Post by The Big PINK One♥ on May 30, 2008 21:48:56 GMT -5
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Women lawyers might have more opportunities to get into a law firm but they remain less likely to be promoted to partner, according to a U.S. study.
Researchers from the University of Iowa found women who practiced in a firm for five or more years were 13 percent less likely than men to make partner -- even if their qualifications were equal and regardless of whether they had children.
The study was based on data collected from two groups of Michigan Law School graduates -- the classes of 1972-78 and 1979-85 -- who completed surveys one year, five years and 15 years after graduation.
"Unfortunately, those who stay aren't making it to the top at the same rate as men," said Mary Noonan, an associate professor of sociology who led the study.
"We found no gender inequality at the first stage of their careers, but that final stage seems out of reach for a lot of women. And that hasn't changed at all over time."
A total of 198 women and 1,187 men were questioned in the first group and 304 women and 814 men in the second.
From those who graduated in the '70s, 75 percent of women and 87 percent of men practiced in a law firm for at least one year. Eighty-five percent of women who finished school in the '80s tested the profession, compared to 90 percent of men.
But almost 29 percent of women who earned law degrees in the '70s left private practice within four years, compared to just 11 percent of men.
Only 18 percent of women who graduated in the '80s left within four years, compared to 14 percent of men.
"That part is good news. There's no glass ceiling keeping women out of firms or pushing them out in the first couple of years. There's a welcome mat," said Noonan.
But women who graduated in the '70s and worked in a firm five years or longer had a 54 percent probability of becoming partner, compared to 67 percent for men.
The gap was no different for those who finished law school in the '80s with women having a 40 percent chance of making partner compared to 53 percent for men.
Virtually all -- 90 percent -- of female lawyers reported experiencing sexual discrimination from colleagues or clients, with discrimination as subtle as not inviting a female colleague to social events where business is discussed.
"Older men tend to feel less comfortable spending time with a young woman than with a young man. With the guys, it's more of a father-son bond -- let's play some golf, let's hit happy hour, and I'll give you some advice about your career and see what I can do to help you," said Noonan.
She said the study showed that less than half of partners in law firms were happy with their work-family balance so it's possible some women decided to avoid that stress and left.
But Noonan suspects that women want to make partner just as badly as men because of the fact they stuck with a firm instead of trying a different legal career but they were not as easily incorporated into the office network.
{Source: Yahoo! News}
What suggestions would you say you would implement to change these standards on women in law?
