As you may be aware, this blog started out in 2009 for women lawyers. My first three books were for women only, so that made sense. I am happy to say that the status of women in the legal profession has improved significantly since that time, and I like to think that projects like Best Friends at the Bar and others have helped make that difference.
So, just exactly how are women lawyers faring in the profession today? Forbes has published an article with some interesting statistics, which I think will interest all of you — even my male readers, who may be married to women lawyers or have women lawyers as members of their teams. Here are some excerpts, which I found particularly interesting.
Between 2013 and 2023, the Percentage of Female Lawyers Increased From 34% to 39%
Women have been making great strides within the legal field. The percentage of male lawyers declined from 66% to 61% over the past decade as the percentage of female lawyers increased from 34% to 39%.⁴
With women increasingly outpacing men in educational achievement—more females than males earned college degrees according to recent Census data—this comes as no surprise.
27.76% of Law Firm Partners Were Women in 2023 Compared to 20.22% in 2013
Achieving partnership in a law firm is the ultimate goal of many legal professionals, and it is one of the highest levels of professional attainment for those within the legal industry. Women are increasingly reaching this level of professional success.
More than a quarter,27.76%, of all law firm partners were women in 2023. This is a significant increase compared to 2013, when women accounted for just 20.22% of law firm partners across the United States.¹
One-third of Active Court of Appeals, District Court, Magistrate and Bankruptcy judges are women
Women are also playing an increasing role in interpreting the law rather than just practicing the law. Women now make up one-third of all active U.S. judges serving in Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, and as magistrate judges.
Although these statistics demonstrate significant gains for women lawyers, there is still important work to be done to achieve parity. For lawyer/mothers, this is particularly true and important for their professional growth.
But we must celebrate success where we find it. So, bravo to the women behind those statistics!
