The given table illustrates the proportion of male and female lawyers working in different fields, including private law, business, government, and others, over a 16-year period starting in 2001.
Overall, the government sector employed the highest percentage of lawyers for both genders throughout the period. While the gap between male and female lawyers was relatively small in 2001, it became more pronounced over time, with female lawyers surpassing male lawyers in three sectors—private law, business, and government—by 2016.
In 2001, male lawyers in the government sector accounted for 45%, slightly higher than the 41% of female lawyers. In contrast, female lawyers had a higher proportion in private law (17%) compared to males (15%). The business sector was the least popular, with both genders at 14%. Meanwhile, in other fields, female lawyers slightly outnumbered male lawyers, at 28% compared to 26%.
By 2016, although female lawyers dominated most fields, the “others” category showed the opposite trend, with male lawyers increasing to 29%, while female lawyers dropped to 16%. In the private law sector, the proportion of male lawyers rose from 15% to 19%, while female lawyers increased from 17% to 21%. The business sector saw a notable rise in female lawyers, reaching 21%, while the percentage of male lawyers remained at 14%. Meanwhile, in the government sector, male representation declined to 38%, whereas female lawyers saw a slight rise to 42%.