Harvard Study Examines Women’s Experience in Legal Careers

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A recently published study, The Women and Men of Harvard Law School: Preliminary Results from the HLS Career Study, examines the career status and choices of four cohorts of Harvard Law School graduates. While noting the increased number of women in the profession, the study highlights the choices women make, especially relating to family life, that affect the percentage of women in top positions.

Some findings from the study include:

  • In law firms, men are significantly more likely to be in leadership positions than women.
  • On average, women work more hours than men in law firms.
  • Twice as many women partners as men partners do not have children.
  • Women are much more likely than men to go part-time after the birth of a child.
  • Less than 50% of women with two or more children still work full time.
  • Women report facing gender discrimination at a higher rate than men.

See David B. Wilkins, Bryon Fong, and Ronit Dinovitzer, The Women and Men of Harvard Law School: Preliminary Results from the HLS Career Study (May 22, 2015) [Full text available through SSRN]

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