A Law Technology Today article about the potential of legal tech and e-discovery to diversify the legal profession cited a Fordham Law Review statistic on the disparity between male and female lawyers that ultimately make partner.
The legal field has come a long way in recent years. However, there are many areas where it lags, primarily in diversity. Following natural sciences and dentistry, the American Bar Association finds lawyers are one of the least diverse groups of professionals.
Progress has been made in recent years to diversify the field. In the United States, racial and ethnic minority groups constitute approximately one-fifth of law school graduates. Women account for upwards of one-third of lawyers.
When it comes to leadership positions at firms, however, female and minority attorneys are far and few between. Racial and ethnic minority groups comprise less than 7% of law firm partners.
Fordham Law Review finds male lawyers are between two and five times more likely to make partner over their female counterparts. Some may argue that women are charged with spending more time away from the office and therefore are less likely to be considered for partner. The research, however, suggests otherwise. Women who do not take time off from the office and work longer hours still have a lesser likelihood of making partner than men.