Legal tech is a growing industry, with more and more legal companies looking at the ways in which technology can help them to modernize their business. However, the majority of individuals that are growing careers in the legal tech industry are men, leading to issues in the growth of legal tech and causing issues for women who want to make careers for themselves in the tech industry.
This guide recognizes the challenges that women face in legal tech, and discusses how women can start to make an impact on the sector.
How many women are in legal tech?
Research has shown that only 17% of start-ups have women founders, and this is even less in the legal tech industry, with only 15% of legal tech businesses being run by women. Although women are getting more recognition for their services to legal tech, with awards such as the Legal Technology Resource Center’s Women of Legal Tech Award, there is still a large gap between women and men in the legal tech arena, which Forbes reported saw a 718% growth in 2018.
How can more women be successful in legal tech?
One of the best ways that women can be successful in developing their own legal firm is to create a secure marketing campaign that targets women and a broader audience. This can be done through creating your own website through law firm web design, which enables you to advertise your services appropriately to encourage a higher conversion rate.
Women can also be more successful by building up connections early through networking or finding an appropriate mentor who can help to guide and represent them through the legal industry, which also allows them to build up a client base for the future.
What challenges do they face?
Women face many challenges in the legal tech industry, and these include sexism and unconscious bias towards women, leaving them unable to find positions in the industry or make vital business connections. Not only this, but many women who have started up legal tech companies state that a change in management is a particular challenge, with many citing that law, as a traditionally male-centric practice, struggles to integrate women into its way of doing business.
Not only this, but women also face issues such as stereotyping around motherhood and familial responsibilities that can prevent them from being promoted, or from being able to run their own business. However, the rise of remote working and technology has allowed women to have a fairer work-life balance in the legal tech world, with many entrepreneurs operating their businesses from home.
What are the negative effects of this?
The negative effects of the lack of women in tech include a design basis that means that technology and the development of legal firms are created to suit men, excluding women from being able to use them efficiently. For instance, this is particularly the case with voice recognition systems, which in some cases have been unable to respond or listen to a female voice due to their set-up. Not only this, but artificial intelligence has also been known to have a bias against words often used in female CVs, leaving women unable to secure legal jobs.
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