Breaking through the legal glass ceiling, women have now taken the lead as the majority of new associates at U.S. law firms, despite some cities like Chicago not fully keeping pace. A recent study by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) showcases a stunning shift to 50.3% of associates being women. This marks a historical moment for gender diversity in the legal field, which has seen slow but steady progress over the decades.
Yet, in Chicago, the numbers lag behind the national average with women making up 48.9% of associates, although it's a jump from last year's 46.5%. For women in leadership, the climb has been rockier. NALP reports women represent only 27.8% of partners nationwide. According to a BizJournals report, 27.76% of partners are women. "It took another 32 years for women to achieve equal and just slightly greater representation among associates," said Nikia L. Gray, NALP executive director.
The path ahead remains steep for people of color and those identifying as LGBTQ to occupy these roles. The NALP report indicates individuals of color make up 25.8% of associates and just 10.7% of partners. Among them, women of color still have lesser visibility, with only 14.2% among associates and 4.5% of partners.
In Pittsburgh, women also face a challenging climb with just 48.03% serving as associates and 23.6% as partners, which falls behind the national average, per NALP's findings. The largest local law firms tend to reflect or even exceed these figures marginally, with Reed Smith boasting 30.19% of its partners and 54.39% of its associates being women in its Pittsburgh offices, the bizwomen news article highlighted.
The progress underscores a fragile momentum needing protection in the wake of legal admissions policy change, as noted in the Chicago Sun-Times. Last year, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in admissions, potentially threatening the diversity pipeline from undergraduate to law firms. Law School Admission Council reports, however, counter this concern with the class of 2023 being the most diverse ever, suggesting the legal profession at its entry-level is more reflective of America's diversity than ever before.
Sponsors and mentors are increasingly vital for the retention and advancement of women within law firms. The Chicago Sun-Times quotes Nicole Bashor, a patent attorney and equity partner at Husch Blackwell, emphasizing, "We need people at the higher level to make conscious decisions to include women in ways that work." Such deliberate advocacy, whether it's facilitating client interactions or leading meetings, may indeed be what bridges the gap from associate ranks to partnership tables.
