Changes, (in)equalities and daily life of law professionals

Abstract

The roots and the importance of the legal profession in Spanish society confer special interest to the knowledge about the current status of the profession and the changes observed among professionals in the field. The aim of this research note is to highlight indicators of deprofessionalization and gender (in)equalities in the professional practice of law. This objective was achieved by interviewing a sample of 562 law professionals (335 men and 227 women). Specifically, we describe and assess the following characteristics: demographic (gender, age), personal (the family unit and its relationship with the legal profession), and professional training (pre-and post-graduate education, entry to the profession and current practice). The analyses show that the youngest generation of lawyers is characterized by a majority of women and a smaller presence of family members in the legal profession. The deprofessionalization of the legal profession is evident in the differences between young and not-so-young attorneys as regards their entry into the profession and the positions they hold in law firms. (In)equalities are observed between male and female lawyers as regards training and the practice of different branches of law, as well as in the hours worked per week. The data obtained on deprofessionalization and (in)equalities can be useful in future analyses on the impact of new forms of entry to the profession and – if implemented – changes in compulsory licensing to practice law.