Comparative research, conducted by the International Bar Association (IBA) in 11 countries on five continents examining gender disparity in senior positions across the legal profession, has found that overall women make up 47 per cent of lawyers and 38 per cent of senior lawyers. These, and other findings, were discussed by IBA President Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama and senior and emerging female leaders in the legal profession at the launch of the IBA 50:50 by 2030: A longitudinal study into gender disparity in the law project progress report (50:50 by 2030 Progress Report) on 3 December 2024. The President of the Law Society of England & Wales , Richard Atkinson, welcomed delegates to the event which was hosted by the law firm Travers Smith in London, England.
The IBA 50:50 by 2030 Progress Report further reveals that women comprise a notable percentage of the legal profession, but figures are significantly lower at senior levels in the majority of jurisdictions studied across most sectors - private practice, in-house legal teams, public sector institutions and the judiciary. Although some conclusions point to deep-seated economic and cultural barriers to equality at the societal level, the report includes insights about the workplace measures considered most effective to attaining gender equality in senior positions.
The IBA 50:50 by 2030 Progress Report was released by the IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) in collaboration with the LexisNexis Rule of Foundation as part of the 50:50 by 2030 project: A longitudinal study into gender disparity in law . Unique in scope and duration, this nine-year global project aims to uncover the root causes of gender disparity at the top of the legal profession and examine the impact of equality initiatives to produce a blueprint for gender equality at all levels.
When IBA President Almudena Arpón de Mendívil began her two-year tenure (2023-2024), she identified addressing gender equality at senior levels in the legal profession as one of the IBA's five key priorities. Various initiatives have been undertaken under this priority, such as the celebration of International Women's Day ; the issuing of the Ten Directives to Break the Glass Ceiling in the Legal Profession; the 2023 Showcase on female leadership , which took place in Paris, France; as well as IBA Group Member invitation only female leadership summits in New York and London as part of the extraordinary work of the IBA Women Lawyers' Committee.
As the originator and promoter of the ambitious longitudinal study, President Arpón de Mendívil said of the findings: 'The Report confirms what we sensed: the glass ceiling to reach senior positions in the legal profession is powerful. We must continue dedicating efforts to this crucial field, advocating for gender equality at all levels and becoming a credible example for other sectors.
The benefits of a diverse environment have been proven for decades, the measures needed to achieve it have been identified and there is widespread awareness of this issue in many countries. What we truly need to do is increase action and accelerate progress. We have the opportunity to achieve gender equality in our profession at all levels within this 21st century. We must not let it slip away.'
Ian McDougall, President of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation and Joanna Weller, Global Compliance Counsel at LexisNexis, stated: 'The LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation is pleased to continue to contribute to the work undertaken in this important IBA project, by providing our survey, reporting and analytics tools, and the expertise of our employees, through their volunteer engagement. The project aligns perfectly with our diversity and inclusion strategy, our commitment to equality and our mission to advance the rule of law. We support the publication of the Progress Report, highlighting key findings across the jurisdictions that we have assisted the IBA to undertake the survey in to date.'
The 11 reports comprising the comparative analysis included in the 50:50 by 2030 Progress Report are, in order of publication: England and Wales , Uganda and Spain in 2022; Chile , the Netherlands and Nigeria in 2023; and Brazil , the Republic of Korea , Mexico , Ukraine and Türkiye in 2024. Also published in 2024 was a complementary case study on Nepal - commissioned by the IBA and written by New Perimeter , the nonprofit affiliate of law firm DLA Piper , an IBA Group Member. Research into the legal profession in Taiwan has been completed, with the report due to be published in 2025.
Additional findings in the IBA 50:50 by 2030 Progress Report include:
- the jurisdictions with the highest percentage of women lawyers overall are Chile, the Netherlands and Ukraine;
- the jurisdictions with the highest percentage of women lawyers in senior positions are Ukraine, Türkiye, Nigeria and the Netherlands;
- the Republic of Korea, Mexico and Nigeria have the lowest number of female lawyers overall;
- the Republic of Korea, Mexico and Spain have the lowest number of female lawyers in senior leadership positions; and
- the most popular initiative across most jurisdictions cited is flexible working arrangements, with quota setting the least popular.
Sara Carnegie, Director, IBA Legal Projects commented: 'Advancing gender parity at the highest levels of the legal profession is not just a matter of fairness; it is essential for building a more just, diverse, and effective legal system. Understanding the obstacles is the first step towards implementing the change required to establish equitable positioning. The project covers over 170,000 lawyers and judges and allows us to compare and comprehend the issues in different jurisdictions. The IBA's decision to conduct this long-term study is a sign of the legal profession's commitment to advancing gender equality.'
Work is currently underway to produce reports for Australia and South Africa. Additional jurisdictions are anticipated to be added throughout 2025.
