National Report on Attrition and Re-engagement
Why women leave the legal profession and do not re-engage is an important issue for the national profession and one which has been a priority for the Law Council of Australia.
In 2013, the Law Council conducted the National Attrition and Re-engagement Study (NARS) research to obtain quantitative data and confirm trends in progression, attrition and re-engagement rates of female lawyers. The research also examined the qualitative reasons behind these trends. The survey was released in every Australian state and territory and surveyed both men and women who are current practising lawyers; lawyers who have never practised; and lawyers who are no longer practising.
Following the collation and analysis of the data, a Report was produced, including recommendations for legal associations and law practices, outlining practical measures which can be implemented to address the causes of high attrition rates among women lawyers, and to re-engage women lawyers who have left the profession. These recommendations encompass strategies targeted at different cohorts of women lawyers, including:
- women working in small, medium and large law firms;
- women in early, mid and later stages of their career as a legal practitioner;
- former, current and aspiring women barristers; and
- women who have left private practice (to encourage re-engagement with the legal profession)
Survey of Australia’s Legal Profession, 2026
Building on the NARS Project, the Law Council has engaged the University of New South Wales to conduct the next iteration of the study, the National Attrition and Re-engagement Study Plus (NARS+).
NARS+ will look to measure progress since the original study, to understand and respond to the future of a diverse legal profession. Australian lawyers (that is, people who have been admitted to the legal profession in any Australian jurisdiction) are now invited to participate in an online survey (noting such participation is voluntary).
The survey has now closed. The final report will be published in late 2026.
Last Updated on 04/05/2026
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