Though men and women enter the legal profession in equal numbers, women attorneys are underrepresented in courtrooms and on the partnership level at law firms across country. The national statistics show there is a clear disparity between men and women in the legal profession. According to the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession, women make up more than half of the population, over 59% of the workforce, and over 55% of all law students, yet are outnumbered by men in every aspect of the law past the associate level.  

In 2021, women made up almost half of all associates, but numbers fell quickly when it came to partnership. Only 26% of partners are women and only 4% are women of color. Only one-fifth of equity partners are women, and just over 10% are people of color. When it comes to compensation, across all firm sizes women earn 36% less than men. As women practice law longer, the disparity increases and is the worst for women attorneys practicing 10 years or more. For example, male partners make an astonishing 53% more than female partners. Even male equity partners earn 27% more than women equity partners.