For the first time in history, women now make up more than half of associates at law firms, according to the National Association for Law Placement’s diversity report.

In 2023, the percentage of female associates just past 50%, at 50.3%, reflecting a dramatic increase from prior years. When the NALP first started gathering data in 1991, only 38% of associates in private practice were women, although that number was increasing. However, the Great Recession kicked off a steep decline in women associates up until 2015, when the percentage of female associates began steadily increasing again.