Women In The Law – Rebalancing The Books (Infographic)

Have a look at our latest infographic below.

Transcript of infographic on Women In The Law – Rebalancing The Books:

Over 60% of law graduates are female but only 30% of partners in law firms are female. So we explore how females are rapidly rebalancing the books and taking a lead in the legal profession!

1. Females v males Graduating in Law Degrees – An Eleven-Year Snapshot

2005: Female: 7,692 (63.6%)

Male: 4,392 (36.4%)

Total Male and Female = 16,464

2010: Female: 9,008 (62.9%)

Male: 5,303 ( 37.1%)

Total Male and Female = 14,311

2015: Female: 9,749 (63.1%)

Male: 5,682 (36.9%)

Total Male and Female = 15,431

2016: Female: 10,133 (63.53%)

Male: 5,817 (36.47%)

Total Male and Female = 15,950

So you can see the females make up about 2/3rds of all law graduates.

2. Females Beat The Males With Uni Degree Grades

Summer 2016 Grades:

First Class – Female: 13.3%

– Male: 11.7%

Upper 2nd Class – Female: 57.8%

– Male: 54.6%

Lower 2nd Class – Female: 23.7%

– Male: 26.7%

That shows females gaining a slight edge on the males in the better classes of degree.

3. Graduates Taking On Training Contracts with Law Firms (i.e. entering the legal profession)

In 2011 to 2012:

Female: 4,910 (60.7%)

Male: 3,185  (39.3%)

In 2012 to 2013:

Female: 3,259 (61.5%)

Male: 2,043 (38.5%)

In 2013 to 2014:

Female: 3,043 (60.8%)

Male: 1,958 (39.2%)

In 2014 to 2015:

Female: 3,427 (62.8%)

Male: 2,030 (37.2%)

In 2015 to 2016:

Female: 3,566 (62.3%)

Male: 2,162 (37.7%)

So again here females are making up 2/3rds of entrants to the legal profession.

4. Percentage change in Training Contracts Secured since 10 years ago

Female: +0.4% (3,566)

Male: -1.7% (2,162)

The total number of graduates securing training contracts has fallen by 0.4% (to 5,728) since 10 years ago, but males have been hit hardest, with females securing more of the available training contracts.

5. Female solicitors v Male solicitors on the Roll

2012 – Female: 79,958 (48.2%)

Male: 86,013 (51.8%)

2013 – Female: 77,114 (48.6%)

Male: 81,530 (51.4%)

2014 – Female: 78,627 (49.0%)

Male 81,767 (51.0%)

2015 – Female: 83,583 (49.7%)

Male: 84,643 (50.3%)

2016 – Female: 88,010 (50.2%)

Male: 87,150 (49.8%)

Therefore 2016 saw the total number of female solicitors on the Roll exceed males for the first time EVER!

* Above stats show solicitors ‘on the roll’, i.e. including practising and non-practising solicitors.

6. Practising Female solicitors v Male solicitors

2012 – Female: 61,018 (47.4%)

Male: 67,760 (52.6%)

2013 – Female: 60,871 (47.7%)

Male: 66,805 (52.3%)

2014 – Female: 62,844 (48.2%)

Male 67,538 (51.8%)

2015 – Female: 65,147 (48.8%)

Male: 68,220 (51.2%)

2016 – Female: 67,393 (49.5%)

Male: 68,783 (50.5%)

The gap between the number of female practising solicitors compared to males is at its lowest EVER and (if these growth rates are maintained) likely to outnumber their male counterparts in 2017!

7. Number of Female Partners v Male Partners

2012: Female: 8,090 (26.7%)

Male: 22,199 (73.3%)

2013: Female: 8,115 (27.2%)

Male: 21,748 (72.8%)

2014: Female: 7,985 (27.5%)

Male: 21,046 (72.5%)

2015: Female: 8,098 (28.2%)

Male: 20,594 (71.8%)

2016: Female: 8,105 (28.8%)

Male: 20,082 (71.2%)

So males still dominate at partnership level. However, females are closing the gap.

8. Females make up almost ⅔ of practising solicitors aged under 35!

26,392 practising female solicitors aged under 35 (62%)

16,167 practising male solicitors aged under 35 (38%)

This is as a result of the large percentage of females entering the profession over the last few years.

9. A greater percentage of females occupy in-house positions (2016)

Female: 22,889 (56.0%)

Male: 17,957 (44.0%)

10. Growth

Over the last 5 years (to 2016) the annual growth in the number of female solicitors averaged 3.5%. So contrast this with male solicitors, who averaged just 1.1% annual growth.

11. Conclusion

So, as the stats in this infographic show, women in the law are most definitely on the rise and will inevitably overtake men in more areas over the next few years.

(Sources: Law Society Report: Trends In The Solicitors Profession 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.)