Female lawyers lag behind males in pay, status

Women make about $31,000 a year less than men and face a glass ceiling when trying to break into the upper echelons of law.

In the U.S., 30 per cent of lawyers and most law students are women – yet they lag behind men in both pay and status, according to a study released by the American Bar Association.

Women make about $31,000 a year less than male lawyers. And a glass ceiling still prevents women from achieving the upper ranks in law.

In the U.S., women account for:

•5 per cent of managing partners or large law firms;
•10 per cent of law school deans and corporate counsels; and
•15 per cent of federal judges.

Stereotypes about women, inadequate support networks and hours and workplace structures that do not easily accommodate family life contribute to the discrepancy.

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