Legal Profession

Abstract

The profession saw dramatic change during the course of the 20th century. In terms of composition, the major change was the admission of the first women to the profession in 1922. Men remained the dominant majority well into the century, but the last twenty-five years saw an increasing number of women enter the profession, though the majority of senior practitioners remain male. Ethnic minorities remain under-represented within the profession. Changes have also taken place in the profession's education: an entrant must now hold an academic degree, a reflection of the increasing intellectualization of the study of law throughout the century.