Women Lawyers Have Made Significant Strides but Work Remains to Be Done

• Citation: Vol. 51 No. 1 Pg. 0046
• Publication year: 2010
• Pages: 0046
• Year: 2010

New Hampshire Bar Journal 2010.

2010 Summer, Pg. 46. Women Lawyers Have Made Significant Strides But Work Remains to be Done

New Hampshire Bar Journal
Volume 51, No. 1
Summer 2010

Women Lawyers Have Made Significant Strides But Work Remains to be Done

By Attorney Jennifer L. Parent

Substantial progress toward gender equality has been made over the past three decades. There are more women lawyers today in positions of leadership and as equity partners in firms. With about half of the incoming lawyers being women, organizations are recognizing they need to create an environment of equal opportunity in order to attract, retain, and encourage qualified legal professionals. We celebrate those strides and accomplishments. The current statistics and studies, however, suggest a slowing down nationally. Work remains to be done.

Women have been entering the practice of law at a steady increase over the past decade. While the percentage of women in the profession has been hovering around thirty percent, more recently the numbers seem to have stalled. In 2009, women accounted for 31 percent of the total United States lawyers.(fn1) This is slightly down from 2008 when women accounted for 31.6 percent.(fn2) Prior to this, the statistics showed incremental improvements. For example, women comprised 28.9 percent of all lawyers in the United States in 2000,(fn3) increasing to 29.4 percent(fn4) five years later and 30.1 percent(fn5) two years after that.

The number of women graduating from law school has been closing in on 50 percent since 2002. According to American Bar Association (ABA) statistics, women comprised 47.1 percent of the 2008 graduates, down from 48.1 percent in 2006 and 49.5 percent in 2004.(fn6)These numbers are significant considering that it was not until the 1970s when sex-based restrictions were lifted from all accredited law schools.(fn7)

The numbers of women at the associate ranks track close to the law school graduation statistics. In 2009, women represented 45.66 percent of associates in firms.(fn8) Women summer associates comprised 46.2 percent during this same time period.(fn9) While rising steadily, the numbers at the partner ranks continue to lag behind. Data shows that of the women in private practice in 2009, only 19.2 percent were partners.(fn10) This is an increase from the 12.27 percent of women partners in 1993.(fn11)

The ABA Commission on Women in the Profession (the Commission) serves as a...