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