From The American Bar Association - How Gender Inclusion Improves the Judicial System
The American Bar Association (ABA), founded in 1878, is committed to setting the legal and ethical foundation for the practice of law in the United States of America. Today, the ABA exists as a membership organization and stands committed to its mission of defending liberty and pursuing justice.
The ABA recently reported on the importance of female representation in the practice of law, and specifically on the bench. Some of the ABA’s findings included:
American law has changed to recognize the changing role of women in society, but the composition of our courts has not kept pace.
Women now make up 34% of the judiciary nationwide – well below the percentage of women in the population.
Greater inclusion of women in the judiciary results in more equitable decision-making at all levels of the court system – which is fundamental to true justice.
Some of the highlights of the article also include:
“In order to continue down the road to gender parity in the legal profession, women must continue to be admitted to law school and subsequently to the bar for admission, at the current rate. In 2000, 48% of all law students, 33 percent of law professors, and 13% of law school deans were women. By 2021, those numbers had increased to 55% of law students, 45% of law professors, and 42% of law school deans.”
“Studies of the composition of appellate courts reveal that when women are present in the deliberative process, their perspective provides input that may help the other judges to see the same problem from a very different angle. A diversity of life experience can greatly enhance the conversation between judges, and can challenge or alter the facts of a matter that the court chooses to see.”
To read the entire article, click here.
Help vote for a more diverse, representative judiciary by casting your ballot for Pamela Curran Smith for Judge in Cook County Subcircuit 12. To learn about your eligibility to vote, click here.
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