Last month the ABA released another study—“Walking Out the Door: The Facts, Figures, and Future of Experienced Women Lawyers in Private Practice”—that tried to answer the question why experienced women are leaving the practice of law. I, most other women lawyers, and especially diverse women lawyers, have no trouble answering that question.
The study surveyed experienced women lawyers in large law firms, their male counterparts and managing partners. The study noted that the number of women of color in its sample was low, not surprising given the low number of women of color in large law firms generally. The study cited the usual statistics—despite entering the profession in large numbers for the past 40 years, women remain underrepresented in equity partnership ranks and leadership positions, and progress is slow. Progress is further complicated by the ever-shrinking numbers of equity partners in large law firms. Since 2015 the number of partner promotions among AmLaw 200 firms has dropped by 29%. Of course, for those of us with lived experiences, as women lawyers, as lawyers of color, as LGBTQ lawyers or lawyers with disabilities, these numbers are hardly surprising.
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