By Contact Law, a service of  FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business

Newly qualified solicitors are now more likely to be women than men. However, women are still concentrated in the lower ranks of the profession, making up less than 25% of law firm partners.

This low proportion of senior female lawyers is to some extent due to the recent arrival of women into the profession in large numbers. Law Society statistics from last year show the average age for qualified solicitors as 38 years old for women compared to 44 for men. It is to be expected, therefore, that the gender imbalance among senior lawyers will resolve itself as more women enter the pool of potential partners.

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By Melissa Anderson, The Glass Hammer

“Don’t downsize your own horizons. Allow yourself to imagine what you can be,” advised Suzanne Rab, Partner at King & Spalding.

In addition to her recent completion of a book on Indian competition law, Rab, an antitrust lawyer, has been tasked with launching the UK and EU antitrust ‘on the ground’ presence of the US firm from its European hub in London. That responsibility has made her even more aware of the importance of diversity, as well as her own ability to embrace change in the legal profession.

A keen advocate for women, she encourages her colleagues not to shy away from asserting themselves. “Don’t be afraid to promote your capabilities or celebrate your achievements. Don’t get me wrong – this is not about self posturing, but is a matter of confidence in your own abilities and what you can contribute. I have found that women can be more reticent to put themselves forward. Put yourself out there for senior positions if you aspire to them.”

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