Unique Issues Facing Women in the Legal Industry and the Importance of Having the Right People in Your Corner

“Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” – Misty Copeland

As a Black woman and former ballet dancer, I have a special admiration and respect for Ms. Copeland and her talent, poise, dedication, and work ethic. Moreover, the sentiment of her statement rings true for all women in all walks of life and professions—including women in the legal industry.

Women in law face unique issues relating to pay, representation in leadership, bias and acceptance, decisions surrounding motherhood, etc., and the only way to succeed in the industry is to have people by your side who truly want to see you thrive.

Being a Lawyer is Hard Work and For Women it Comes with Even More Challenges

The journey to becoming a lawyer is rigorous and challenging. It often requires performing well in college, earning a competitive LSAT score, applying and getting accepted to law school, attending and graduating law school, which includes performing under pressure with “cold-calls” and finals (i.e., one exam that becomes your final grade for a specific class), studying for months and once again having to perform under pressure over a 2-3 day period to pass the bar exam, getting admitted to the bar, and securing employment as a lawyer.

For anyone, this career path requires perseverance and dedication. For women, the profession requires even more strength and patience to face the additional hurdles of gender bias and stereotypes.

As early as 5 years old, girls feel heightened pressure to be perfect and believe their ideas are not taken as seriously as those of boys.[1] Such sentiments persist in adulthood and in the workplace. For example, many women lawyers, including me, have had the experience of walking into a deposition, client meeting, or courtroom and it’s assumed we are the court reporter, intern, litigant, support staff—literally anyone other than an attorney—or when with a male colleague, it is assumed he is lead counsel and the woman is junior to him. There were times I had to ask male colleagues to repeat my analysis to supervisors who had previously dismissed my ideas only for the supervisor to agree with my male colleague (i.e., agree with my ideas only when voiced by a man).  

Additionally, women lawyers often face the “Goldilocks Dilemma” or having to be “just right”:

If [women] conform to the dominant feminine stereotypes—being warm, pleasant, modest, deferential, and concerned…they are often seen as “too soft” to be effective leaders. They are viewed as lacking ambition and commitment; as not having the necessary “fire in the belly” and; as being too sensitive and emotional. On the other hand, if they adopt traditionally masculine behaviors—behaving assertively, with toughness, and in a highly competitive and ambitious manner—they are likely to be seen as “too hard” to be effective leaders. They can be seen as too unpleasant, unlikable, and selfish to be included on high-profile teams or to run legal organizations.[2]

Oftentimes women lawyers must be seen as “just right” or perfect to get the same opportunities, promotions, and compensation as their not-so-perfect male counterparts. According to the latest Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms published this January by the National Association for Law Placement:

• “In 2024, the percentage of women partners grew by 1.1 percentage points to 28.83%, matching 2023’s record increase. However, women and people of color remain significantly underrepresented within the partnership ranks.”[3]

• “In 2024, the percentage of both women and equity partners of color increased; however, equity partners remain the least diverse group among all categories of lawyers.”[4]

Similar reports have shown “‘across all types and levels of attorneys, men are paid more per year than women….’”[5]  

On a day-to-day basis, women have the unique burden of expending time and money “to look and perform the narrow image of a ‘professional’ defined by our society.”[6] This stress is amplified when appearing before clients or a jury. As a judicial intern, I remember the only woman attorney appearing before my judge shared a tip with me: always have an extra pair of pantyhose during trial so the jury is not spending time focused on a run in your stockings than your arguments—considerations male lawyers generally don’t have to worry about during their day-to-day practice.

Additional layers of bias can impact women in law when looking at the intersectionality of sex and gender with other identities or statuses, including race, age, disability, religion, socio-economic status, sexuality, parental status, marital status, etc. (e.g., older women lawyers are sometimes seen as invisible, undesirable, and unemployable[7]; “women of color…still remain woefully underrepresented compared to their White peers at every level”)[8]. With respect to parental status:

Research has shown that when employers make a job offer to mothers, they offer a lower salary than they do to other women. In contrast, men do not suffer a penalty when they become fathers—it is actually the opposite. The “fatherhood bonus” prevails, in which their earnings actually increase upon being a father. A key reason behind this is the positive perception and social respect that generally surrounds fathers.[9]

These unique circumstances women often face in the legal profession can be demoralizing and exhausting, but having the right people in your corner can help alleviate the impact of those issues.

