Gender equality in the legal field has seen significant improvements in recent years. As barriers to access are fought against, the legal field has seen a massive increase in women attending law school. The same trend has been observed for women in law at the associate level. Though this influx of females at the entry-level is an astonishing feat, the same level of equality cannot be said to exist in senior positions. Beyond the associate level, there is mass gender disparity skewed towards male dominance. But, this is not to say that young women should give up hope on a high-level legal career. The successes of women in improving their position in law schools and at the associate level show only what is possible for women in the profession. It is with a critical yet optimistic eye that one should read the following statistics.
In 2020, 49% of law firm associates in Ontario were women (Women in Law, 2021).
Also in 2020, only 26.5% of law firm partners were women (Women in Law, 2021).
These figures show a staggering disparity between the number of women entering the legal field and the number that are able to climb the corporate ladder. These statistics are made even worse when looking at the sheer number of women who leave the legal field early in their careers. By the age of 50, women represent only 27% of the legal profession as opposed to composing nearly half the field early in their careers (Refo, 2019). Why are women leaving early one might ask? It is not for the reasons that early analysts suggested such as “family building” or an inability to manage a “work-life balance” (Refo, 2019). There is no evidence to suggest that women cannot handle a demanding career or that women value their family over careers more than men. Rather, research suggests that women leave the field due to misogyny in the workplace and the lack of upward mobility for their careers (Robertson, n.d.). It is thus discrimination that forces women out, not their inability to juggle two things at once.
It is a tragic loss to the legal profession that women are forced out and severely underrepresented at the partner level. The unique viewpoint that women bring to the legal field is an asset to any law firm and something that the legal field must work harder to preserve. The resilience of women and the feminist movement has led to striking advancements for women in the legal realm. Today, over half of law school graduates are women and half of law firm associates are also women (Refo, 2019). These momentous accomplishments done for women, by women are nothing to be downplayed. It is precisely this resilience coupled with the widening recognition of gender-based disparities that gives more hope than ever that women’s struggles are not only heard but at the forefront of discussion.
References
Refo, P. L. (2019, February 14). Making Strides Towards Gender Equality in the Legal Profession.
Americanbar.org. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/publications/committee_newsletters/bcl/2019/201902/fa_7/
Robertson, L. (n.d.). What law firms can do to stop the exodus of women. The Canadian Bar
Women in law: Quick Take. (2021). Catalyst. https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-law/
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