This year, International Women’s Day is all about embracing equity - #EmbraceEquity - and how it’s a must have in any workplace. Though some businesses are embracing true equality and equity, a lot are still behind the times, despite gender equality being something that should be seen in all aspects of society.
IWD 2023 focuses on the difference between equity and equality, and why equal opportunities are not enough. It’s not enough to simply embrace equality, IWD 2023 showcases that we need to use equity to create a gender inclusive world. There are certainly strides being made about equality, but women are still underrepresented in many industries and workplaces. Below, we have taken a look at the place of women in law.
Underrepresentation of Women in Law
Though women make up over half of the workforce - 52% of lawyers in law firms are women, 46% are men - there is still a significant amount of underrepresentation, especially when it comes to senior levels and roles. For example, 61% of solicitors are female, but only 35% of partners are. This is also the case when looking at specific areas of practice, including criminal work, where only 39% of lawyers are female. The same can be said for corporate law, which has a workforce that’s 46% female.
A lot of law firms are already recognising that they need to do more for gender equality, and many have already put plans into action with the aid of meeting gender diversity targets. For example, DLA Piper is intending to raise female partnerships from 21% to 30% by 2027, and then raise it again to 40% by 2023. There are also teams working hard elsewhere to boost equality in law; the Women Lawyers Division and the Association of Women Solicitors are just two of these groups.
Why is Law So Bad for Gender Equality?
A lot of the issues with the lack of gender equality stems from the traditional structure of law firms, and the fact that partnership paths have been created with men in mind. A lot of women see partnership as a viable career option; however, it appears that men tend to end up in those roles. It appears that men are more likely to put themselves up for partnership, which further discourages other women from doing so. Without many female partners, younger females in the law industry are lacking role models.
Can Gender Inequality in Law Change?
Since the pandemic, a lot of law professionals have embraced hybrid and remote working. This has changed how, when and where work needs to be completed. For women who have previously struggled to find a balance between work life and home life, this is a huge help. Over time, this flexibility could make it easier for women to balance personal responsibilities with furthering their law career. It’s also becoming increasingly common for law firms to offer shared parental leave and varying targets for partnership candidates, both of which help women to climb the ladder.
There is a role for everyone within the legal profession to enact positive change for equality, however, it is clear that important steps are being taken to promote the equality of women in law. Unconscious bias, issues with remuneration, the gender pay gap, and limited flexible working have been identified as the main obstacles preventing women from progressing in their careers and we are striving to see this change over the next few years.