Women In Law Statistics 2024

• Women make up 39.51%¹ of the more than 1.3 million lawyers² in the United States.
• Belva Lockwood was the first woman admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court in 1879 and became the first woman to argue before the nation’s highest court a year later.³
• Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman appointed to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981.³
• Although 17.54% of law firm associates were women of color in 2023, just 4.89% of partners were women of color.¹
• Demand for lawyers is expected to grow by 8% from 2022 to 2032, and all legal occupations are expected to grow by 6% above the 5% average growth rate for all occupations.⁴

Here are some details about who is practicing law in the United States and what role women play in this important industry.

The Average Age For Lawyers in 2022 Was 46

In 2022, the median age for attorneys was 46 years old.⁴ This is older than the overall median age of 42 across all professions.

This is due to the extensive educational requirements to practice law, and also explains why there are only around 3,000 lawyers each year between the ages of 20 and 24, compared with 156,000 who are 65 and over.⁵

In 2023, 2.28% of All Lawyers at Firms Were Black Women

Black women comprise a small percentage of all lawyers employed in U.S. Law firms, accounting for only 2.28% of all attorneys.

There are fewer female Black female attorneys than many other minority groups, including Asian and Latino attorneys.4

In 2023, 2.34% of All Lawyers at Firms Were Latina Women

Latina women are better represented at U.S. law firms than Black Women, accounting for 2.34% of all lawyers compared with just 2.28%.⁴

4.81% of All Lawyers at Firms Were Asian women in 2023

There is nearly double the number of Asian female lawyers at U.S. firms compared with Black or Latina female attorneys. Asian women make up 4.81% of all attorneys in the United States.⁴

0.07% of All Lawyers at Firms Were Native American or Alaskan Native Women in 2023

Very few Native American or Alaskan Native women are attorneys practicing law in U.S. firms. Just 0.07% of all lawyers fall within this demographic group.⁴

0.04% of All Lawyers at Firms Were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Women in 2023

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women are the least represented of any women at U.S. firms, accounting for just 0.04% of total U.S. attorneys employed at firms across the country.⁴

In 2023, 1.99% of all Lawyers Identified as Having a Disability, Up From 1.41% in 2022

The number of disabled attorneys is increasing rapidly. While just 1.41% of all lawyers identified as having a disability in 2022, 1.99% reported having a disabling condition in 2023.

While this is still a small percentage, it suggests increased inclusivity. However, it could also be explained in part by an aging legal population, with more disabled attorneys remaining employed even as their health declines.⁴

The Percentage of LGBTQ+ Lawyers Rose to 4.57% in 2023

In 2023, 4.57% of all attorneys employed at U.S. firms identified as LGBTQ+. However, only 2.57% of partners are in this demographic group.⁴

The rise in LGBTQ+ attorneys is largely explained by growing openness and acceptance among younger generations. Since 2018, the percentage of summer associates identifying as LGBTQ+ has more than doubled. Between 2022 and 2023 alone, there was a 2.3%increase in LGBTQ+ associates. The summer associates program is how many firms hire new lawyers.⁴

By contrast, only 2.57% of law firm partners identify as LGBTQ+. Partners tend to be older, more established attorneys who may not have spent their formative years in an environment of inclusivity and who may not be as comfortable with these identities.⁴

Between 2013 and 2023, the Percentage of Female Lawyers Increased From 34% to 39%

Women have been making great strides within the legal field. The percentage of male lawyers declined from 66% to 61% over the past decade as the percentage of female lawyers increased from 34% to 39%.⁴

With women increasingly outpacing men in educational achievement—more females than males earned college degrees according to recent Census data—this comes as no surprise.⁴

Attorneys practice across the United States, but there are higher concentrations of lawyers in certain areas than others.

Much of this is explained by different demographics. For example, there are more New York City car accident lawyers than car accident attorneys in smaller cities with fewer people and fewer car accidents. These statistics show where most lawyers are working on behalf of their clients.

States With the Highest Employment Levels for Lawyers are California, New York, Florida, Texas and the District of Columbia

Some of the country’s most populous states unsurprisingly have many working attorneys. Washington, D.C., the epicenter of U.S. politics, also has a disproportionate number of lawyers as so many laws are made in the Capital.

