Equality for Women at Law Firms? Only 106 Years To Go!
Women have made up 40% or more of law school students since 1985, but in 1996, only 14.2% of partners at law firms were women, and the number rose to only 17.2% in 2005. And the percentage of women equity partners is even lower; firms include non-equity partners when reporting numbers. At this rate, women will make up 50% of law firm partners in 2115.
Source: the current "Infobit" (at the sidebar) from the Project for Attorney Retention. (Older infobits here!), also included in Raising a Gavel for Women's Equality, which includes this statistic as well:
Less than 5 percent of the nation's largest law firms are led by women managing partners and only 16 percent of Fortune 500 companies have women as general counsel. And while our current Congress holds the record for the highest-ever female representation, 16 percent is no cause for celebration.
Jennifer Broxmeyer
Yale Law Women Conference Co-Chair
Yale Law School Class of 2009