Hispanic National Bar Association National Study on the Status of Latinas in the Legal Profession; Few and Far Between: The Reality of Latina Lawyers
Abstract
In order to affect positive change resulting in an increase in the number of Latina attorneys, the legal profession needs to better understand and address the barriers Latinas face, including the impact of gender, ethnicity, and race on success and advancement in the legal profession. Despite the need for this information, Latina lawyers remain grossly understudied. While numerous studies have examined the issues and barriers women encounter in the legal profession—women attorneys of color in general, and Black women attorneys specifically—very little research has been conducted on the unique gender, ethnic, and racial issues and barriers Latina lawyers experience. Moreover, there are no data with detailed information about Latina/o subgroups based on country of national origin. With only limited demographic and statistical data and information on Latina lawyers available,16 a critical informational void exists. Additional informationboth quantitative and qualitative-is sorely needed to better understand the factors affecting the underrepresentation of Latina lawyers across the legal profession. Armed with this information, the profession can begin to address those factors directly.
To address this issue, the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) constituted a Commission (Commission) on the Status of Latinas in the Legal Profession, which commissioned this National Study on the Status of Latinas in the Legal Profession. This Study begins the process of filling this informational void by providing a view into the professional lives of Latina lawyers. Its purpose is to provide a clearer picture of who and where Latina attorneys are in the legal profession, and to provide a broader understanding of the historic and existing challenges to their education and professional careers. It does so by providing a demographic and professional profile of Latina attorneys across all major legal sectors, and by exploring and analyzing both their formative and career-related experiences.
This Study also offers insight into the practices and strategies Study participants believe are critical to their ability to succeed in their legal careers. This Study provides organizations and decision makers within and outside the legal profession with information to better understand and appreciate the unique barriers that limit Latina attorneys' educational and career achievements. It also provides information to assist with the development and implementation of strategies to improve the recruitment, retention, and professional advancement of Latina attorneys.