Number of Females and Minorities Increases in Law Firms

On February 17, 2015, NALP released a report indicating that the number of women associates in law firms has increased for the first time in four years. The number of minority associates has also increased after a slight decline from 2009 to 2010. The percentage of women and minority partners in law firms has also seen a slight bump. In 2014, minority partners accounted for 7.33% of partners, while women accounted for 21.05% of partners. In 2013, minorities accounted for 7.10%, and women 20.22%, of law firm partners. The NALP report observed that some of the increase is attributable to the increased representation of “women in general and minority women specifically among lawyers other than partners and associates, such as ‘of counsel’ and staff attorneys.”

Keywords: litigation, woman advocate, women, minorities, law firms, partners, associates

_{Suzanne L. Jones works at Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP in Minneapolis, Minnesota}

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