Judiciary has potentially vital role in closing gender pay gap in law

Employment Matters

By Laura B. Bacon and Christina Kurow

Laura B. Bacon of Nixon Peabody LLP focuses her practice on commercial litigation and labor and employment. She represents clients in both state and federal courts in addition to various administrative venues. Christina Kurow is a commercial litigator with Nixon Peabody LLP who represents clients in state and federal courts and in arbitrations nationwide. She co-leads the firm’s Chicago Women’s Resource Group.

Posted May 31, 2022 12:54 PM

Updated June 1, 2022 10:26 AM

The well-documented gender gap in the legal profession persists, with little measurable progress made in the past decade.In particular, research indicates that the representation of women in leading litigation roles — e.g., as first chair trial counsel, court-appointed class action counsel or arguing before federal appellate courts — is dismal.See Stephanie A. Scharf, Roberta D. Liebenberg, “First Chairs at Trial More Women Need Seats at the Table,” ABA (2015); Aebra Coe, “Female Lawyers Are …

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