From Supergirl to Invisible Woman: The Divide between Student Perception and Professional Reality in Corporate Legal Practice

Abstract

While increasing numbers of women are studying law, females remain under-represented in the senior ranks of the legal profession. One factor influencing the participation of women in corporate legal practice is the dominant conception of the legal professional as a person with a single-minded commitment to the firm. Many law schools properly promote participation in the legal profession as a reason for studying law. However, the full story should also involve a discussion with students about the range of possible work options available to them in the law, and a commitment to promoting a range of representations of 'legal practice' in the law school culture. In this way, concern with the inevitable progression of super girl to invisible woman may be replaced by a critical analysis of the very structure of legal practice.

Keywords: supergirl, invisible woman, women, corporate legal practice, student perception, law firms, under-representation, gender, law schools

JEL Classification: K00, K10, K19, K31, K39, K40, K49