One in three young female lawyers have lost ambition and interest in progressing to senior management, a new study has found.
The report by The Executive Coaching Consultancy found that 68 per cent of junior female lawyers in private practice do not aspire to a senior role within their firm, and that of those, 40 per cent had lost the ambition to do so.
The report also found that 88 per cent of young women working in law firms think being a mother is a hindrance to a career. Only 5 per cent believe being a father is a hindrance. Some 60 per cent of young women in law firms think colleagues will assume they are less serious about their career if they have a young child.
Compared to bankers, women in law are less commited to their firms, and more likely than their peers in banking to rule themselves out of progression to senior roles early on, the report found.
A total of 25 per cent in banking expect to stay with their firm for five years or more, compared to 14 per cent in law. Meanwhile, only 32 per cent of women in law say they want a job in senior management or to achieve partnership, compared to 63 per cent in the banking sector.
A lack of female role models was also cited as a problem within firms, with only 23 per cent of junior women feeling that all or many of the senior women in their firm are good role models.
Geraldine Gallacher, the MD of the Executive Coaching Consultancy, said: “The findings show that when it comes to career and being a parent, managers in organisations continue to either ask the impossible or simply sideline them, failing to give the opportunity to focus and do well in one area, which might keep their career on track. This is hard to do in an ‘up or out culture’ where expectations to be good at everything are high. There’s an urgent need for more relatable role models to inspire future talent. Showcasing superwomen puts them off.
“Organisations need to start embracing the different style of leadership women can bring. Our research shows female leaders are seen as more inspiring, collaborative, empathetic, nurturing and motivated than their male counterparts – it’s this inclusive, open, inspiring and compassionate style of leadership that women admire and want to see. These qualities have the potential to create a leadership style that better meets the needs of our workforce today and create the diversity needed at the top.”
What about young men trying to break into the legal profession? Diversity quotas have resulted in figures such as 42 out of 60 more women than men being recruited at associate level. Similar figures are resulting in relation to trainees.
The profession must be looked at holistically, we should be promoting equality across the board. The cornerstone of such efforts must always be meritocracy.
How do the figures compare with the ambition of the equivalent male lawyers to progress to senior management? The article implies that women are being disadvantaged, but it does not provide the evidence for that implication.
I would have thought the Lawyer could set the standard for accuracy of reporting and only making assertions based on evidence…
“The report by The Executive Coaching Consultancy found that 68 per cent of junior female lawyers in private practice do not aspire to a senior role within their firm, and that of those, 40 per cent had lost the ambition to do so.”
Is there a material difference between not aspiring for a senior role, vs not having ambition to do so?
it is my understanding that the article is trying to depict the lack of interest on behalf of female lawyers to climb the hierarchy in managerial positions due to the working Environment conditions ..not generally descibe the chances of women and men entering in associate positions..
what both of the previous commentators are saying although true it is not the Topic under discussion…it is common knowledge for those who work in big law firms ( just scroll through the Webpages of the law firms and Count the number of female Partners) that although the chances for women to enter a law firm might are higher the conditions do not motivate them to become Partners/Seniors …which actually then turns in favor for the male lawyers employed under the same Roof…
And lets not Forget one important fact because you are saying that there is no evidence or statistical info: women entering and graduating from law Schools around the world are more than men based on statistics so you cannot arbitrarily say women associates are more and there is a rpeferential Treatment towards them..since more of them decide to go to law school more will be employed…simple logic…I am all in for meritocracy as well but before we rush into criticism lets not Forget the actual Topic discussed here….
I understand where youre coming from, although in Terms of Definition it is the same, Aspiration means that you set and strive to achieve a Goal because you were aspired by a role model ..it is a term that emphasizes on the Stimulus created before setting a Goal
while Ambition it is the process of aiming to achieve something, the desire
thats why in the text Aspiration is mentioned along with the lack of female Senior lawyers as role models…which in my view as female lawyer is correct…seeing superpower women it is not an incentive/stimulus..most of the times it is a fascade..i am ambitious and have set my goals however there is no female senior lawyer who would aspire me…hope i offered you another Input!
Buen artículo para vuestro Tfm,
María José