34% of Women Are Solos - New Study

Posted by:  Susan Cartier Liebel, Build A Solo Practice, LLC

Source: New York Lawyer, September 7, 2007 (subscription only)

"Fewer women work as solo practitioners and fewer women than men work in private law firms, according to a study released by NALP.

The report, "Women in the Profession: Findings from the First Wave of the After the JD Study," finds that 34% of solo practitioners are women and that 77% of attorneys in public interest organizations are women."

Among attorneys in professional services firms, 32% are women. Some 61% of attorneys working in educational institutions are women, and just 31% of attorneys working in Fortune 1000 companies are women.

The study also finds significant differences in regional markets. While the percentages of men and women attorneys among the survey group working in New York, Los Angeles and New Jersey were even at 50% for both genders, women attorneys in Connecticut and Tennessee made up just 37% of the attorneys. Utah has the smallest percentage of women attorneys, with 25%.

The report is based on responses from 3,905 lawyers and was written by Gita Wilder, senior social science researcher for NALP. "After the JD" sponsors, in addition to NALP, include the American Bar Foundation, the Law School Admission Council and the National Science Foundation, among others.

If these statistics are true shouldn't there be a study to see the gender split of those lawyers who leave the profession as the statistic currently floating around is 50% of all lawyers leave the profession.

If women are leaving the profession completely and in disproportionate numbers, the question then is, "Why?"  If they are not opting for the solo option, why not?