Among Us: Impostor Syndrome and Barriers to Black Success

Authors

DeShayla M. Strachan, Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Abstract

Black women are going places-but they're not going into the practice of law. While law schools are becoming more diverse, the legal profession is not. The lack of diversity in the legal profession, coupled with existing implicit bias, causes heightened Impostor Syndrome in women, especially Black women, as well as women from other underrepresented groups. The harder the impostor feelings hit, the more difficult it is to retain women of color in the legal profession. Emotions associated with Impostor Syndrome (e.g., feelings of insufficiency) begin upon entry into the legal profession, as many roadblocks prevent marginalized groups from gaining admission to law school, law practice, the legal academy, and leadership positions. To resolve these issues and overcome barriers, institutions must be intentional about including minority women and avoiding the illusion of inclusion. Those with intersectional devalued characteristics, such as women of color, would gain confidence and combat Impostor Syndrome by asserting their needs-if they knew they would be heard.

Intersectionality can double impostor feelings. Black women attorneys are highly recruited and then treated unfairly not long after their hire, causing a rollercoaster of emotions. The mistreatment contributes to their feelings of not belonging and before long, the new highly-sought-after Black woman attorney is gone. Employers should properly train new diverse attorneys, listen to their concerns, and communicate expectations. Mentor-mentee relationships should be formed at every level. Equal pay, plus equal say, equals-stay. If these changes are sincere and permanent, minority women will not only be regularly recruited, but retained in the legal profession. Women of color must be valued, which will give them the confidence to succeed in a world that has long told them they don't belong in white spaces. Only then can we have a more diverse profession and role models for law students similarly situated in the pipeline.

Disciplines

Commercial Law | Contracts | Labor and Employment Law | Law | Psychiatry and Psychology

Recommended Citation

DeShayla M. Strachan, Among Us: Impostor Syndrome and Barriers to Black Success, 29 Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just. 319 (2023).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol29/iss2/2