Stressors that Impact Women Lawyers More (and Why Men Should Care)

Women's History Month is a much needed moment to highlight the impact of womanhood in the legal profession. The 2023 Profile of the Profession , published by the American Bar Association sheds light on the experience of women lawyers, with a focus on law firms:

• Representation and Leadership: While women represent 39% of the legal profession (up from 33% in 2020) women lawyers are found in greater numbers at lower levels in the law firm hierarchy. Women hold only a small percentage of law firm leadership jobs in 2020 (12% of managing partners, 28% of governance committee members and 27% of practice group leaders). That lack of representation in leadership directly impacts the next two statistics - compensation and wellbeing.
• Compensation: In 2020, female associates and female nonequity partners received, on average, 95% of the compensation of their male counterparts. While this is an improvement, data also shows that male and female lawyers begin at roughly equivalent salaries but that the female lawyers earn nearly 40% percent less fifteen years later. Further, among equity partners, women received just 78% of the compensation of men, on average. There were virtually no women among the very highest compensated law firm attorneys in 2020. Only 2% of law firms said their highest-paid attorney is female – and that number actually dropped from 8% in 2005. Layer on being a woman of color and the compensation disparities compound.
• Recognition & Advancement: Female lawyers also reported significantly less job satisfaction than men in several important areas. For example, 71% of men said they were satisfied with the recognition they received at work, but only 50% of women said the same. Likewise, 62% of men said they were satisfied with opportunities for advancement at their law firms, but only 45% of women felt the same.
• Wellbeing: Women attorneys have worse wellbeing markers than their male counterparts. 23% of women reported moderate or severe anxiety (compared with 15% of men), 20% of women reported moderate or severe depression (compared with 15% of men) and 34% of women reported hazardous drinking (compared with 25% of men). In addition to the general stress of the profession, women lawyers also navigate the added emotional stress.

The 2023 Profile also demonstrates that men and women perceive gender disparities from drastically different perspectives: the majority of men don't see that there's a problem. Few people are willing to invest energy into solving problems they don't believe exist, so I'm exploring why male lawyers should care about resolving these gender-based disparities.

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ICYMI:

The Michigan Commission on Well-Being in the Law had their first meeting this year. As a Commissioner, I'll be exploring ways to improve well-being in the legal profession. For me, it starts with culture. We need a shift in how we value wellbeing. I look forward to sharing more, but here are some initial insights:

Wellbeing In Law Week is May 6-10, 2024.

How will your organization advocate for lawyer wellbeing?

Karissa Wallace is wellbeing coach, speaker & trainer. Whether virtual or in-person, Karissa delivers highly-rated workshops inspiring attendees to improve their wellbeing in practical and actionable ways. Invite Karissa to host a workshop at your firm, company or law school.

Other Musings

Women often get pushed into support roles, rather than elevated into leadership.

Finding Meaning in Mentorship. Mentorship is important in the legal profession. Think of a mentor a member of your own personal board of directors. These are the professionals you trust to give you guidance when you're facing decision points or want alternative perspectives. Some can also show you the ropes and open up doors for you future success. Mentorship has benefits for the mentor as well. I enjoy being a mentor because it brings me joy to help other people grow & succeed. It reminds me of the role I can play in changing the culture of the legal profession and brings more meaning to my work. Here's a few thoughts on the value of mentorship as a lawyer .

“We’re here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark.” — Whoopi Goldberg

Tips for a #BetterLawLife

REFOCUS

As lawyers, part of our job is to issue spot and focus on what could go wrong. This supercharges our human tendency towards negativity bias (a survival tool), so its easier for lawyers to get stuck in loops of negative thought.

The next time you notice yourself on the negative-nancy train, pause. Take a deep breath. Notice 1 thing with each of your senses (what you can see, hear, smell, taste & feel) to bring yourself back into the present moment. Then make a list of 5 things you appreciate. Add another 5 if you can.

It's impossible to drown out that overly critical voice with more self-criticism. Instead, try intentionally focusing on what is good, for however brief of moments you can. Build momentum toward that, because what you focus on is your reality.

REST

Did you know that sleep deprivation is the #1 determinant of burnout. If you're consistently getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night, you may be at risk. Many lawyers experience sleep difficulties because stress lowers our capacity to get restful sleep. It's frustrating that the rest you need most can become most elusive. Here's a few tips to help you optimize your sleep .

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