Women lawyers to take on leadership roles, but barriers persist: Survey

An SCBA survey shows women lawyers keen to lead, yet gender bias, pay gaps, limited mentorship and motherhood pressures continue to restrict equal access to leadership roles

Even as more women lawyers aspire to take on leadership roles within the legal profession, systemic hurdles, from gender bias and pay disparity to the pressures of marriage and motherhood, continue to hold them back, a survey by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has found.

 

A survey of 301 women advocates across Delhi-NCR reveals that gender bias, pay disparity, and limited mentorship remain ingrained challenges for women striving to rise through the ranks. 

Nearly one in three respondents said they had faced discrimination or bias in their professional journey, while more than half admitted that maintaining a work-life balance was a constant struggle. 

Notably, 84.1 per cent of the women surveyed were first-generation lawyers, trailblazers in their families, yet 57.8 per cent felt that access to leadership positions within the Bar remains unequal. 

The findings were shared at the SCBA’s recent panel discussion, “We-Women Empowerment in Law: Struggle and Success,” which brought together women lawyers practicing across the Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, Tribunals, and quasi-judicial bodies. 

Despite these structural challenges, 58.9 per cent of respondents said they wanted to take on leadership roles within the Bar, signalling a clear desire to influence policy and representation. 

The conversation on women’s representation gained sharper focus in the Supreme Court on Thursday, when a Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant urged the Bar Council of India (BCI) to ensure 30 per cent reservation for women in upcoming State Bar Council elections.

 

“We expect the BCI will construe the rules in such a manner that it will ensure 30 per cent reservation in State Bar Councils; such a position should also be available for some posts of office bearers,” the CJI observed.

 

When the BCI expressed doubts about whether enough women would contest, the CJI referred to the SCBA’s survey findings.

 

“You were not there in yesterday’s workshop. Eighty-three percent of the women want to be members in the SCBA,” he said, underlining the strong aspirations of women lawyers.

 

The remarks came while hearing petitions filed by Yogamaya M.G. and Shehla Chaudhary, who have sought one-third reservation for women in all State Bar Councils, including at least one office-bearer post on a rotational basis.

 

Even the India Justice Report 2025 highlights that gender bias in Indian courtrooms remains a serious concern, reflected in the underrepresentation of women in the judiciary, with only 14 per cent of High Court judges and 3.1 per cent of Supreme Court judges being women.

 

Marriage and motherhood

 

While the profession is demanding in itself, marriage and motherhood often impact women lawyers round the clock, extending far beyond their work hours.

 

While most of the lawyers said marriage did not impede their work, about a third reported facing hardships after pregnancy- 31 per cent said they struggled to get cases referred during that period, and 34.2 per cent found it difficult to maintain a work-life balance.

 

On the brighter side, nearly all participants (over 95 per cent) said institutional support measures like maternity leave and insurance help them remain in practice.

 

The report also captured the shifting ambitions of women in law. A growing number are looking toward the judiciary with 43.1 per cent expressed interest in transitioning from litigation to judicial services, and 39.6 per cent identified it as their ideal career path.

 

Meanwhile, 64 per cent said they would recommend law to other women and encourage their daughters to join the profession.

 

Interestingly, first- and second-generation lawyers showed different preferences. 34.9 per cent of first-generation lawyers said they would choose litigation, compared to 29.4 per cent among second-generation lawyers. But when it came to joining the judiciary, the trend reversed- 39.2 per cent of second-generation women preferred it, as opposed to 36.9 per cent of first-generation lawyers, suggesting that financial stability and family support might influence such choices.

 

Overall, the study reflects an evolving yet uneven landscape for women in law in India, where the will to lead and the desire to shape institutions are evident, even as systemic biases persist.

 

The findings were presented by Senior Advocate Anindita Pujari along with Advocates Pragya Baghel and Shaileswar Yadav.