The State of LGBTQ+ Representation in the Legal Profession: Stats, Trends & Challenges 2025

The legal profession is usually thought of as slow-moving when it comes to inclusivity — a surprising perception given the law’s stated commitment to the equality of all persons. But a close look at the numbers shows the perception is indeed reality: at least when it comes to LGBTQ+ lawyers, the industry lags in terms of representation and elimination of bias.

Let’s have a look at how things stand in 2025: how many attorneys identify as LGBTQ+, the barriers they face, and some strategies the profession is using to increase inclusion. From law schools to professional organizations, many are dedicated to advancing the cause of equality through their hard work. It’s especially needed at a time when there’s a renewed focus on the LGBTQ+ community as a whole and the laws that impact their rights. 

The data: How many lawyers are LGBTQ+?

Let’s start with those numbers. While on the surface it seems that LGBTQ+ people are making progress in terms of representation, that masks some challenges among certain groups. 

The American Bar Association (ABA)’s Profile of the Legal Profession 2024 says there has been growth in the number of practicing lawyers who identify as LGBTQ+. Based on a survey by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), the ABA reported that 4.6% of lawyers at 785 firms surveyed were LGBTQ+. That’s up from 2.2% in 2013.

There is a stark difference in the numbers according to the type of position held. Among associates, 6.8% are LGBTQ+, up from 2.8% in 2013. Perhaps the most striking figure is for summer associates — more than 1 in 10 self-identify as LGBTQ+ in the latest survey, totaling 11.7%. As the ABA report concludes, law students, in their roles as summer associates, are much more likely to adopt the LGBTQ+ label than firm lawyers.

The 4.6% figure lags behind 2025 survey data showing that 9.3% of American adults identify as LGBTQ+. This percentage is up from 3.5% in 2012. The increase might be largely related to Gen Z, among whom 22.7% report an LGBTQ+ association. That breaks down to 31% of Gen Z women and 12% of Gen Z men, 18% and 9% among millennials.

Notably, the ABA stats pertain only to attorneys in private practice in a firm environment. The ABA says there are no reliable statistics about the number of LGBTQ+ people in the legal profession overall. Therefore, comparing the general U.S. statistics and the ABA data might be a bit like comparing apples to oranges.

That ABA data excludes a large number of attorneys who do not work in a firm environment; those who are engaged in nonprofit, public service, or other kinds of legal work are not reflected. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, just over half of lawyers worked for employers who provided legal services. Others worked in self-employment and government settings. A 2022 ABA survey on the legal profession found 75% of respondents worked in private practice. This means that firm data alone might not be a full picture of the profession.

There are some interesting figures about the makeup of the LGBTQ+ community itself within the law, specifically about women-identifying LGBTQ+ people. According to a 2023 NALP survey, LGBTQ+ lawyers are slightly less likely to identify as women than lawyers overall. But among firm partners, women are 31.53% of LGBTQ+ partners compared to 26.65% of all partners.

This partner statistic is a bit of an anomaly, as women have a lower percentage of LGBTQ+ associates and summer associates compared to all associates. Women and LGBTQ+ identifiers are 41.66% of associates and 49.59% of summer associates, compared to 49.42% and 55.11% of all associates.

The data on nonbinary identification is still limited, but the NALP reported 0.62% of LGBTQ+ lawyers identified as non-binary (0.75% of associates and 0.30% of partners). 

Challenges faced in the legal profession

The numbers show that the percentage of those in legal practice who identify as LGBTQ+ is increasing, but still falls short of the general population data. As the ranks of LGBTQ+ lawyers grow, so do the LGBTQ+ ranks in the overall community. It might be hard to conclude, therefore, that the increase in identification reflects growing acceptance within the legal industry.

A study released in 2020 by the ABA in conjunction with Syracuse University focused on the experiences of people with intersecting identities, specifically those who have disabilities or are LGBTQ+. Four in 10 reported subtle but unintentional biases, while more than 1 in 5 faced subtle and intentional biases. Of the 16.6% of respondents who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, only 0.4% said their identity was open. Less than half (46%) were able to find effective strategies to mitigate biases. 

The challenges faced by LGBTQ+ members of the profession can be multifaceted and complicated. There continues to be an evolving level of understanding about the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and how other identities like race, ethnicity, and disability intersect and impact these experiences. 

In many ways, the legal profession is still living in a world of firsts. Chase Strangio, the first out transgender lawyer to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, told Time magazine that no group of people should be having their first experience of anything. He went on to say, 

“To the extent I’m the first out attorney arguing before the Supreme Court, it’s also not surprising that I would be a white trans masculine attorney, because, again, these are all just functions of the systems of power that make it easier and harder for different people based on the bodies that we inhabit to access different spaces.”

Fortunately, there are community members and organizations that are working to make the legal profession more inclusive. This, paired with a greater range of resources to help those entering and advancing within the profession, can mean a more open and representative legal industry that serves attorneys, clients, and communities. 

