Band 9: The table below shows the changes in the percentage of lawyers choosing jobs in different industries in a specific country from 2001 to 2016. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The table illustrates the percentage changes in male and female lawyers working across four job industries in a particular country between 2001 and 2016.

Overall, there was a notable shift away from the “Others” category, with both genders increasingly choosing Business and Private Lawyer roles. Female lawyers showed a stronger trend toward professional sectors, especially Business and Private Law.

In 2001, nearly half of all lawyers – 48% of females and 46% of males – were employed in “Others.” By 2016, this dropped significantly to 16% for females and 29% for males. Meanwhile, the Business sector saw the most growth, particularly among women, rising from 11% to 23%. Male participation in Business also increased from 14% to 20%.

Private Lawyer roles remained relatively stable for males (15% to 14%) but rose for females from 17% to 21%. Government positions saw a slight decline for both genders, with male representation falling from 25% to 22% and female from 24% to 20%.

These trends suggest a professionalization of career choices among lawyers, especially women, who increasingly moved toward structured legal and business roles over time.