Download - WOMEN IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN THE USA
WOMEN IN THE LEGAL
PROFESSIONIN THE USA
BREAKING INTO THE
FIELD OF LAWWomen have been a part of the legal system since the early years of this nation, but for a long time, they were prohibited from practicing law. The general impression was that women were unfit, because they were too tender to practice law.
Arabella Mansfield(1846-1911)
She became the first female lawyer in the United States when she was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1869.
Myra Bradwell (1831-1894)
1872 - the Supreme Court denied her to the bar because of her gender.
1873 - the Illinois legislature passes a law prohibiting gender discrimination.
1890 - she was admitted to the Illinois Bar.
1892 - she had received her license to practice.
Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood (1830 – 1917)
Belva Lockwood was an American attorney, politician, educator and author. She was active in working for women's rights.
She was the first female lawyer on the West Coast. The Criminal Courts Building in downtown Los Angeles was renamed after her in 2002, and is now known as the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Clara Shortridge Foltz (1849-1934)
THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN JUSTICE
NOW
The rights and roles of women have changed drastically over the last century.
Women have equal rights to men and are increasingly dominating the workplace.
In the world of law, more and more women are becoming successful and respected lawyers. Some of the best lawyers in the world are women.
Women are an important part of the USA’s legal system
Goals: keep woman lawyers informed and up-to-date on the latest
news provide support to women in law eliminate both direct and indirect discrimination against
women in the legal system make legal system more responsive to women needs
Women Lawyers Associations
the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA);
the Women’s Law Association of Ontario (WLAO);
Association of Women Lawyers in Milwaukee;
the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
Tennessee Lawyer's Association for Women(TLAW)
The Georgia Association for Women Lawyers(GAWL)
Virginia Women Attorneys' Association(VWAA)
Philadelphia Women Lawyer's Association (PWLA)
Associations:
in law firms:34,4% of all lawyers45,3% of associates at large law firms18,7% of partners at large law firmsin law schools: 19,8% of Deans29,3% of Full Professors46,8% of Associate Professors53,9% of Assistant Professors
Employment of Women in Law
Women in the Federal Judiciary:22.2% of the U.S. Supreme Court17.4% of U.S. Circuit Court Judges 16.2% of U.S. District Court Judges
Legal EducationWomen made up 47.3% of all entering law
students in 2008
Does gender segregation still continue?
Karen Mathis, the president of the American Bar Association said, “…the ABA is aware that there are discrepancies between the earnings of women and men functioning at the same level in the legal profession.” She pointed out that full-time male lawyer is paid $1,748 a week, female lawyer is paid $1,354 a week.
Women lawyers make less money than men lawyers.
Women's median earnings – about
$53,800 a yearMen’s median earnings - about
$105,200 a year
Women judges, magistrates and other judicial workers earn - $69,500
Men’s judges, magistrates and other judicial workers earn - $108,100
Women attorneys earn - $93,600Men's attorneys earn - $120,400. Women paralegals and legal assistants earn - $42,600Men paralegals and legal assistants earn - $45,700
Salary Gaps
WOMEN AND MEN: SIMILARITIES AND
DIFFERENCESin their careers as
lawyers
Women are more likely than men:
to experience discrimination in the workplace to choose law in order to help people and to
change society to work in public interest, other nonprofit and
legal service organizations to serve as public defenders to work in educational institutions to have changed jobs during the early years of
their careers to participate in recruitment in their
workplaces.
to work in private law firms
to choose the sector of their job for reasons of financial security
to be solo practitioners
to be married and to have children
to join partners for meals and recreation
Women are less likely than men:
report different reasons for choosing law as a career and for choosing the setting of their first job
express satisfaction with their jobs
tend to practice in different legal markets and work settings
Both Men and Women
FAMOUS WOMEN IN AMERICAN LAW
Sandra Day O'Connor ( 1930)
The first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (1933) is an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton. She is the second female Justice.
Sonia Sotomayor (1954)is serving since August 2009.President Barack Obama nominated Sotomayor for appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court .
The “traditional” response:
1) delay family life to focus on a career
2) to have a family
Career or Family?
What has been achieved:women have made significant progress into the
professionwomen are now entering law school in numbers
nearly equal to menwomen persuaded Congress to open the federal
courts to themwomen formed the first Association for women in lawwomen founded the first Women Lawyers’ Journalwomen are elevated to the Superior Courtwomen are admitted to the American Bar Association
women continue to lag behind men in compensation
women continue to have the barriers to equality at leadership levels in law
women continue to experience subtle discrimination and unequal treatment
the proportion of women engaged in the law is less than in the other professions
What problems remain:
organizations must find ways to retain and advance their female employees
organizations must promote women and insist on diversity in the workplace
women must continue the struggle for equality
organizations must struggle for cutting down the discrepancies between the earnings of women and men
Plans for the future:
the most prestigious educational institution – $50000-60000 a year
an average educational institution –$27000-30000 a year
the interactive course – $18000 a year
It is interesting to knowLegal Education Costs