Project Background
Previous studies have shown a gap in careers and salaries between female and male lawyers, especially related to children and care responsibilities (Butikofer et. Al 2018; Halrynjo 2010; Halrynjo 2017), which cannot be explained by differences in preferences.
There are still many indications that female lawyers receive less in return for their investment in education in terms of salary and career than male lawyers receive.
Project Aim
The Women's Committee of the Norwegian Bar Association has asked CORE, the Center for Gender Equality Research at the Department of Social Research, for a follow-up study of the study «Career, competence realization and care responsibility in elite professions» (Halrynjo 2010). The purpose of a new survey is to provide up-to-date knowledge of the situation among female and male lawyers and attorneys both in terms of preferences, ideals and attitudes and actual careers - and the importance of children and care responsibilities for career development and careers.
The study will be able to provide answers to questions such as:
- How equal / unequal are the careers of female and male lawyers?
- Has the career gap narrowed in the last decade?
- Are careers, salaries and responsibilities as important for women as for men?
- Can gender differences in career and salary be explained by the fact that women have different preferences than men? Or is it more about different conditions for career?
- Do lawyers prefer equal or gender-biased work-family adjustment? Has it changed in the last decade?
- How do lawyers allocate responsibility for children and family logistics? Who has "ground crew" at home?
- Has the work-family adjustment become more equal and what does family and care responsibilities mean for careers?
- What requirements and expectations do lawyers experience that they have to deal with at different job levels and in different sectors, and what requirements and expectations are perceived as compatible / incompatible with different life situations?
- What differences can we identify between lawyers in the private and public sector, at different job levels and between different types of jobs?
