New IBA report presents findings from global survey of 5,000 women lawyers on barriers to leadership
Tuesday 17 March 2026
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An International Bar Association (IBA) global survey of 5,000 women working in the legal profession across 100 jurisdictions examining the experiences of women working in law has revealed persistent structural barriers to senior leadership, widespread burnout and ongoing gender inequality, despite growing awareness and workplace initiatives aimed at improving diversity.
Based on the survey findings, the IBA has published the ‘Raising the Bar: Women in Law – Phase 2 Report’. Produced by the IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU), with support from the IBA Diversity and Inclusion Council and the Women Lawyers Committee, the publication marks the next stage of the IBA’s long-term global project examining women’s experiences in the legal profession.
Click here to watch the launch of the report on 12 March 2026
in London, hosted by the law firm
Debevoise & Plimpton.
The IBA LPRU used the survey to examine the factors influencing the progression of women’s careers and job retention, as well as the efficacy of workplace programmes meant to increase gender representation. Women were asked about their general experiences working in the profession, barriers to practice, reasons for staying or leaving the profession, sectoral differences, career satisfaction, the impact of life outside of work on their careers and the impact of workplace initiatives. The survey was open to women currently working in different fields of law, as well as those who had recently left the profession.
Flexible working and mentoring emerge as the most effective career supports
- flexible working arrangements were identified as the most impactful workplace schemes, with 33 per cent of respondents citing them as having the most beneficial impact on their career progression; and
- coaching and mentoring ranked second, cited by 20 per cent of respondents as the most influential initiatives in supporting their careers.
Despite this, women said existing measures do not go far enough. Survey respondents from different jurisdictions called for stronger action across several areas, including:
- greater pay equity and transparency;
- improved mental health support;
- improved support for parents and carers;
- expanded access to professional development opportunities; and
- targeted support for key life stages, including menopause and perimenopause.
Balancing professional responsibilities with caring obligations
Caring responsibilities remain a major pressure point. Approximately half of survey respondents have dependent children, while almost 40 per cent indicated they had caring responsibilities in addition to, or other than, childcare.
Persistent structural barriers across the profession
Survey responses also revealed recurring themes affecting women’s experiences in legal workplaces around the world, including:
- Gender discrimination
- Bullying and harassment
- Balancing the pressures of work and family responsibilities
- The ongoing gender pay gap
- Underrepresentation of women in leadership roles
- Career burnout
- The importance of mentorship and support networks in retaining talent
Respondents also expressed a strong desire for greater diversity and inclusion across all areas of legal practice.
Global recommendations for legal employers and professional bodies
The report sets out a series of recommendations reviewed by an advisory panel, comprising members from across IBA committees and the IBA Bar Issues Commission. These recommendations are directed at legal workplaces, professional bodies and individual members of the profession.
The recommendations build on earlier IBA research examining workplace culture and gender equality in law, including the studies: Women in Commercial Legal Practice (2017); Us Too? Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession (2019); Mental Wellbeing in the Legal Profession (2021); Beyond Us Too? Regulatory Responses to Bullying and Sexual Harassment in the Legal Profession (2022); Young Lawyers’ Report (2022); Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit (2023); and the Women in Law Progress Report (2024).
In the report’s foreword, immediate-past IBA President Jaime Carey and current IBA President Claudio Visco extend thanks to all those involved in producing the new edition, ‘Raising the Bar: Women in Law – Phase 2 Report’. Of former IBA President Almudena Arpón de Mendívil y Aldama, they wrote of ‘her commitment to advance informed, evidence-based discussion on the future of the profession’ and the importance of their continuation of this work.
Messrs Carey and Visco further stated: ‘We invite readers to engage closely with the findings and recommendations of this report. Raising the bar to achieve an inclusive and equitable legal profession is an ongoing endeavour, requiring leadership, collaboration and sustained attention. Through initiatives such as this, the IBA reaffirms its commitment to supporting a profession that is independent, inclusive and equipped to meet the demands of a changing world.’
The Raising the Bar: Women in Law project, launched in 2021, is a multi-year research initiative examining women’s representation across legal sectors and jurisdictions, with a particular focus on senior roles. Phase 1 of the project focused on country-level research across law firms, in-house legal teams, public sector institutions, the judiciary and the Bar, examining both the levels of representation of women lawyers across each sector, as well as the presence and impact of workplace initiatives to enhance gender representation.
The 'Raising the Bar: Women in Law – Phase 2 Report’ was released on 12 March 2026 at the London office of the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton during International Women’s Week.
ENDS
Contact IBA Press Office | Email: IBApressoffice@int-bar.org | Mobile: +44 (0)7940 731 915
For journalists
- The report is based on 5,000 survey responses from women lawyers in 100 jurisdictions.
- It identifies flexible working, mentoring and workplace culture as critical factors influencing retention and progression.
- Respondents report experiencing ongoing discrimination, burnout and structural barriers to leadership roles.
- The report outlines practical recommendations for legal employers and professional bodies around the world.
Notes
- The ‘Raising the Bar: Women in Law’ project was previously titled ‘50:50 by 2030: A longitudinal study into gender disparity in law’.
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Click here to download a PDF of ‘Raising the Bar: Women in Law – Phase 2 Report’.
- Click here to download photos of the launch event in London that can be used without charge. The credit is to read: ‘Photo: courtesy of the International Bar Association’.
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Click herre for information on the 'Raising the Bar: Women in Law' project, which includes links to country reports from five continents.
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The International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession is the foremost organisation for international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Established in 1947, shortly after the creation of the United Nations, it was born out of the conviction that an organisation made up of the world's bar associations could contribute to global stability and peace through the administration of justice.
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IBA website page link for this news release:
Short link: https://tinyurl.com/5cc9bc5b
Full link: https://www.ibanet.org/New-IBA-report-presents-findings-from-global-survey-of-5000-women-lawyers-on-barriers-to-leadership