A lawyer is supposed to uphold the law of the land while fighting for the best interests of their client.
It’s often not an easy task, especially if you’re not convinced the defendant is innocent.
The classic movie lawyer is smartly dressed, motivated, and dedicated to finding the truth and serving justice.
In the majority of cases, the lawyer is also a white man.
In the US in particular, lawyers also have a reputation for helping guilty people get away with a crime.
In the process, they charge a fortune. Interestingly, their reputation in most other countries is completely different.
In most places lawyers are seen as respectable and upholders of truth and justice. In short, pillars of society.
It’s time to take a look at the real facts and lawyer demographics. You may be surprised by what you find!
Key Demographics
- The US has over 1.3 million lawyers
- Only 48.5% of US lawyers are men
- 76% of lawyers are white
- 10% of lawyers are lgbt
- Female lawyers earn 93% of what male lawyers get
- Only 21 states report on the race & ethnicity of lawyers
- Just 0.05% of lawyers are disabled
- 25% of lawyers are between 35-44 years old
Top Lawyer Demographics Statistics
1. The US Has Over 1.3 Million Lawyers
It may sound like a huge figure but, considering there are over 336 million people in the US, a surprisingly small percent of them are lawyers.
More interesting is the fact that the numbers haven’t changed much in recent years.
In 1900 there were 114,000 lawyers in the US.
By 1970 that number had grown to 326,000. It almost doubled in 10 years, reaching 574,000 by 1980.
This was when lawsuits became increasingly popular.
By the end of the 20th century there were just over one million US lawyers.
An increase of 300,000 in twenty years sounds a lot. However, compared to the percentage growth of the 20th century, it’s a very slow growth rate.
It’s also interesting that one in four lawyers lives in either New York or California.
The same states where the richest defendants live.
The good news for anyone considering becoming a lawyer is that the demand for lawyers looks set to increase.
By 2031 the US will need 10% more lawyers than it does today.
While the main driver for this change in the industry is unclear, this profession is set to grow faster than any other.
(ABA Survey)
2. Only 48.5% Of US Lawyers Are Men
This is actually a very surprising fact. While the majority of television and movie lawyers are male, in reality 51.3% are female!
It should be noted that 0.2% of lawyers surveyed said they were not male or female.
Female lawyers aren’t just a part of the US legal system, some of them are incredibly successful and famous.
For example, Hilary Clinton and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are both highly successful lawyers, as is Michelle Obama.
That’s a big difference from the start of the 20th century when the National Association Of Women Lawyers was started, with just 18 members.
(ABA Survey)
3. 76% Of Lawyers Are White
While women seem to have gained an almost equal standing within the industry, that’s not the case for everyone.
Today, a massive 76% of lawyers are white men and women.
That’s a significantly higher percentage of white lawyers compared to other races and ethnicities.
For example, 5.5% of lawyers are Asian-American. This reflects the population as 5.9% of the US is Asian.
In contrast, 18.5% of the US population is Hispanic, yet Hispanics count for just 5.8% of US residents.
The good news is that both these ethnicities are growing.
The news isn’t so good for black lawyers. Surveys show 13.4% of the population is black, yet only 4.5% of lawyers are black.
This figure has barely changed in recent years. In fact, ten years ago in 2012, black lawyers were 4.7% of the industry.
The figures are slightly better for mixed-race lawyers. Currently, 2.7% of all lawyers are mixed race, that’s over double the 1.2% in 2016.
(ABA Survey)
4. 10% Of Lawyers Are LGBTQ
A recent survey found that 10% of all US lawyers are openly LGBTQ.
That’s an encouraging statistic and shows the industry is open to all, regardless of sexual orientation.
This figure is growing slowly but steadily every year. For example, in 2011, just 1.9% of lawyers were openly LGBTQ.
Law firm associates show a similar rise in presence. In 2011 just 2.4% of law associates were openly LGBTQ, in 2021 the figure had risen to 5.4%.
Of course, this doesn’t mean all lawyers within the profession are happy to disclose their sexual orientation.
This is illustrated by the fact that three times as many law students declare themselves as LGBTQ, compared to law firm lawyers.
(Zippia)
5. Female Lawyers Earn 93% Of What Male Lawyers Get
The average male lawyer earns $93,154/ In contrast, the average female lawyer gets $91,389.
That means female lawyers are getting the equivalent of 93% of male lawyers salaries.
Compared to several professions this is good. However, there is no reason for women lawyers to be paid less simply because they are women.
The difference in wages is slowly reducing but there is still some way to go.
After all, men get higher incomes than other men simply because they performed well at university. Strangely, this approach doesn’t work for women.
(JND)
6. Only 21 States Report On The Race & Ethnicity Of Lawyers
The biggest problem with the survey and statistics provided are that they are incomplete.
While they can give a good genuine overview of the industry, there are too many holes in the story.
For example, the majority of state bars and licensing agencies don’t keep any records of ethnicity and race.
In other words, the information used to make decisions is incomplete.
At present, just 21 states record these facts and present them. That’s an improvement from 2010 when just 19 states reported race and ethnicity.
Of course, it’s not enough as over half of the states don’t record any ethnicity or race facts.
This makes it harder to confirm how equal and diverse the law profession really is.
(ABA)
7. Just 0.05% Of Lawyers Are Disabled
The CDC estimates that one in four US adults have a disability. That’s 25% of adults.
Despite this, the recent ABA survey shows that just 0.05% of lawyers are disabled.
This is an increase. In 2010 just 0.02% of lawyers were disabled. However, the increase is small and just 0.046% of those disabled lawyers are partners.
In other words, discrimination is still very much alive and kicking within the law profession.
The very small rise in figures suggests the increased level of disabled lawyers is more connected to hiring policy than a difference in attitude within the profession.
(CDC, ABA Survey)
8. 25% Of Lawyers Are Between 35-44 Years Old
The average age for a lawyer is 47.5 years old, slightly higher than the average age of a US worker.
This is because it takes years of college to become a lawyer and finish a post-graduate education.
The time it takes is only one factor, many people decide to become lawyers later in life.
This, combined with a general reluctance to retire, is why the average age of a lawyer is higher than for other US professions.
Although the average age of a lawyer is 47.5 years old. The majority of lawyers are between 35-44 years old. Just 19% of lawyers are between 25-34 years old.
The lack of desire to retire means 20% of lawyers are between 45-54 years old and 17% are between 55-64 years old.
There are an impressive 7% of lawyers who are over 65 and still practicing, without any intention of retiring.
Summing Up
Lawyer demographics clearly show that there is a long way to go before everyone in the profession is treated equally.
However, there are signs that the profession is heading in the right direction.
In the past ten years the number of female lawyers has increased, making the profession more female than male.
The wage gap has been reduced, although it isn’t yet eliminated, and the number of non-white and LGBTQ lawyers is slowly increasing.
In short, the legal profession is heading in the right direction.
There is still a long way to go before true equality exists across race, ethnicity, disability, and even sexual preference.
Perhaps in another ten years the story will be different.