In the Media

Society: private practice gender pay gap widens

PUBLISHED March 19, 2014
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The gender pay gap for solicitors has increased with women earning 30% less than men, according to figures released by the Law Society today.

For solicitors in private practice, the gap widened from 27% in 2012 to 30% in 2013. It remained at 28% for those in-house.
 
The statistics came from the Law Society's annual earnings factsheet, which is based on a survey of 1,506 randomly selected individual practising certificate holders working in private practice, government and the private sector in-house.
 
The findings show that men out-earn their female counterparts at each grade in the profession. For assistants and associates the median salary was £50,000 for men and £38,000 for women.

For equity partners, the median earning for women was £60,000, compared with £70,000 for men.

The figures also reveal a racial earnings gap. White men had the highest average earnings - 29% more than their white female counterparts and 25% more than male solicitors from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background (BAME).

Overall average earnings differed by 14% between white and BAME solicitors.

Responding to the figures, Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson said while the disparity in pay had many contributory factors, the increase is a 'worrying trend' which needs to be addressed by the profession.   

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