Legal ambition and the gender paradox

The legal sector acts as a magnet to ambitious individuals. Year on year our research tells us approximately 7 in 10 of all solicitors and lawyers aspire to partnership or leadership in the legal profession. And law firms appear to be winning the battle to retain ambitious talent in the business, with 35% of those aspiring to partnership believing they could achieve that in their current firm; up 5% on 2017. 

However, a deeper dive into the data we collected when producing our 2018 Salary and Benefits Benchmarker shines a light on how different the experience can be for male and female solicitors and lawyers forging a career in the legal sector. Here’s the facts, draw your own conclusions.

UK200, regionals and the high street

74% of all lawyers employed in Top 50 UK firms aspire to leadership or partnership, 71% of Top 100 and 81% of Top 200. 40% of those solicitor and lawyers aspiring to partnership in Top 50 law firms believe they will achieve it with their current employer, 38% of Top 100 and Top 200 lawyers share that belief.

65% of all solicitors and lawyers employed in high street law firms aspire to leadership or partnership with 35% believing they can achieve that with their current employer. 67% of all lawyers working in regional firms aspire to a partner level role with 36% confident they can achieve that with their current employer.

The gender gap

In 2018 79% of male lawyers and 66% of female lawyers had partnership or leadership in their sights, a 1% increase from 2017.

Male lawyers demonstrated the biggest increase in confidence in their employer’s proposition with 37% of all male solicitors and lawyers with partnership aspirations believing they could achieve that with their current law firm, 8% up on 2017 and 5% up on the 3 year average. 33% of all aspirational female solicitors and lawyers believed they could achieve their ambition with their current employer compared to 30% in 2017. That’s an all-time high and 3% up on the 3 year average.

The gender gap in the UK200

88% of male solicitors and lawyers in Top 50 law firms aspire to partnership and 41% believe they can achieve that level with their current employer. 64% of female lawyers employed in Top 50 law firms share the aspiration with 36% confident they could achieve it with their current employer.

63% of female solicitors and lawyers working in top 100 UK law firms aspire to partnership and 33% believe they will achieve that with their current employer. 84% of male lawyers employed by Top 100 UK law firms aspire to leadership and 44% believe they could achieve that with their current employer.

86% of male solicitors and lawyers employed in Top 200 law firms have partnership on their radar and 47% believe that could be achieved with their current employer. 76% of female lawyers working in Top 200 UK law firms share that aspiration and 29% think that could be achieved with their current employer.

The gender gap in regionals and high street

Partnership is on the radar for 63% of all female solicitors and lawyers working for high street law firms with 37% of those confident they can achieve that with their current firm. 73% of male lawyers working in high street law firms have similar aspirations with 29% believing they can achieve that with their current firm.

Similarly 86% of male solicitors and lawyers employed by regional law firms aspire to business leadership or partnership with 37% believing they can achieve that with their current employer. 60% of their female colleagues share their ambition with 35% confident they could achieve that with their current employer.

Top partnership turn offs

23% of all lawyers turned off by the prospect of partnership cited the impact on work life balance as the main reason for their lack of interest, 13% cited stress and 11% a glass ceiling, 26% of female lawyers cited work life balance as their main obstacle to partnership with 15% of male lawyers sharing the sentiment. 16% of female lawyers did not want to take on the stress associated with the role, male lawyers did not feel as strongly about stress with 5% citing it as the main reason. Male lawyers felt that the glass ceiling was more of an issue for them, with 14% citing it as their main turn off compared to 10% of female lawyers.

Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment are multi award winning legal recruitment experts with a network of connections spanning local, regional, national and international law firms and In-house legal departments. We act for legal professionals of all levels making lateral moves and taking steps up the ladder. And we also work with hirers looking to bring the best people into their organisations. 

Every year we survey the legal community to produce our acclaimed Salary & Benefits Benchmarker – the biggest of its kind in the UK, and now in its 6th year. With unique insight into salaries, employer benefits and bonuses as well as general career motivators, it is designed to inform both Hiring Managers and those looking for their next move. 

A big thank you to the 3,000 legal professionals who responded to our survey, the 4,052 candidates who registered with us in the last 12 months and the law firms and In-house legal departments who instructed us on over 6,500 jobs in the same period.