Women lawyers face similar challenges globally: IBA

This included gender discrimination, bullying or harassment, balancing work and family responsibilities, an ongoing gender pay gap, underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, and career burnout.

A focus on mentoring and support networks and a strong desire for greater diversity and inclusion were also identified as common and recurring responses.

Produced by the IBA’s Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) and supported by the IBA Diversity and Inclusion Council and the Women Lawyers Committee, the global survey of 5,000 women examined influencing factors for the career progression and job retention of women in law. Participants were women working in the legal profession across 100 jurisdictions and different fields of law, as well as those who had recently left the profession.

Respondents called for stronger action in pay equity and transparency, mental health support, parent and carer support, professional development opportunities, and support for female health, including key life stages such as menopause.

Approximately half of those surveyed reported dependent children, and almost 40 per cent indicated caring responsibilities in addition to or other than childcare.

Two factors were identified as the most effective career supports. Flexible working was cited as the most impactful workplace arrangement, with approximately a third of respondents citing it as the most beneficial influence on their career progression. The second most common support was coaching and mentoring, cited by 20 per cent of respondents as the most influential initiative regarding career support.

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The IBA report also made several recommendations for legal employers, workplaces, and professional bodies; some of which were cultural, and others were practical steps that can be implemented sooner. This included: striving for structural and cultural change around workplace initiatives and ensuring their visibility in the workplace to remove stigma around access, embedding flexible work practices, and building sustainable career pathways for women and addressing barriers to advancement through targeted training and transparency.

It also asked for greater support for women’s wellbeing, recognition of life changes and caring responsibilities women face, and greater attention to solo practitioners, smaller workplaces and women in chambers.

These were reviewed by an advisory panel comprising members from IBA committees and the IBA Bar Issues Commission.

In a joint foreword, immediate-past IBA president Jaime Carey and current IBA president Claudio Visco said: “We invite readers to engage closely with the findings and recommendations of this report.

“Raising the bar to achieve an inclusive and equitable legal profession is an ongoing endeavour, requiring leadership, collaboration and sustained attention. Through initiatives such as this, the IBA reaffirms its commitment to supporting a profession that is independent, inclusive and equipped to meet the demands of a changing world.”

The IBA report was released not long after the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) revealed that just under three-quarters of law firms had a total remuneration gap higher than the national average of 11.2 per cent in 2024–25.