Law Society study flags gender bias in legal profession

Pervasive unconscious bias may be why few women attain senior positions, study finds

Kelly Ng

Published Sun, Oct 18, 2020 · 09:50 PM

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.

The gender bias, as "confessed" by recruitment and managing partners as well as senior male lawyers participating in discussions, comes from assumed fears that female hires will be less effective in time, given more familial commitments than their male counterparts. There is also t…