Women are playing increasingly influential roles within these legal meccas, as Bar Association data demonstrates.⁷

• In 2022, 44% of California attorneys were women.⁸
• 37% of New York State Bar Association members are women.⁹
• Out of all attorneys eligible to practice law and in good standing in Florida, 41% are women.¹⁰
• The number of active State Bar of Texas women attorneys increased by 38% in recent years, rising from 29,618 attorneys in 2011 to 40,923 in 2021.¹¹

States With the Highest Concentration of Lawyer Jobs in 2022 Were the District of Columbia, New York, Florida, Delaware and Massachusetts

Attorney jobs also tend to be concentrated in areas with large populations or where a substantial amount of business or legislation occurs. For example, while Delaware is a small state, many corporations are headquartered there due to favorable laws, resulting in a high concentration of legal jobs.⁷

The District of Columbia Was the Top Paying State for Lawyers in 2022

Attorneys in areas with high demand for lawyers also tend to receive disproportionately higher pay for their work. Nowhere is this truer than in Washington, D.C., where the average pay for attorneys is the highest in the country at $226,510.⁷ Other top-paying states include:

• California ($201,530)⁷
• Massachusetts ($196,230)⁷
• New York ($188,900)⁷
• Connecticut ($174,520)⁷

The high cost of living in many of these areas may also help to explain elevated lawyer salaries. For example, truck accident lawyers in New York City earn more than those in smaller metro areas or urban and rural areas, but their expenses are likely also much higher.

New York, Newark, Jersey City and the Pennsylvania region were the Top-Paying Metros for Lawyers in 2022

Lawyers work in urban, suburban and rural areas, but often, some of the largest firms are located in metro areas. This means it may be easier to find Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyers than to find personal injury lawyers in rural Virginia.

Specific urban locations also have an elevated concentration of legal professionals. For example, the metro with the highest employment levels for lawyers is the New York, Newark, Jersey City and Pennsylvania regions.

Other areas with a large number of jobs for lawyers include:

• The Washington, D.C., Arlington, Alexandria metro area in DC, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.⁷
• The Los Angeles, Long Beach and Anaheim metro areas in California.⁷
• The Chicago, Naperville and Elgin metro areas in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.⁷
• The Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach metro area in Florida.⁷

Each of these metros is also located in states which employ a disproportionate share of legal professionals.

The Washington, D.C., Arlington and Alexandria Metro Area is the Best Location for Lawyers

Washington, D.C., takes the top position in many categories for lawyers due to the lucrative and plentiful legal positions in our nation's capital.

The Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro area in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia is considered the best metropolitan location for lawyers based on job concentration and location quotient. Other top areas include:

• Tallahassee, FL⁷
• Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, FL⁷
• New York, Newark, and Jersey City⁷
• Santa Fe, NM⁷

San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara is the Top Paying Metro for Lawyers ($267,840)

Finally, attorneys in certain metro areas have salaries that far outpace their peers. In the top metro area for lawyers in 2022—the San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Santa Clara area—the average salary was $267,840.⁷

Other top-paying metro areas for lawyers include:

• The San Francisco, Oakland and Hayward, CA area ($239,330)⁷
• The Washington, Arlington and Alexandria metro area in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia ($211,850)⁷
• The Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk metro area in Connecticut ($209,770)⁷
• The Oxnard, Thousand Oaks and Ventura metro area in California area ($207,970)⁷

The Average Annual Salary for a Lawyer Was $135,740 in 2022

Attorneys earn an above-average salary compared to all professions, in part because of their specialized training. In 2022, the average annual salary for a lawyer was $135,740. Lawyers employed by the federal government earned the highest median salaries, while those employed by state governments earned the lowest.⁴

There are Significant Income Gaps Between Men and Women in the Legal Profession—Especially at Higher Levels

There is a gender wage gap throughout the United States, and female attorneys are not immune from its effects. Men make up a disproportionate share of the highest-paid attorneys, as this data shows:

• Among lawyers earning $150,000—$199,999, 60% are men and 40% are women¹²
• Among lawyers earning $200,000—$299,999, 65% are men and 35% are women¹²
• Among lawyers earning $300,000—$499,999, 71% are men and 29% are women¹²
• Among lawyers earning $550,000—$749,999, 78% are men and 22% are women¹²
• Among lawyers earning $750,000—$1,000,000, 76% are men and 24% are women¹²

2023 Median Weekly Earnings in Legal Jobs was $2,301 for Men and $1,543 for Women on Average

Male attorneys have a significantly higher average wage than female attorneys. In 2023, the median weekly earnings for male lawyers was $2,505 compared with $2,330 for female attorneys. That’s a difference of nearly $10,000 a year.¹³

Most Lawyers Choose Seven Out of Ten or Higher When Rating Job Satisfaction

Most attorneys are happy with the work they perform overall. More than 50% of attorneys rate their satisfaction on a scale of seven or higher out of 10. By contrast, only a small minority—6% —are dissatisfied, selecting a satisfaction rating of between zero and two.

