Aspirational Despite Challenges : SCBA Survey Shows Many Women Lawyers Optimistic About Profession Despite Gender Disparities

A survey conducted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) among 301 women advocates across Delhi-NCR has revealed significant gender disparities within the legal profession. The study highlights that nearly one-third of women lawyers have faced gender bias and discrimination, while more than half struggle to maintain work-life balance due to marital and motherhood obligations.

As per the survey, 84.1% are first-generation lawyers. Amongst them, the majority of 57.8% believe women lack equal access to leadership roles in the Bar. Work-life balance, pay parity and limited mentorship remain the most cited challenges.

The survey 'We-Women Empowerment in Law: A Panel Discussion on Struggle and Success' was presented by SCBA recently. The survey comprised women participants across the Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, Tribunals and Quasi-judicial forms. 

Despite these challenges, 58.9% of respondents expressed a desire to take up leadership roles within the Bar, reflecting a growing aspiration among women lawyers to shape institutional policy and representation.

When asked about their experience in the profession, 38.5% of women described it as “encouraging but sometimes discouraging,” while about one-fourth felt the legal profession is gradually becoming more welcoming to women.

One-third of women lawyers feel that they have experienced gender bias as a lawyer, whereas, 29.1% said that they have faced it occasionally.

Marital life, motherhood and hardships 

While more than 60% of women said they did not face difficulties continuing work after marriage, one-third reported facing hardships following pregnancy. Notably, 31% struggled to get their cases referred during pregnancy. Over a third (34.2%) said they find it difficult to maintain work-life balance.

But an overwhelming number of over 95% women advocates believe that institutional policies such as maternity leaves, insurance etc., support women advocates to do better in the profession.

Transition from litigation to judiciary 

The survey also found that a majority of women lawyers would encourage their daughters to join the profession, with litigation and the judiciary emerging as the most preferred career paths.

Around 64% said they would recommend law as a profession to other women, and 39.6% identified the judiciary as their ideal career option. Importantly, 43.1% of women lawyers expressed a desire to transition from litigation to judicial services.

First generation v others 

In terms of choosing a career, while 34.9% first-generation women would choose litigation, only 29.4% of women from second-generation and onwards would choose it. While this data is reversed when it comes to choosing the judiciary as an ideal career. While 39.2% of second-generation women would choose judicial services, only 36.9% of first-generation women would opt for it. This may suggest that for the former, there might be financial support and backing, but that might not be there for the latter in all cases. 

Overall, an overwhelming number of women would choose the judiciary and litigation as an ideal career, and less than 20% of women want to join cthe orporate sector.

The data was presented by Senior Advocate Anindita Pujari, Advocates Pragya Baghel and Shaileswar Yadav.