Research on legal careers reveals significant gender and racial bias, from recruitment and hiring to access to leadership positions. In the national survey, White women and women of color were much more likely than White men to report bias across a range of professional opportunities and outcomes. In Utah, approximately a quarter of women (31% of White women and 27% of women of color) reported experiencing unfair treatment with regard to pay, hiring, job assignments, staff support, working relationships and promotions.
I think there are a lot of firms who are on paper look to be diverse and inclusive, but then when you get to be a member of the club, you are constantly reminded that you are not really a member of the club. And it's everything from micro-aggressions to overt comments about your sex or your race.
Career advancement in law is dependent on access to high-quality assignments. Nationally, women reported a lack of access to high-quality assignments as compared to White men. In Utah, men and women also reported unequal access to high quality assignments. Specifically, nearly a quarter (24%) of women lawyers reported that they have unequal access to high quality assignments compared to only 14% of men. We also observe gender differences with regard to access to advancement opportunities. Over a fifth (21%) of women reported that they have been denied well-deserved advancement opportunities and promotions, compared to only 12% of men.