Women in Law in the U.S.
Education
- In the 2009-2010 class, women made up 47.2% of J.D. students.1
- 1993 was the year of the highest percent of women as J.D. students—50.4%.2
- In the 2009-2010 class, people of color made up 22.4% of J.D. students.3
Women as a Percent of J.D. Enrollment, 1972-20104
The Gender Gap in Law
- In 2010, women made up 31.5% of all lawyers. 5
- Women were 45.4% of associates in 2011.6
- Women were 47.7% of summer associates in 2011. 7
- Given the same rate of change, Catalyst estimates that it will take more than a woman lawyer’s lifetime to achieve equality.8
% Women Partners in Law Firms from 1995-2011, Select Years9
- There is a drastic difference between women and men at the highest levels in law firms. According to a recent survey of law firms,
- 11% of the largest law firms in the U.S. have no women on their governing committees, 10
- Women partners constituted only 16% of those partners receiving credit for having $500,000 worth of business or more. 11
Women and Men on Influential Committees at Law Firms12
- A recent study revealed that no state has ever achieved equality of women and the men in federal or state judgeships.13
- Only 23% of all federal judgeships were held by women, and only 27% of state judgeships were held by women. 14
- In one study of law school faculty, only 20.6% of law school deans were women.15
- In a survey of the 50 best law firms for women,
- 10% of firm chairpersons were women, 16
- 12% of the firms had women managing partners, 17
- 19% of the equity partners were women, 18
- 28% of the nonequity partners were women, 19 and
- 41% of the of-counsels were women. 20
Percent of Positions at Law Firms, by Gender21
- Women appear to be most successful in single-tier firms. 22 Promotion rates of women equity partners is strongest in single-tier firms, in one survey of the top 50 best law firms for women: 23
- 21% of all equity partners were women at single-tier firms vs. 17% of equity partners at two-tier firms.24
- Of newly appointed equity partners, 36% were women at single-tier firms vs. 23% at firms with two-tiers. 25
Where Women and Men Are Practicing Law26
- Women were 101 of general counsels at Fortune 500 companies in 2010.27
- Women lawyers made 77.1% of men lawyers’ salaries in 2010.28
Women’s Salary as a Percent of Men’s Salary, by Type of Lawyer29
Work-Life in Law
- One study found that nearly half as many men lawyers as women lawyers (44% vs. 84%) have a spouse that is employed full-time.30
- At the top 50 best law firms for women, on average, women receive 14 paid weeks of maternity leave, but on average, only take 12. 31
- Men received just six weeks paternity leave, but on average, only took two weeks. 32
- For paid adoption leave (for the primary caregiver), on average, individuals received 11 weeks, but on average, only took three weeks of leave. 33
- The best law firms for women have made great strides in work-life policies:
- 100% have reduced hour policies; 34
- 44% of have written full-time flex policies; 35
- 78% offer full-time telecommuting; 36
- 94% of firms allow their reduced-hour lawyers to be eligible for equity partnership; 37
- 78% provide backup childcare at a facility. 38
Women of Color in Law
- One Catalyst study examined the experiences of women of color at law firms, comparing their experiences to people of color’s experiences and white women’s experiences. The findings included:
- Women of color were more likely than any other group to experience exclusion from other employees, racial and gender stereotyping.39
- Women of color were most likely to consider leaving the firm. 40
- Women of color were most likely to feel it necessary to make adjustments to fit in. 41
- Women of color cited dissatisfaction with current level of work relative to work experience, and with access to high-profile client assignments. 42
- Women of color experienced lack of constructive feedback as a barrier to advancement. 43
- Women of color perceived a lack of commitment from senior leadership towards promotion of diverse candidates. 44
- Women of color were less likely to aspire to partnership. 45
- Another recent study found 11.0% of associates are women of color. 46
- Only 2.0% of partners were women of color. 47
- In 2010, there were only 15 women of color general counsels in the Fortune 500. 48
Sources
1 American Bar Association, "Enrollment and Degrees Awarded 1963-2010."
2 American Bar Association, "First Year and Total J.D. Enrollment by Gender 1947 – 2010."
3 American Bar Association, "First Year J.D. and Total J.D. Minority Enrollment for 1971 – 2010."
4 American Bar Association, "First Year and Total J.D. Enrollment by Gender 1947 – 2010."
5 Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Table 11: Employed Persons by Detailed Occupation, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).
6 The National Association for Law Placement, "Law Firm Diversity Wobbles: Minority Numbers Bounce Back While Women Associates Extend Two-Year Decline" (November 3, 2011).
7 The National Association for Law Placement, "Law Firm Diversity Wobbles: Minority Numbers Bounce Back While Women Associates Extend Two-Year Decline" (November 3, 2011).
8 Catalyst, Unpublished Calculation (2011).
9 The National Association for Law Placement, "Law Firm Diversity Wobbles: Minority Numbers Bounce Back While Women Associates Extend Two-Year Decline" (November 3, 2011).
10 National Association of Women Lawyers and The NAWL Foundation, Report of the Sixth Annual National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms (October 2011).
11 National Association of Women Lawyers and The NAWL Foundation, Report of the Sixth Annual National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms (October 2011).
12 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
13 The Center for Women in Government and Civil Society (Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at University of Albany), Women in Federal and State-level Judgeships (2011).
14 The Center for Women in Government and Civil Society (Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at University of Albany), Women in Federal and State-level Judgeships (2011).
15 American Association of Law Schools, 2008-2009 AALS Statistical Report on Law Faculty.
16 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
17 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
18 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
19 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
20 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
21 National Association of Women Lawyers and The NAWL Foundation, Report of the Sixth Annual National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms (October 2011).
22 National Association of Women Lawyers and The NAWL Foundation, Report of the Sixth Annual National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms (October 2011).
23 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
24 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
25 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
26 NALP, Jobs & JDs: Employment and Salaries of New Law Graduates- Class of 2010 (2011) p. 52-54.
27 Minority Corporate Counsel Association, "MCCA Survey: Women Serving as General Counsel At Fortune Companies Reaches New High" (2011).
28 Current Population Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Table 39: Median Weekly Earnings of Full-time Wage and Salary Workers by Detailed Occupation and Sex," Annual Averages 2010 (2011).
29 National Association of Women Lawyers and The NAWL Foundation, Report of the Sixth Annual National Survey on Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms (October 2011).
30 Catalyst, Women in Law: Making the Case (2001).
31 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
32 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
33 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
34 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
35 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
36 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
37 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
38 NAFE and Flex-Time Lawyers, "Executive Summary," Best Law Firms for Women 2011 (2011).
39 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
40 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
41 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
42 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
43 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
44 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
45 Deepali Bagati, Women of Color in U.S. Law Firms (Catalyst, 2008).
46 The National Association for Law Placement, "Law Firm Diversity Wobbles: Minority Numbers Bounce Back While Women Associates Extend Two-Year Decline" (November 3, 2011).
47 The National Association for Law Placement, "Law Firm Diversity Wobbles: Minority Numbers Bounce Back While Women Associates Extend Two-Year Decline" (November 3, 2011).
48 Minority Corporate Counsel Association, "MCCA Survey: Women Serving as General Counsel At Fortune Companies Reaches New High" (2011).
UPDATED on January 9, 2012
