There has been a large number of surveys and studies of the professional service firms, of which law firms constitute a substantial component. The common and recurring findings have been reported here. Demo- graphics trends over more than a decade are similar internationally, particularly in comparable countries. At the same time, there have been a number of different theo- ries mooted to explain the continued lack of career progress for women in the profes- sion. These include: the glass ceiling (Kay & Gorman, 2008); Hakim’s choice theory (Hakim, 2006; Walsh, 2012); strategies adopted by women and ethnic minorities to progress their careers within limiting struc- tures (Tomlinson et al., 2013); Bourdieu’s theory of social and cultural capital in establishing and maintaining class status (Ashley & Empson, 2013) and Pinnington & Sandberg’s (2013) exhortations on the need to take gendered societal inequalities in ac- count to explain in-firm disparities. All of these theoretical concepts are weak on strategies for enduring and effective change. Most initiatives cited in law soci- ety reports and in the academic literature are reformist at best; advocating adaption by lawyers leaving the central structures and cultures intact. Taken in tandem with widespread acceptance of the status quo by lawyers ‘above’ and ‘below’ the partner- ship line, the prospect for improving career progression and retaining women in the legal profession seems limited. If effective change is desired, then a radical shift in the belief structures that legitimise the busi- ness and partnership models of law firms is needed. The system of beliefs underpinning the scarcity of women at senior levels that need to be challenged include:
• Commitment demonstrated through long work hours
• Round the clock availability to clients • A discourse of the law profession as a ‘special’ career requiring ‘massive’
commitment. Only highly competitive, achievement-oriented, exceptional and elite individuals need apply. The perpetuation of such a discourse is unlikely to continue to attract or retain high quality recruits. Possibly, if the numbers of women in part- nership increase then cultural change could happen. Currently there are not sufficient senior women with children to act as role models, and they are not in great enough numbers to promote change (White, 2004). However, it would also require these wom- en to break the very norms that they have had to conform to in order to break through the glass ceiling (Kay & Gorman, 2008; Schaafsma, 2001; Tomlinson et al., 2013).
It is likely that these women would face potential challenges to remaining in senior positions after acting as change agents. Ulti- mately, the changes that are required have to be recognised and understood by men and women within law firms so to affect cultural change. There are benefits to all; economic advantages to law firms that can retain knowledge and expertise, as well as to individual’s lives.
With women law graduates outnumbering men, yet still not reaching the senior levels of law firms, now is a crucial time in the history of the legal profession to address this issue and take the opportunity for transformation. Long term cultural change is required as the current structure and culture of the law profession is not sustain- able.
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