The Supreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) recent report on women legal professionals has found 34 per cent of the 2,604 respondents surveyed to have personally experienced gender bias in professional settings such as chambers, court registries, police stations and law offices, with a striking 42.7 per cent of respondents identifying fees, payments, or fee negotiations as the most cited domain of bias.The report, “Documenting Voices of Women Legal Professionals in India”, provides a sober assessment of the current reality and goes beyond narrative to offer a data-driven critique of the institutional and cultural prejudices that still hinder women at the Bar, based on a study of 2,604 female legal professionals nationwide.Must Read | ‘In judiciary, no one will give women long trials’: Supreme Court pulls up petitioner over mandatory menstrual leave policyA further 23.5 per cent of the respondents indicated that they were aware of bias through colleagues, pointing to the wider pervasiveness of these issues beyond direct experience. In contrast, only 29.4 per cent reported not having encountered any such bias. The survey finds that nearly six in 10 women have experienced institutional gender bias in their practice environment.Contexts of gender biasWhen asked to identify the areas where they had experienced gender bias, 39.5 per cent pointed to work-life balance expectations imposed due to gender. Further, clients encompassing issues of trust and briefing, were identified by 32.8 per cent, while panel appointments and designation processes were identified by 29.1 per cent, 26.6 per cent identified bias in allocation of important, high-profile, or sensitive matters. SCBA report flags gender bias against women legal professionals in professional settings.The report further maps the spread of gender bias across multiple professional touchpoints. Seniors, including chamber heads and employers, were cited by 27.3 per cent of respondents, while 25.3 per cent pointed to opposing counsel. Informal professional networks, such as briefing, referrals, and networking opportunities, were identified by 19.4%, alongside colleagues and peers at 18.0% and court staff at 16.8 per cent.Institutional and operational spaces were also flagged, with 15.4 per cent citing office, clerical, and police station interactions, and 15.3 per cent referring to judges or courtroom dynamics. Additionally, 17.3 per cent highlighted bias in training and internships, and 13.2 per cent in access to mentorship and professional guidance. Media interactions or representation recorded the lowest incidence at 7.3 per cent.Women’s professional journeyThe survey report finds that 81.3 per cent of respondents (2,116 of 2,604) believe that their professional journey has been more difficult than that of their male counterparts. Of these, 41.1 per cent described it as much more difficult, while 40.2 per cent reported it as slightly more difficult.Story continues below this ad Where Women Lawyers Face Gender Bias: Top Domains% of respondents identifying each domain as a site of gender biasEconomic & ProfessionalFees, payments & negotiationsWork-life balance expectations (gender-imposed)Clients & BriefingClients — trust & briefingCareer AdvancementSeniors — chamber heads & employersPanel appointments & designation processesAllocation of high-profile or sensitive mattersExpress InfoGenIE Sexual harassment in professional setting16.1% of respondents (420) reported experiencing sexual harassment in a professional setting. 12.7 per cent preferred not to say. The report also finds that out of those who reported or sought any remedy, 57 per cent faced backlash in some or other manner.Burnout and well-beingAccording to the survey, 84 per cent of respondents reported experiencing work-related stress or burnout at least occasionally in the twelve months preceding the survey, with 26.1 per cent indicating that they experienced it very often. The prevalence was highest among early-career advocates with 0 to 5 years of practice, where approximately 94.4 per cent reported such experiences.First-generation lawyersThe survey finds that 83.1 per cent of respondents are first-generation lawyers with no immediate family member in the legal profession.