ABA: 70% of Women Lawyers of Color Have Left or Want to Leave the Profession

Analysis republished this week by The Impact Lawyers draws on the ABA's "Left Out and Left Behind" report, which found 70% of women lawyers of color in the United States have either quit or are considering quitting the legal profession — while representing only 2% of equity partners at large law firms. The primary drivers reported are firm cultures where contributions are "neither sufficiently recognized nor rewarded," lack of influential mentors (women of color are more likely to have mentors but their mentors are less likely to have influence at the firm), insufficient sponsorship, absence of client development opportunities, and a persistent absence of representation in firm hierarchies. The ABA's recommendations focus on structural redesign rather than program addition: reduce bias in decision-making by examining who makes advancement decisions and how; require influential sponsors, not just mentors; incorporate an intersectional approach that recognizes the compounded effects of gender and race; and go beyond recruitment to focus explicitly on inclusion and retention. For managing partners and HR directors, the 70% figure is a talent economics problem: replacing a senior associate costs 1.5–2x annual salary, and the structural conditions producing that departure rate are documented and addressable.