Law Society study flags gender bias in legal profession

Singapore

TWO candidates have the same qualifications, experience and demeanour. But if one is a woman, and the other is a man, the male candidate is more likely to be hired.

It is a well-worn anecdote heard in many industries, and now, a study by the Law Society points to this pervasive unconscious bias - one that may be preventing female lawyers from being represented at the higher rungs of the industry. What may be also more specific to the legal profession is a culture of bullying that has yet to be addressed as pointedly compared with that in other industries with high-powered individuals.