Friends, Family, and Mentorship

My first line of support has always been my parents. From a young age, my parents taught me the importance of working hard to pursue my goals and staying true to my moral compass and values, all of which have guided me through my career and other life choices. Their unconditional support helped me build the confidence and determination needed to tackle bias and stereotypes in my career. As a young lawyer, I worked with some people who viewed me as “too nice” despite getting favorable results for our clients. Without the foundation from my parents, I may have succumbed to pressure to compromise my values. Instead, I balanced advocating for my clients while staying true to myself. Even if it meant not being viewed as “perfect” for promotions or other opportunities given to my male (and/or white) colleagues, I was proud of my work and eventually moved on to other environments and opportunities where my contributions were acknowledged and valued.

Whether by blood or by choice, our family and friends can provide support through love and encouragement. Having people who know the real you and will cheer for you despite how the rest of the world may see you is invaluable to your mental health and success. On days when you may feel like you don’t have it in you to keep fighting against biased treatment, you can pull some strength from your family and friends—people who truly know you and can remind you not to give up. To this day, now working as a legal-adjacent professional far away from my life-long friends, we continue to lean on each other for support in our careers and other life matters by staying connected, listening to one another without judgment, and offering help or solutions when needed.  

Friends and family, especially those outside of the legal profession, can only help to an extent without personal knowledge of the legal industry and its challenges. I recommend women lawyers connect with experienced women in law who can share their personal insight on how to navigate and succeed in the profession and who have a sincere desire to see other women flourish. I was fortunate, after graduating from college, to secure a role as a Legal Assistant to a Senior Vice President of an in-house legal department. One of the reasons she hired me is because she knew I wanted to attend law school after working in the role for a couple of years. Instead of merely funneling tasks to me during my employment, she used every assignment and opportunity to mentor me, which prepared me for law school and the legal profession.

This is not to say the onus of mentorship should be on women. The reality is the decision-makers (e.g., partners) remain dominated by men. As such, all experienced lawyers should do their part to help eliminate bias in the profession and provide support through mentorship or sponsorship (e.g., promoting or advocating for the career advancement of others including junior attorneys).

Right People, Right Environment

Surrounding yourself with supportive friends, family, mentors, and sponsors is a method for handling the challenges women often face in the legal industry. The underlying solution is to eliminate bias in the profession. For now, the next best thing is to work in an environment where you are accepted and can flourish. In my legal career, I flourished the most as an associate working on a team led by a (male) partner who respected me and acknowledged my value to the team, trusted my work ethic and productivity, wasn’t afraid to give me credit for my work and results in front of clients, and appreciated my responsibilities outside of work (e.g., being a mom). I am no longer with that team due to personal and family reasons (e.g., moving out-of-state; pausing my legal career), but I’ll never forget how much joy and ease I experienced as a lawyer while working in that role, and…

I’ll never forget the legal recruiter who made it happen.  

Women lawyers are not a monolith, but our shared experiences demonstrate the unique challenges facing women in law. If you’re unhappy in your current position, consider working with a legal recruiter to help you find your ideal role with the right people and the right environment. Never forget “anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.” Knowledgeable and experienced legal recruiters can be part of your support team.

Sources:

[1] Girls as Young as Five Are Having Their Creativity Impacted by Pressure of Perfection and Language Bias, Lego (March 4, 2024), https://www.lego.com/en-gb/aboutus/news/2024/february/lego-play-unstoppable?locale=en-gb.

[2] Andrea Sue Kramer and Alton B Harris, Getting Beyond Bias in the Legal Profession, American Bar Association (November 2023), https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice/resources/law-practice-today/2023-november/getting-beyond-bias-in-the-legal-profession/.

[3] Danielle A. Taylor and Nikia L. Gray, 2024 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms, National Association for Law Placement at 5, https://www.nalp.org/uploads/Research/2024-25_NALPReportonDiversity.pdf (last visited March 15, 2025).

[4] Id.

[5] Joyce Sterling and Linda Chanow, In Their Own Words Experienced Women Lawyers Explain Why They Are Leaving Their Law Firms and the Profession, American Bar Association at 4, https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/women/intheirownwords-f-4-19-21-final.pdf (last visited March 15, 2025).

[6] Leilani Carver-Madalon, Double standards for women’s professional appearance persist (even working remotely), Fast Company (October 18, 2022), https://www.fastcompany.com/90796581/double-standards-for-womens-professional-appearance-persist-even-working-remotely.

[7] Jill Switzer, The Employability Of Older Women Has Struck A Nerve, Above the Law (April 12, 2017), https://abovethelaw.com/2017/04/the-employability-of-older-women-has-struck-a-nerve/.

[8] Taylor, supra note 3 at 3.

[9] Faith Bentley, The Motherhood Penalty And The Practice Of Law, Above the Law (February 6, 2025), https://abovethelaw.com/2025/02/the-motherhood-penalty-and-the-practice-of-law/.