The topic of gender and law firms is becoming increasingly important as the number of women graduating from law school continues to rise. Concurrently, large, influential companies are demanding increased diversity in their legal representation. Building on prior research pertaining to gender diversity, I explore the relationship between gender diversity and business performance of a law firm, specifically exploring whether gender diversity within a law firm impacts the amount of revenue generated by a law firm. Using linear regression analysis, I explore the relationship between the percent of female employees and percent of female partners within a law firm and the annual revenue growth rate experienced by that firm. I explore the influences of headquarter location, national versus regional scope, and firm age on the relationship between gender diversity and law firm performance.
Author: JoLynn Smith, Class of 2020
Advisor: Sreedhari Desai, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School