The 2018 Law360 Glass Ceiling Report

Law360 (May 29, 2018, 4:29 PM EDT) -- Our annual survey of the largest U.S. law firms continues to paint a bleak picture for female attorneys in private practice.

Women have made up over 40 percent of law school students for more than three decades, and they now make up more than half, according to data collected by the American Bar Association. But the Glass Ceiling Report shows that women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of a typical law firm.

While this year's report once again reveals the top firms for female attorneys and female equity partners, we've also focused in particular on presenting the voices of women in the law. In one project, female lawyers throughout the industry tell us what gender parity would look like to them, and in another, women who lead law firms go on camera to discuss their path to the top.

FEATURES & ANALYSIS
The Best Law Firms For Female Attorneys
While the latest Glass Ceiling Report again shows only incremental growth for female lawyers in private practice, some firms are proving that building a more equitable profession is possible. Here are the law firms leading the way.

Law360's Glass Ceiling Report, By The Numbers
Our latest survey of the largest U.S. law firms again paints a bleak picture for female attorneys. Here's our breakdown of the data from this year's Glass Ceiling Report.

The Best Law Firms For Female Partners
Women remain underrepresented in the legal profession, particularly at the top levels of most — but not all — law firms. Here are this year's Ceiling Smashers, our annual ranking of the firms with the most women in the equity tier.

How Women Are Changing The Law Firms They Lead
Female law firm leaders have scraped their way to the top. Now they want to pull up other women, too. And this may be their toughest challenge yet.

What Does Gender Parity In The Legal Industry Look Like?
Law360 asked more than 40 women how we'll know when the legal industry has achieved true gender parity. Here's what they had to say.

The Best Firms For Women And Minority Attorneys
It's the rare law firm that is consistently ahead of the pack on hiring and promoting women and minorities, according to Law360's annual headcount survey. Here are the firms leading the way in building a more diverse attorney workforce.

Suits Show Conflict Even At BigLaw's Best Places For Women
Women have been gaining ground at Ogletree Deakins and Morrison & Foerster, but gender discrimination lawsuits against these firms and others suggest that expanding women's representation doesn't necessarily lead to equal treatment.

BigLaw Bias & Harassment: Lawyers In Their Own Words
As part of our recent Satisfaction Survey, we asked our readers whether they'd faced harassment or discrimination based on race or sex, and many of the responses were jarring. Here's what they had to say.

Reform Or Retreat? UK Firms Eye Next Steps On Pay Data
U.K. law firms have come up with numerous approaches to a new requirement for disclosing gender pay gap information, and the ensuing PR storm is pushing them in conflicting directions.

PODCAST
Law360's Pro Say: Why Are All The Partners Still Men?
Are you looking around your firm and still seeing a lot of men in leadership? On the latest episode of Law360's Pro Say podcast we discuss our annual Glass Ceiling report, which reveals little progress for women in the law, and we speak with Kerrie Campbell, an attorney who filed a high-profile gender bias suit against her firm.

FROM OUR EXPERTS
How We Got Here: A Look Back At Trailblazing Women In Law
Today's female lawyers stand on the shoulders of several generations of pioneers. Here, historian Jill Norgren explains how the status of women in the legal profession has changed since the 1870s.

For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.

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