The remaining 35% rate their satisfaction between three and six, indicating they are neutral about their job satisfaction.¹⁴

While women make up an ever-greater percentage of attorneys, challenges remain.

Senior Women Attorneys are More Likely than Men to Report Gender-based Negative Work Experiences

Despite decades of focus on making the workplace more inclusive, many female lawyers still experience gender-related issues in the workplace. While senior women are disproportionately likely to have been affected, even younger women are not immune, as these troubling statistics show:

• 53% of women attorneys felt they had been treated as a token representative of diversity, compared to just 1% of men.
• 53% of women attorneys report being denied or overlooked for advancement or promotion, compared to 7% of men.¹⁵
• 54% of women attorneys report being denied a salary increase or bonus, compared to 4% of men.¹⁵
• 63% of women attorneys report being perceived as less committed to their careers, compared to 2% of men.¹⁵
• 67% of women attorneys report experiencing a lack of access to a business development opportunity, compared to 10% of men.¹⁵
• 75% of women attorneys report experiencing demeaning comments, stories, and jokes, compared to 8% of men.¹⁵
• 82% of women attorneys report being mistaken for a lower-level employee, compared to 0% of men.¹⁵

24.2% of Women Considered Leaving the Legal Profession Due to Mental Health Issues, Burnout or Stress

Since female lawyers receive less pay than their male counterparts, are more often subject to workplace discrimination and are more often tasked with family responsibilities at home, it should come as no surprise that more female lawyers consider leaving the legal profession than male attorneys. Nearly one-fourth of women (24.2%) have considered leaving their field, compared to 17.4% of their male counterparts.¹⁶

In 2022, 55.7% of Students Pursuing a Juris Doctorate Were Women

While men account for a larger percentage of current attorneys, women may account for a larger percentage of future ones. In fact, in 2022, more than half—55.7%—of students pursuing a law degree were women.²

In 2023, Women Made up the Majority of Associates in U.S. Firms: 50.31%

Associates are entry-level attorneys. Women have accounted for many more in recent years, with females making up 50.31% of associates in U.S. law firms in 2023. This is unsurprising as women now make up a larger percentage of new law school graduates looking for work.¹

27.76% of Law Firm Partners Were Women in 2023 Compared to 20.22% in 2013

Achieving partnership in a law firm is the ultimate goal of many legal professionals, and it is one of the highest levels of professional attainment for those within the legal industry. Women are increasingly reaching this level of professional success.

More than a quarter,27.76%, of all law firm partners were women in 2023. This is a significant increase compared to 2013, when women accounted for just 20.22% of law firm partners across the United States.¹

One-third of Active Court of Appeals, District Court, Magistrate and Bankruptcy judges are women

Women are also playing an increasing role in interpreting the law rather than just practicing the law. Women now make up one-third of all active U.S. judges serving in Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, and as magistrate judges.¹

1. National Association of Law Placement. 2023 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms. Accessed March 13, 2024.
2. American Bar Association. Profile of the Legal Profession. Accessed March 13, 2024.
3. Supreme Court. In Re Lady Lawyers: The Rise of Women Attorneys and the Supreme Court. Accessed March 13, 2024.
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed March 13, 2024.
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey. Accessed March 13, 2024.
6. U.S. Census Bureau. Census Bureau Releases New Educational Attainment Data. Accessed March 13, 2024.
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational and Wage Statistics: Lawyers. Accessed March 13, 2024.
8. California Bar Association. Diversity of 2022 California Licensed Attorneys. Accessed March 13, 2024.
9. New York State Bar Association. Vital Statistics. Accessed March 13, 2024.
10. The Florida Bar. Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed March 13, 2024.
11. State Bar of Texas. Women Attorneys: Attorney Statistical Profile. Accessed March 13, 2024.
12. American Bar Association. Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers. Accessed March 13, 2024.
13. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey
14. Bloomberg Law. Attorney Workload and Hours Survey. Accessed March 13, 2024.
15. American Bar Association. Walking Out the Door. Accessed March 13, 2024.
16. PLOS One. Stress, drink, leave: An examination of gender-specific risk factors for mental health problems and attrition among licensed attorneys. Accessed March 13, 2024.