» Network Home

As a lawyer -mom, who knows first hand how challenging it can be to balance law and family, I was not surprised by the new Catalyst Quick Takes Report, “Women in Law in the U.S.” This report reveals that female lawyers have yet to achieve parity in position and salary to male lawyers. Highlights of the report include:

• While women make up almost half of the student body at most law schools and nearly 1 out of every 2 law firm associates, they account for only 1 in 6 equity partners.
  *     Catalyst predicts that women will not achieve parity in law firm partnerships until 2088.
• Women were general counsels at 82 (16%) of Fortune 500 companies in 2008.
• “Women lawyers made 80.5% of men lawyers’ salaries in 2008.”
• “90% of law firms reported that their highest paid lawyer was a man.”
• “Nearly half as many men lawyers as women lawyers (44% v. 84%) have a spouse that is employed full-time.”
• 1 in 8 women lawyers work part-time, while only 1 in 50 men lawyers do so.
• Women of color face additional barriers, as they represent only 10.7% of all associates and 1.9% of all partners.

Unfortunately, the back story is not new: Women lawyers are opting out or being pushed out of traditional legal positions due to competing responsibilities, or perceived responsibilities, in the home arena (childcare, care of the elderly, tending to the home) and/or due to their exclusion from traditional male networks and mentoring opportunities.

Still, there is good news–there are a number of groups that have a continued and impassioned interest in helping women achieve parity and work/life balance in the legal field. For instance, the Project for Attorney Retention (PAR) works to “reduce unwanted attrition among lawyers, a benefit for both legal employers and lawyers, by promoting work/life balance and the advancement of women in the legal profession.” Similarly, FlexTime Lawers consults nationally to “law firms, corporations and lawyers on work/life balance and the retention and promotion of women attorneys.” Even law students, male and female, are getting in on the action, and seeking change in the legal work structure.

Some people say that the legal profession is not able to change, and that the profession, by its nature, is “a jealous mistress and requires a long and constant courtship.” Others, however, think differently:  Can the “long and constant courtship” still occur against the backdrop of flexible work arrangements and alternative career paths? Shouldn’t these flexible courses be available to both men and women? Isn’t this good for men, women, and families?

• Organizations , Publications , Research , Workplace