Celebrating & Empowering Women in Corporate Legal

Corporate leaders are aware the need for innovation and diversity has never been greater. This International Women’s Day, we want to shine a light on our remarkable employee resource group, ERA - whose name was inspired by the Equal Rights Amendment - for leading the charge within our own company to empower our headquarters employees and legal talent. In our interview, ERA’s current leaders, Brittney Day and Maryam Salehijam, PhD, reflected on the creation of this employee resource group (ERG), the accomplishments made since its inception, their plans for 2024, and four members who have made an impact on the group so far.

Axiom’s Largest ERG Offers Community in a Digital Workspace

Throughout the past year, ERA has been dedicated to fostering those diverse conversations while building an inclusive work environment to ignite inspiration within the Axiom community. With close to 200 members, ERA has truly set the bar high for what ERGs can accomplish at Axiom with their thought-provoking events and impactful career support initiatives.

When Brittney and Maryam were selected to be the new leaders of the ERA community, both were grateful and excited to take up the mantle. In a predominantly remote company, this ERG offers employees the opportunity to feel like they are part of something bigger. “I was really excited to be a part of the bigger company and to feel more like a part of Axiom outside of my own little world in the Product Department,” Brittney explained. Maryam agreed wholeheartedly and expanded to say that she was excited to co-lead with Brittney because she worked in a completely different department on a Sales team: “Because her role is different from mine, our conversations bring so much diversity themselves, and I really like that. It complements the purpose of the ERGs so perfectly.”

When asked what they loved most about the group before they took on their leadership roles, Brittney shared one of the highlights of last year’s activities organized by the previous leaders was their 23 Questions series. The series provided an opportunity for different members of the leadership to share their stories and career path journeys. “C-Suite leaders can come across as intimidating sometimes,” Brittney explained, “but getting to know them at a different level was really inspiring. It makes you remember that they're also just people who have families. It makes me feel like we can achieve our goals too without sacrificing other aspects of our lives.”

Another instance that showcased ERA's commitment to empowering its members was the launch of the mentorship program. Recognizing the importance of guidance and support, the program matched seasoned Axiom professionals with emerging talents, allowing for invaluable knowledge transfer and growth opportunities. Maryam, in particular, reflected on watching her mentee, Tiffani, who now leads another one of Axiom’s ERGs, Blaxiom, achieve more within the company: “It’s always scary to go one level higher. Once you get to the level you wanted, you're like, ‘OK, I got my goal. This is it.’ But then seeing her reach higher and higher and actually do it (and do it well!), I remember I can do that too. It's like that concept of a glass ceiling. I feel just by having the ERA community makes that ceiling feel very breakable.”

Spotlighting ERA Champions

While each of ERA’s members make this community vibrant and supportive, four in particular have made large impacts on their fellow members and the work they do.

Meet Aanya: As one of the previous leaders of the ERG, Aanya and her co-leader built a strong foundation for the group in their two-year term. Aanya has been an inspiration to Brittney and Maryam, encouraging them to explore new ideas with the group and take the initiatives they already launched further, like the mentorship program and the 23 Questions series.

Meet Tracey: As one of Axiom’s global colleagues, Tracey is a champion for not just her Australian and Asian teams, but for the entire ERA community. She uses her leadership at Axiom, as well as in the wider legal industry, to speak passionately about equality and women's rights, especially ageism. She is a prime example of a leader who uses their authority to shine on what matters most.

Meet LaTonya: LaTonya’s energy within the community is contagious. She constantly celebrates the achievements of various women at Axiom, hyping them up and complimenting the incredible work they’re doing. Simple messages like “Wow! What an amazing job. Keep going!” do so much for someone's confidence, and Brittney and Maryam believe that offering even the smallest moments of support makes LaTonya one of the community’s biggest allies.

Meet Shaheen: As a director in a predominantly male populated field, Shaheen is a true inspiration to her team and the rest of the ERA community. She uses her authority to uplift other women both within and outside of her department, offer support when needed, and genuinely cheer on their growth and inevitable success.

The Future of Feminine Fellowship

ERA's achievements last year set the stage for an even more exciting and impactful future. As they embark on the year ahead, Maryam and Brittney have ambitious plans to build upon their success and drive further positive change within Axiom and the broader legal community.

Brittney shared a sneak peek into their upcoming plans, saying, "We are aiming to organize training and development opportunities specifically tailored to developing the confidence to fill your positions effectively and grow into the next level. As women, it’s very hard to step outside of societal expectations to be meek and satisfied with what you have, hard to push past these norms we’ve internalized. I remember being so nervous to ask a question about salaries, but once I did, so many of my colleagues reached out to thank me for doing so. They shared it was a good question and many were wondering the same.”

Brittney and Maryam are excited to host former Harvard Law School lecturer and author Elaine Lin Hering on the very topic, exploring the contents of her book Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Your Talent, and Live More Fully. This Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credited course will be open to the public later this year, so make sure to follow our social media to stay tuned!

Maryam emphasized once more the significance of community for this global network of corporate women and allies: "When asked what they wanted to see in the future, the members shared that they just wanted more opportunities to meet as a community, and those meetings don’t have to revolve around specific topics,  have a speaker, or involve participating in a course. They just want to know that there are other women who care about women's rights and that they have a safe space. And that was a good shock to me.”

Whether it’s providing professional development opportunities, insight into the lives of powerful, successful women, or just offering a safe place for fellowship, Axiom's employee resource group, ERA, has undoubtedly made a resounding impact since its inception. By fostering inclusion, empowering individuals, and paving the way for meaningful change, ERA has set an inspiring example for ERGs everywhere.

💡 Learn more about Axiom's DEI initiatives and programs in our 2024 DEI Snapshot and recent press release.