The study presents data about the relationship between men and women at major law firms through a survey of 225 American lawyers at 103 law firms. The report helps its readers to answer questions such as: Do lawyers believe that men are offered plum assignments more frequently than women? What percentage of lawyers at major firms believe that their firms should do more to promote women to partnerships and management committee positions? How many lawyers believe that they have been sexually harassed? How many have had an office romance? What do they think of their firm’s rules on office romance? On parental leave? On sexual harassment? Is it harder for women than for men to find mentors at the law firm? What do lawyers believe are the career consequences for taking maternity or parental leave? Should anything be changed about their firm’s policies related to gender relations?
Data in the report is broken out by age of participant, field of legal specialization, gender, size of law firm and other variables.
Just a few of the report’s many findings are that:
• 83.21% of men say that no preference in assignment granting is shown to either gender at their law firm; however, only 46.43% of women agree with this.
• 68.42% of lawyers in firms with between 25 and 49 lawyers believe that no special efforts should be exerted on behalf of women. For firms with more than 200 lawyers only 26.05% felt that no special efforts should be exerted on behalf of women.
• 57.47% of survey participants called their firm’s policies on sexual harassment strong and effective while another 28.96% describe them as moderately strong and sometimes a useful deterrent.
• 7.69% of those sampled say that they have had an office romance of any kind while with their present employer.
• 16.67% of women say they have been sexually harassed while working for their present employer.