The Association of American Law Schools recently released a new report regarding the experiences, career pathways, and obstacles faced by women attorneys serving in leadership roles at colleges and universities.
Over the course of the twenty-first century, an increasing number of attorneys have assumed leadership roles in academia, including presidents, provosts, and deans. However, women attorneys remain significantly underrepresented compared to their male peers. Nonetheless, women’s representation as law school leaders has grown significantly over the past two decades. The percentage of women serving as law school deans in the U.S. grew from 18 percent in 2005 to 41 percent in 2020, peaking at 42 percent in 2024. As of 2025, 40.8 percent of law school deans are women.
To better understand the experiences of women attorneys in academia, the report authors surveyed a national sample of women attorneys who are current or former college and university presidents, provosts, and law school deans. When asked what qualities were most helpful in their leadership career, the majority of respondents cited good judgment (69.8 percent), integrity (61.3 percent), hard work (56.9 percent), and emotional intelligence (54.3 percent). Over three-quarters of respondents attributed mentorship and colleague support to their career success.
Additionally, 61.1 percent of current women attorneys in academic leadership roles said they are earning more than their male predecessors. However, some of these women said their higher salaries were a result of intense negotiation, rather than transparent gender parity.
Despite their success, many women attorneys in academic leadership face consistent workplace gender bias and pressure to conform to gender stereotypes. Over 73 percent of respondents say they now pay more attention to their appearance than before they obtained their current role. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they had experienced gender bias in their current or most recent role, while 72 percent agreed that people are surprised to see someone like them succeed in academic leadership.
The report authors offer several recommendations for colleges and universities to better support women attorneys in leadership positions. These include implementing benchmarks that track their record of women attorneys in leadership, investigating issues revealed in climate surveys and exit interviews, creating efforts to attract and retain women attorneys, developing mentorship opportunities, and establishing transparent compensation practices.
“The results of this study are clear: women attorneys in higher education do experience structural and cultural bias based on gender and intersectionality in various ways and to varying degrees,” the authors conclude. “Through these interventions, however, America’s 4,000 colleges and universities can benefit from attracting and retaining the skills and talents of amazing women attorneys.”