Book Review: The Partner Track by Helen Wan

by Heather Martin, VPG Editor

The Partner Track by Helen Wan is a riveting read. It starts off as a seemingly typical legal story: a young, hot attorney, Ingrid Yung, hoping to make a partner at a prestigious law firm. However, it quickly became more nuanced and deeper. While definitely the story of a lawyer vying for partnership, it’s also a story of the struggles women and people of color face in business and everyday life.

This theme was driven home early in the story. A young Ingrid goes to New York City with her parents. The city captivates her, instilling a desire to live and work in the “City that Never Sleeps.” The day is perfectly described, drawing the reader into the city and creating a magical, wondrous New York. However, the day ends with the family going to a friend’s apartment for dinner. There, the ugly side of the city is shown, with the doorman assuming the Asian family in the lobby is delivery people.

The story continues this dichotomy in Ingrid’s life with her own partner track. She is a more than capable attorney who is sometimes overlooked because she is a woman and a minority. She is further diminished by being a “diversity hire,” which makes her feel like her skills are not as important as the color of her skin. It comes to a head when she is passed over for partner, in part, because the managing partners feel she is too busy running the diversity committee, which they asked her to head.

Although I do not fall into the category of a person of color, as a woman, I too have experienced discrimination based solely on the fact that I am a woman. As Ingrid learns over the course of the book, I’ve become more outspoken, standing up for myself and forcing others to acknowledge my contribution.

After tearing through the novel, I can understand why it was made into a mini-series on Netflix! While I have not had the chance to watch it, I plan to do so soon.