Knowledge Center

Population

• Lawyers wishing to practice law in Canada must be a member of one of the 14 law societies governed by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.1*
  • In 2010, there were 22,261 practicing women lawyers and 37,617 practicing men lawyers.2*†
• For new lawyers practicing 0-5 years, in many areas, women are the majority, or close to the majority, and their numbers and percentages increased from 1998 to 2010 3,4:
  • Manitoba: 60.0% of the newest lawyers are women, up from 44.1% in 1998
  • Saskatchewan: 52.1%, up from 45.6%
  • Ontario: 52.0%, up from 47.1%
  • British Columbia: 53.0% up from 46.9%
  • Barreau du Quebec:61.3%, up from 58.0%
• Only 16.5% of women in Ontario and 14.9% in British Columbia have been members of the Federation of Law Societies for 26 years or more.5

Flexibility in Canadian Law Firms

Catalyst conducted a nationwide survey of lawyers working in law firms across Canada and presented its findings in a series of reports. Some highlights include:

• Of the women lawyers in the study, 28% reported participating in a flexible work arrangement, compared to 21% of men.6
• 69% of lawyers who had never used a flexible work arrangement expressed that they would like to use one, and 86% of those who had already used one stated they would like to use another.7
• 50% of lawyers said they felt their firms were doing "poorly" or "very poorly" in their provision of flexible work arrangements.8
• Percentage finding it difficult to manage the demands of work and personal/family life:
  • 75% women associates9
  • 69% women partners10
  • 66% of men associates11
  • 46% of men partners.12
• When an associate leaves—potentially because of work-life tension—the average cost including investment costs (such as training and development) and separation costs = $315,000.13

Partnership

A longitudinal survey of Ontario lawyers from 1990-2002 found that women and men have differing partnership arrangements.

• 51% of women were senior partners compared to 71% of men.14
• 40% of women had an alternative partnership arrangement, such as part-time or salaried compared to 18% of men.15

Visible Minority and Aboriginal Lawyers

• A recent study of lawyers in Ontario found that racialized women accounted for 16% of all lawyers under 30, compared to 5% of lawyers 30 and older in 2006.16
• Racialized men accounted for 7% of lawyers under 30, compared to 6% of lawyers 30 and older.17
• Visible minority lawyers accounted for 11.5% of all lawyers.18
• Aboriginal lawyers accounted for 1.0% of all lawyers.19
• Women and men have similar earnings at the beginning of their careers, but a gender gap opens up at age 30 and the increases with age.
  • In 2005, the median earnings of women aged 35 to 39 was 15 percent below that of men of a similar age and that number increases to 16 percent lower for lawyers 45 to 49.20

LAWYER'S MEDIAN EARNINGS, ONTARIO, 2005 21

* The Federation collects information from 10 provinces and 3 territories, with Quebec reporting separate numbers for notarial professions (Chambre des Notaires du Québec) and lawyers (Barreau du Québec). Further information about the practice of law in Canada here: http://www.flsc.ca/en/lawSocieties/lawSocieties.asp

†2007 gender data for Nunavut not available.

How to cite this product: Catalyst. Catalyst Quick Take: Women in Law in Canada. New York: Catalyst, 2012.

• 1. Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 2010 Law Societies Statistics.
• 2. Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 2010 Law Societies Statistics.
• 3. Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 1998 Law Societies Statistics.
• 4. Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 2010 Law Societies Statistics.
• 5. Federation of Law Societies of Canada, 2010 Law Societies Statistics.
• 6. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Lawyers State Their Case on Job Flexibility (2006).
• 7. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Lawyers State Their Case on Job Flexibility (2006).
• 8. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Lawyers State Their Case on Job Flexibility (2006).
• 9. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Creating Opportunities for Better Balance (2005).
• 10. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Creating Opportunities for Better Balance (2005).
• 11. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Creating Opportunities for Better Balance (2005).
• 12. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Creating Opportunities for Better Balance (2005).
• 13. Catalyst, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Building the Business Case for Flexibility (2005).
• 14. F.M. Kay, C. Masuch, and P. Curry, Turning Points and Transitions: A Longitudinal Survey of Ontario Lawyers 1990-2002, Report to The Law Society of Upper Canada (September 2004).
• 15. F.M. Kay, C. Masuch, and P. Curry, Turning Points and Transitions: A Longitudinal Survey of Ontario Lawyers 1990-2002, Report to The Law Society of Upper Canada (September 2004).
• 16. Michael Ornstein, Racialization and Gender of Lawyers in Ontario, Report for the Law Society of Upper Canada (April 2010).
• 17. Michael Ornstein, Racialization and Gender of Lawyers in Ontario, Report for the Law Society of Upper Canada (April 2010).
• 18. Michael Ornstein, Racialization and Gender of Lawyers in Ontario, Report for the Law Society of Upper Canada (April 2010).
• 19. Michael Ornstein, Racialization and Gender of Lawyers in Ontario, Report for the Law Society of Upper Canada (April 2010).
• 20. Michael Ornstein, Racialization and Gender of Lawyers in Ontario, Report for the Law Society of Upper Canada (April 2010).
• 21. Michael Ornstein, Racialization and Gender of Lawyers in Ontario, Report for the Law Society of Upper Canada (April 2010).