Women in Law in the U.K.
Education
- In 2010, 59.1% of new admissions were women. 1
- 22.1% of all new admissions where race/ethnicity was known were black minority or minorities. 2
The Gender Gap in Law
Employed Barristers
- Women were 46.2% of all employed barrister,3 but 31.5% of all self-employed barristers.4
Employed Solicitors
- Women are 45.8% of solicitors with practicing certificates. 5
- Since 2000, the number of women holding practising certificates has increased by 79.7%.6
- The average age of women solicitors is younger than the average age of men solicitors. 7
Average Age of Certificate Holders and Solicitors by Gender and Occupation8
|
Women’s Share of Various Employment Categories of Practising Certification Holders9 |
|
|
Category of Employment |
Women Solicitors as a Percent of Total |
|
Health Services |
75.0% |
|
Advice Service |
70.0% |
|
Educational Establishment |
66.4% |
|
Local Government |
63.2% |
|
Trade Union |
63.1% |
|
Government Funded Services |
58.1% |
|
Crown Prosecution Service |
57.2% |
|
Accountancy Practice |
55.0% |
|
All Non-private Practice |
51.3% |
|
Not Attached to an Organization |
49.2% |
|
Commerce/Industry |
48.8% |
|
Court |
48.3% |
|
Private Practice |
43.0% |
|
Government Department |
42.2% |
|
Nationalised Industry |
33.3% |
|
Others |
32.5% |
|
Total |
45.2% |
Race/Ethnic Minorities in Law
- Of all solicitors for whom race/ethnicity is known, 11.9% of these solicitors on the roll are from minority ethnic groups. 10
- Of all solicitors for whom race/ethnicity is known, 11.1% of those with practicing certificates and 10.3% of those in private practice also are from minority ethnic groups. 11
SOURCES
1Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
2Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
3 Bar Council, "Employed Bar by Ethnicity and Gender Table" (2009).
4 Bar Council, "Self-Employed Bar by Ethnicity and Gender Table" (2009).
5Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
6Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
7Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
8Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
9Bill Cole, Nina Fletcher, Tara Chittenden, and Joanne Cox, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2009, The Law Society (2010).
10Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
11Nina Fletcher and Yulia Muratova, Trends in the Solicitors’ Profession: Annual Statistical Report 2010, The Law Society (2010).
UPDATED August 18, 2011
