Although men have historically dominated the legal profession, they’re increasingly having to make room—in law school classrooms, prestigious firms and even bar association leadership ranks—for women.
As Business Report details in a new feature, female attorneys have been climbing in number since 1980, when just 8% of U.S. lawyers were women. Today, women have come to claim 36% of the profession, the American Bar Association says.
Louisiana, for once, is on par with the national trend. Women represent 35% of state lawyers, a 7% increase since 2004 when the Louisiana State Bar Association began tracking data by gender. What’s more, as their numbers grow, women are taking on leadership roles statewide. The LSBA is currently led by its fourth female president since 2006, when its first woman was elected.
“Those walls have dropped. It’s not a good ol’ boys club anymore,” says Jeanne Comeaux, past president of the Baton Rouge Bar Association and partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson.
It’s worth noting Baton Rouge is ahead of both the national and statewide curve. Women comprise 38% of Baton Rouge area attorneys, while its bar association has had six female presidents, starting in 1995. The next two presidents elect are also women.
“Women have contributed significantly to the legal profession for years, but lately we see a rise in frequency with which women are becoming leaders,” says BRBA President Karli Johnson. “Women bring a unique perspective to leadership at the bar because of their ability to juggle and balance roles.”
Read the full story, which includes an infographic about the changing demographics of Louisiana’s legal community. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
