Women in Law News

In a significant development in the legal world, recent figures indicate a shift in gender representation at U.S. law firms with more women in law than ever.

For the first time in 2023, women associates outnumbered their male counterparts, accounting for over 50 percent of the total.

National Association for Law Placement (NALP) survey shows that 50.3 percent of U.S. associates were women last year, marking the first time women outnumbered men

This change reflects the growing trend of more women pursuing legal careers, as seen in law school enrollments over the past eight years.

Women comprised slightly more than 38 percent of law firm associates when NALP first began tracking diversity data in 1991, according to the organization. The data is taken from the NALP’s directory of legal employers and includes law firms across the United States.

While there has been progress in women’s representation at partner levels, the increase has been slower, highlighting ongoing challenges in achieving gender parity, especially in senior positions.

The data also reveals a rise in racial diversity among law firm associates, though the percentage of minority students in summer associate internships saw a slight decline, signaling potential challenges ahead in maintaining diversity growth.