Over the past few decades, women have become increasingly prominent in traditionally male-dominated fields. In addition to medicine and finance, one area women have made great strides is law. Although more women than ever before are graduating from prestigious law schools at the top of their class, they still face tremendous challenges in the workforce. Below, let’s explore the latest data on this issue to better understand the opportunities and issues women face in the legal profession.
Making The Grade: Women Surpass Men In Law School
Recent enrollment data out of American law schools is very encouraging for women interested in law. Ever since 2016, the number of women graduating with degrees in law has outpaced that of men. So long as this trend continues, women should become increasingly common in law firms across the USA.
The latest enrollment numbers from 2017 show that almost 56,500 women were enrolled in a law school versus about 53,600 men. In percentage terms, women made up 51.27 percent of the law school population versus 48.69 percent of men.
What Law Schools Have The Most Female Students?
Howard University currently has the highest percentage of female JD students in the nation. Almost 70 percent of Howard University’s 2017 law students were female.
Other law schools with over 60 percent female enrollment in 2017 include John Marshall Law School, Northeastern University, and the University of the District of Columbia.
In top-tier law schools, however, female enrollment was slightly lower than men on average. The only elite universities with more female JD students than men were NYU, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, Georgetown University, and the University of California (both Berkeley and Los Angeles).
Even though it was more common for men to be enrolled in prestigious law schools, women enrollment wasn’t that far behind. For instance, female students at Yale Law Schoolmade up 47.8 percent of the population. Women also accounted for over 48 percent of law students at big nameuniversities such as Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia.
Issues For Women Lawyers In The Workforce
Despite all of this good news out of academia, many studies show female lawyers face many difficulties outpacing men in the workplace. For instance, a survey published by Law360 showed that only about 20 percent of people in leading positions at American law firms are women.
Another study conducted by the American Bar Association (ABA)suggests women are paid less for their work compared with men in the same legal professions. The ABA found that, on average, women were paid about 50 percent that of their male counterparts in law.
The ABA also found that women-of-color were the most underrepresented demographic at law firms across the nation. Surveys show that about 50 percent of American law firms have no women-of-color on their staff.
Groups Forming To Help Aspiring Female Lawyers
These issues have prompted many students to form groups and coalitions dedicated to empowering women interested in law. For instance, female law students at Lafayette University have formed the Lafayette Women in Law group, which addresses the concerns many female law students face.
Anna Bock, a Lafayette law student set to graduate in 2019, said she was inspired to create this group after learning about the historic Bradwell v. State of Illinois case. Although this case took place in 1873, Bock felt it was important for all aspiring female lawyers to consider.
In this case, a woman named Myra Bradwell was denied her right to practice law in Illinois because of her gender. Although America has come a long way since this case, many women say they feel there’s still a bias against them practicing law.
One way women hope to increase inclusivity within the legal profession is to form more groups like the Lafayette Women in Law and communicate with other universities. In addition to providing students with resources and opportunities, these groups could even help women outside the legal profession better understand their rights.
Pearce Law Firm Now Offers Empowering Women in Law Scholarship
Luckily for American female law students, The Pearce Law Firm in Philadelphia now offers an Empowering Women in Law Scholarship. As a powerful female lawyer in the Northeast, Edith A. Pearce knows the challenges young women face entering the legal profession. Pearce set up this scholarship to help a passionate female law student achieve her highest potential.