Identifying, Discussing, and Responding to Gender Bias in the Legal Profession

Abstract

This article begins with highlights from a few stories by real estate practitioners describing their real-world experiences. It then provides a brief overview of the statistics of women in the legal profession, as well as some federal and California state laws and rules impacting gender discrimination. It is important to keep in mind that there are different legal standards for gender discrimination and sexual harassment and this article focuses on gender discrimination rather than sexual harassment. Section IV analyzes certain patterns of behavior and responses to gender bias and sexual harassment. Finally, Section V identifies some best practices and evaluates response strategies.

Keywords: gender bias, legal profession, gender discrimination, real estate law, California