and productive workshops for the women attorneys of Davis & Gilbert LLP. Davis & Gilbert is committed to fostering a more diverse and inclusive workplace and your workshops were a great way to kick off our Women's Initiative. Lauren provided attendees with great advice about building business, mentoring relationships, and balancing work with family.

Davis & Gilbert applauds Lauren's efforts to help advance women in the legal profession. I highly recommend Lauren's Navigator® Career Workshop for any firm interested in accomplishing these objectives."

"Lauren Stiller Rikleen presented an excellent program for our Women Lawyers and Judges Retreat in Delaware. Ms. Rikleen arrived the day before her presentation, which enabled her to meet many of the attendees at a social event that night. We all enjoyed her delightful company. We were especially impressed with how Ms. Rikleen used a very brief amount of time to grasp the dynamics of the group, as well as the varied personal and professional issues being faced. Although the majority of the attendees were women, the audience was diverse in many ways, including judges from numerous courts; newly admitted lawyers and lawyers with decades of experience; government to domestic relations. Even with such a diverse audience, Ms. Rikleen commanded the attention of the entire group with a compelling and entertaining presentation. She handled questions deftly, and directed the group dynamics in a positive way. We all learned a tremendous amount, and came away with some very concrete ideas for more effective mentoring in our community."

"Having survived three years in a law firm (and survive was the key word), I could definitely relate to the stories in this book. The only shocking part is that I was in a law firm over 10 years ago, and nothing seems to have changed. Ending the Gauntlet, however, is more than a compendium of stories of women being mommy-tracked. It looks at the structure of a law firm itself and how that contributes to the workplace issues for everyone, not just women. I particularly loved the Prologue (worth the price of the book itself, especially if you have my warped sense of humor), because it describes how a bizarre sort of company is run where performance for all employees is based solely on money they personally earn for the company; the managing director/CEO is only 'part-time' because he too has to earn money to keep his title; turnover is high; management is minimal or nonexistent; and people are given management positions because they are 'least objectionable' to others; part-time is extended but discouraged as it cuts into billable hours ... and you finally start to realize that while the rest of the world has moved forward, law firms are relics of days gone by."

"I purchased Ending the Gauntlet after hearing many rave reviews but admit that before reading it, I had my reservations that the tone of the book would be either too shrill or academic. That was absolutely not the case. Ms. Rikleen discusses the challenges that women lawyers face and the challenges that the profession as a whole faces in a thoughtful, honest and fair voice that is truly compelling to the reader. I've recommended this book to every lawyer I know (male and female)."

"In her thoroughly researched and heavily footnoted book, Lauren Stiller Rikleen examines this troublesome issue: why many female lawyers still have not achieved the same professional success as their male counterparts. Rikleen delves into the challenging topics including part-time work, and what happens to the careers of women who opt for that route. She also explains other factors that contribute to the success of male lawyers' careers (being mentored, and becoming rainmakers) and discusses why many women don't enjoy the benefit of those.

Rikleen, who is well versed in the advancement of women lawyers, concludes her book with a call to action. She argues that law firms need to make a dramatic culture shift from the top down; firms should choose management which understands and values the contributions of women attorneys (not just those who fit the traditional, full-time mold). Rikleen also hopes that law firm compensation will change to reward cooperative client development efforts, among other things.

Towards the end of the book Rikleen notes that it's not just childbearing female lawyers who seek a more manageable work/life balance; Generation X and Y lawyers of both sexes are also seeking the same. She encourages law firm leaders to redefine their firms' cultures (as happened at her firm) in order to keep their talented lawyers, both male and female."

"'Ending the Gauntlet' focuses on removing barriers to women's success in the legal field, but its message is applicable across a broad range of professions and industries, and to a broad range of people who are not white males. The truth is that the playing field has yet to be leveled, and this book shows how that can be done."

"The sessions at which Lauren spoke in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York were among the most successful we held for any audience in the region in the past year. We received high turnout, in part I believe because of Lauren's reputation and the related interest in hearing her speak.

Feedback from participants was unanimously positive, with emphasis on both the strength of the content and the high quality of her delivery. ... I found Lauren a very warm and engaging speaker, at ease with interacting with the audience and fielding questions, both simple and provocative.

I think the fact that we practically had to kick people out of the room to finally end the ensuing discussions is a great testament to how much Lauren stimulated discussion and interest!"

"In Ending the Gauntlet, Lauren Stiller Rikleen emerges as an insightful business author. This highly readable, well-documented book transcends the legal profession by describing management challenges important to any professional workplace.

As illustrated in the book, some businesses, like Deloitte, are taking aggressive and creative steps to retain their women professionals. Every manager should read this book and take to heart the concise and compelling message: a successful business must effectively utilize the talents of all of its people."

"In her many roles over the past year as chairperson, solo presenter and even panelist, Lauren has proven her versatility time and again. Lauren's passion for this important issue is evident not only through her highly impressive background, but also through the energy that she effortlessly exudes during her presentations. Her ability to connect with each delegate is unparalleled, and the inquisitiveness and respect that she treats each attendee with is outstanding. Consequently, Lauren repeatedly creates a "symposium-like" environment where each individual is comfortable and compelled to speak freely. It is Lauren's ability to promote interaction and stimulate conversation through her own presentations and also as a help to other members of the speaking faculty that may not be as apt at promoting Q & A that I am always so impressed and grateful for (esp. from a production standpoint).

As the feedback forms from our conferences repeatedly prove, it is Lauren's likeable sense of humor and approachable demeanor coupled with her knowledge of the topic that repeatedly reserve her position as the 'crowd favorite.' Personally, I cannot speak highly enough of Lauren's ability to effortlessly engage an entire audience, keep on task with time management, and go above and beyond by building relationships with the audience that go beyond the conference itself."

"During my term as president of the Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, Lauren received the Bar's prestigious Lelia J. Robinson Award for her contributions to the legal profession. In front of a capacity crowd of 1,500, she delivered an inspirational acceptance speech with the humility and humor she is known for ... .

Since Lauren's book, Ending the Gauntlet: Removing Barriers to Women's Success in the Law, was published ... she has been invited to speak in many venues across the country. As an audience member, I have listened to her speak at various professional conferences and events. Each time, I was impressed with her ability to share new perspectives and wisdom based on her ongoing dedicated research.

Her presentations are clear, focused and carefully tailored for each audience. Lauren's warm humor and her insight into the human spirit resonates with her audiences, regardless of experience level, whether senior management or younger women struggling to find their place in the working world."

"Lauren Stiller Rikleen is a talented facilitator whose tailored Navigator Career Workshops incorporate a vast wealth of helpful information garnered from in-depth research Lauren has conducted over the years. In September 2010, Lauren presented her workshop to a group of female attorneys in Phoenix through the Arizona Women Lawyers Association. This was AWLA's first career training/leadership conference and we wanted a facilitator who could address not only 'rainmaking' but a variety of other topics including expanding or transitioning one's practice and becoming successful in a variety of practice areas. We had a wide array of attorneys from both private and public practice, with a spectrum of experience levels. Lauren was able to integrate the needs of our participants into her presentation, and she offered one-on-one practical advice to attendees in a 45-minute follow up telephonic conference. I took advantage of that opportunity, which I found very valuable. I highly recommend Lauren and her workshops to any women lawyers' organization."