/ Survey of Law Students Provides Recommendations for Law Firms and Law Schools

•  The study was conducted between August and October 2023, with a total sample of 573 participants from 32 law schools across Chilean universities.
• Law firms are the second most preferred place for surveyed students to work after graduation, with most perceiving them as prestigious workplaces.
• The study recommends that law firms, like any other organization, implement a Gender Equality Strategy that goes beyond isolated initiatives. Such a strategy would establish basic and desirable parameters to transform these firms into organizations that attract and retain top talent, thereby enabling the genuine inclusion of women.

 

Santiago, August 2024. Alessandri Abogados, in collaboration with Universidad del Desarrollo and Fundación ChileMujeres, conducted a quantitative study on the career perceptions of female law students across the country. The goal was to understand the main motivations and barriers related to the entry and career development of female lawyers in law firms, and to reveal the working conditions they seek when choosing a job; their perception of law firms as workplaces; the elements required to facilitate their retention, and the factors that enable career advancement within these firms.

Macarena Gatica, a partner at Alessandri Abogados, explains that “the gender gap affects all industries and professions, including the legal sector. In recent years, the limited presence of women in legal rankings and the underrepresentation of female lawyers in law firms have sparked controversy. To help reduce this gap, we considered it important to understand the preferences of fourth- and fifth-year law students when choosing a job. We believe this study provides valuable information for both our industry and universities, and it will allow us to develop action plans aimed at improving the inclusion of women in the legal job market, by adapting job offers, eliminating gender bias in recruitment, and potentially enhancing the professional preparation of female lawyers.”

Francisca Juneman, Executive President of Fundación ChileMujeres, explains: “Wherever female lawyers work—whether in law firms, companies, or the public sector—gender equality should be a fundamental principle, with special attention to pay equity and equal opportunities for growth and development between men and women. This also requires flexible work hours and hybrid work models. Additionally, there must be a strong culture against harassment, a significant challenge starting in August with the entry into force of the new Karin law. Law firms will need to compete for the most talented individuals by offering the best working conditions in these priority areas for current and future female lawyers.”

 

Why This Study is Valuable Today

Loreto Cornejo, a psychologist and gender expert, was responsible for developing the survey instrument and its report. She led the Gender Equality Policies Division at the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality from 2018 to 2022, and explains that “it is well known how important and impactful it is for an organization and its surrounding environment to have healthy representation of women within. To achieve this, organizations have begun to make modest efforts with varying degrees of success. Progress in gender equality has been made, but not at the speed or scope needed. Organizations that employ lawyers are no exception and must implement initiatives that foster gender equality, considering the recruitment, retention, and development of female lawyers.”

 

Key Findings

The study by Alessandri crossed two main axes regarding perceptions of the legal job market: what future female lawyers prioritize when job hunting and how they perceive law firms.

The primary motivation for working is the potential for professional development, followed by contributing to the company’s mission, thus making a positive impact on society, the community, and the country. After that, obtaining financial compensation for their work is important. This order of priority is consistent across all age groups, except for the 29 to 41-year-old range, where the top motivation is contributing to the company’s mission and making a positive impact on society, the community, and the country.

Regarding what they value most in a workplace, a good working environment, attractive financial compensation, and concern for employees’ physical and mental health are top priorities. The least motivating factors are social recognition and using cutting-edge tools and technologies.

When it comes to staying in a job, several factors were evaluated, including conditions, schedules, and more. Law students prioritize fair compensation according to their years of experience. They also value the ability to balance private and work life, particularly with family responsibilities. This is more important than working for a prestigious company or having social recognition, which scored the lowest in the survey. Additionally, 84% of respondents prefer a fully remote or hybrid work arrangement, with flexibility in work hours and remote work days. However, only 5% of the sample prefers a fully remote job.

Regarding the preferred type of organization, law students first prefer to work in public service, followed by law firms, private companies, NGOs, and lastly, academia.

 

Perception of Law Firms

The study also assessed students’ perceptions of law firms, including questions about the work environment. 76% believe that working in a law firm is prestigious, and 69% agree that it is a place where they would like to work. Additionally, 59% consider it possible to work in a law firm and reach the role of partner. On the negative side, 72% believe it is difficult to get into a law firm, and 85% of respondents think that the working hours could be long. Furthermore, 69% believe law firms are male-dominated environments, and 65% believe these firms have a chauvinistic culture.

The study found that students place high importance on gender equality practices, especially in terms of pay equity, work-life balance, and initiatives against harassment. They also highly value having remote or hybrid work options, equitable salaries, and opportunities for growth and development within the company, with equal access to advancement opportunities.

 

Recommendations

Today, many companies have implemented measures to balance private and work life, such as hybrid work schedules, greater flexibility, and compensatory hours. There are also benefits such as bonuses, flexibility when children are born, and measures to promote physical and mental health. The challenge now lies in how to communicate these benefits to improve perceptions.

In terms of recruitment, historically, fewer women apply to law firms. Additionally, students’ closest connection to the job market is often through their professors’ opinions and the experiences of their peers who obtain jobs as paralegals.

Gender expert Loreto Cornejo, who supported this study, comments that the findings, combined with existing knowledge, serve as a basis for recommending a cultural shift in law firms. Awareness, communication, and training are crucial for developing a long-term strategy. Her recommendations include:

Given the significant value placed on gender equality practices and their low representation in law firms, it is crucial for these workplaces to strengthen these aspects and, once implemented, to communicate them to their ecosystem of potential applicants.
From an employer branding perspective, it is clear that, in addition to the prestige associated with working in a law firm, it is necessary to enhance other aspects, such as ensuring gender equality, quality of life, work-life balance, shared responsibility, and reintegration plans after maternity leave, among others.

It is recommended that law firms, like any other organization, develop a Gender Equality Strategy that goes beyond isolated initiatives. Such a strategy would establish basic and desirable parameters to transform these firms into organizations that attract and retain top talent, thereby enabling the genuine inclusion of women.

 

Methodology

• The study was conducted between August and October 2023.
• Data analysis was carried out by the Data Science Institute at Universidad del Desarrollo, led by its director, Loreto Bravo.
• The total sample included 573 participants from 32 law schools across Chilean universities.
• 19% of the respondents were first- to third-year students, while 69% were in their fourth to sixth year.
• 11% had graduated, and 1% were licensed.
• 84% of the sample was between 20 and 28 years old at the time of the survey, and 88% did not have children.
• 51.7% were in the Metropolitan Region, with the rest in other regions, and 90% of the students were from urban areas.
• 53% had no work experience.