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Today, women represent nearly half of the Canadian labour force — an increase of over 25 per cent from the late 70s. Despite some incredible progress, there is still a disproportionate representation of women across technology-based industries. For example, Canada has the fifth largest workforce in Artificial Intelligence (AI), but women make up less than 25 per cent of those employed in the sector.
When holding up a magnifying glass to the legal tech industry, information on the diversity of workers is sparse which can serve as an indicator of the underrepresentation of women in the field. In a recent U.S. based article, it was found that male legal tech owners outpace their female counterparts 6:1.
At Ricoh eDiscovery, we are proud to say that 60 per cent of our team is female, with 62 per cent being People Managers and 55 per cent Senior Management.
In honour of International Women’s Day and this year’s theme of #ChooseToChallenge, we asked our female colleagues about their experiences working in the legal tech industry: what drives them, what made them pursue a career in tech, the barriers they have faced (and overcame) and the advice they would give to those looking to enter the field.
 I'm often asked what has driven me towards a career in technology and funny enough, I wouldn't say I was driven towards a career in tech, but rather that a career in technology was driven towards me. Advancements in technology, and in particular, in legal technology, were rapidly gaining ground in the early years of my career in eDiscovery and legal document review. Seeing firsthand the ability of sophisticated technologies and analytics tools to drive results and reduce inefficiencies was really quite powerful. There was really no turning back!”
— Jessica Lockett, Director, Legal Operations and Review Solutions
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 Be an early adopter. You have to be nimble and learn as much as you can about the different technologies available in your field. A lot of the tacit knowledge gained is transferrable to other software. It is challenging but necessary work to stay ahead of the tech curve and continuously demonstrate value to your clients.”
— Esther Labindao, Director, Client Services
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I've been in the legal field for 20 years, but it wasn't initially considered part of the tech industry and I certainly didn't label myself a 'technologist'. Since the role of electronic evidence has grown in the legal industry I've adapted and embraced the change. Remember to challenge yourself in this new space because to imagine a legal world without technology would be remiss.”
— Selena Visser, Senior Client Services
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 Throughout my career, I have been in many situations where I was the only female in the room. My philosophy has always been not to focus on being a woman or any different from anyone else at the table. My objective is to do the best job possible and make the greatest impact regardless of my gender.”
—Tamara Porter, Director, Business Development
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More than ever, diverse perspectives, knowledge and experience are needed to grow businesses and create a foundation for success. Understand your unique abilities and how to leverage them to solve problems. Bring technology and solutions to life, but do it in your own way.”
—Andrea Williams, Vice President, Technology and Emerging Solutions
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I've learned that by studying and becoming an expert in my
field, I can quietly but confidently take charge of the conversation and command respect for my expertise. Colleagues learn to trust me and clients learn to value my solutions."
— Tami Rogers, Senior Business Development Manager
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Happy International Women's Day! Let's keep inspiring and influencing change, and continue to strive to #ChooseForChallenge. Thank you to our colleagues for offering your insights on women in the world of legal tech.
