Equality for men and women in the area of pay has been a topic on the political debate for years. We are still yet to achieve equality in many sectors and it seems us lawyers cannot achieve it either.
A recent survey by the legal recruiter Laurence Simons Salary Survey which surveyed more than 2,500 lawyers, revealed that between 2012/3 and 2014/5 the gender gap fell from 32% to 24%. Even continuing at its current rate the gap would not equal out until 2021. The figures from this year survey showed that more male lawyers received bonuses than their female counterparts and that these were 66% higher than their female counterparts when they did receive a bonus. Interestingly, the total packages for women rose by 5% this year and the male counterparts found their package dropping by 2%.
So it would seem that equal pay is elusive even in the legal profession. Recent research has also shown that the number of equity partners who are women is significantly lower than their male counterparts something which is of course reflective on the boards of companies as well.
2nd July 2015