Resources for law students and lawyers

The movement toward full participation of the LGBTQ+ community in the legal profession is bolstered by organizations and resources for lawyers at all stages of their careers. Support can begin at the law school level, where students might face marginalization, which can seem ironic given the law and the legal profession’s stated commitment to equality. 

This contradiction is a point made by Swethaa Ballakrishnen in her 2023 article, “Law School as a Straight Space.”  Ballakrishnen, whose focus is on genderqueer students, says law schools “reinforce linear hierarchies of identity and performance,” and the experiences of isolation among genderqueer lawyers hold important lessons about how the legal profession reinforces normativity, or to put it another way, conformity. 

The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) offers comprehensive information for prospective law school applicants about choosing an LGBTQ+-friendly law school. LSAC also addresses the sometimes challenging issues of law school applications and the personal choice whether or not to disclose one’s LGBTQ+ identity. As LSAC states, for some applicants the issue is irrelevant, for others it is an integral part of who they are and how they envision their future legal work, and many fall in between. 

The LSAC guide for law school candidates provides valuable information about a range of topics including recruitment of LGBTQ+ students, pronoun use, on-campus health services, and bathroom policies. This can support LGBTQ+ students as they begin to explore the possibilities that await them with a legal education. Established organizations like OUTLaws and Queer Law Caucus have campus chapters that students can join.

Ultimately, applicants are encouraged to ask questions: not only about formal policies, but about classroom environment, culture, and opportunities to participate in non-classroom activities such as legal clinics that are fundamental to legal training. Participating in on-campus recruitment sessions or prospective student visit days can give applicants a better sense of what school is right for them. 

For life beyond law school, LGBTQ+ attorneys can join professional organizations designed to enhance LGBTQ+ participation and provide support to identifying lawyers. The largest is the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. This organization acts as an advocate for lawyers within the profession, while also supporting members through access to legal talent, industry contacts, and pro bono work. It also has an affiliate program to connect with students at law schools.

State and city legal communities also have organizations to support local members, such as the LGBT Bar Association New York. Legal professionals who want to connect with other members of the community might consider checking for a local existing bar chapter, or starting one if it doesn’t already exist.

Movements towards inclusivity

The legal profession itself is also making efforts to improve the environment for LGBTQ+ attorneys. The ABA’s Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) has as its mandate the full and equal access to participation in the legal profession and the justice system of LGBTQ+ lawyers. Projects with a specific focus on tax law, domestic and sexual violence, youth in foster care, litigation, and LGBTQ+ elders are among the initiatives advanced by the commission. 

Besides this work to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion within the profession, a growing number of attorneys are developing their skill sets in the emerging areas of LGBTQ+ law. One example is the LGBTQ+ law section of the New York State Bar Association, open to members of all identities. The focus is on promoting equality within the law for LGBTQ+ people and on fighting anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, in addition to supporting lawyers in the profession. This section provides continuing legal education (CLE) courses to help lawyers stay current with changes in this dynamic area of law. 

Strategies for inclusion

There’s a lot of work being done on the ground to help provide an inclusive and participatory environment for LGBTQ+ attorneys in legal training and in the legal profession. Nonetheless, gaps remain. One important element of living a full professional life in line with one’s identity can be finding an affinity with others who share or have similar experiences. For that reason, it might be easier for LGBTQ+ lawyers in larger metropolitan areas, where there’s safety, comfort, and power in numbers.

One strategy employed by firms in some places is affinity groups within the workplace, so LGBTQ+  and other identity groups can openly find and collaborate with colleagues in a supportive working environment. This might allow attorneys to live a professional life that does not require full conformity to an identity narrative that is not their own. For law firms, it can also attract the highest levels of talent by demonstrating a commitment to inclusion.

Mentorship is another important inclusion strategy. In the ABA study that reflected upon the intersection between LGBTQ+ identity and disability, some survey respondents said mentoring was an effective way to mitigate bias. About 1 in 5 (20.5%) found this benefit from mentorship within the organization, while another 18.4% found it outside. As a profession that relies heavily on hierarchy and training and advancement from within, it is perhaps not surprising that mentorship can play such a crucial role in inclusion.

Attorneys of all stripes need all kinds of mentoring. From the practice of law to the business of law, guidance from others is fundamental not only to learning the ropes, but also to learning and expanding the culture of law to welcome different kinds of people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Looking forward: LGBTQ+ and the law

As the legal profession continues to make strides to advance the full participation of LGBTQ+ people, there are new pressures in the legal arena on LGBTQ+ people as a whole. The LSAC guide reported that, as of April 2024, 487 anti-LGBTQ+ laws had been introduced in legislatures across the United States. As there is growing legal activity in these areas, LGBTQ+ attorneys might feel there’s more attention on them, personally and professionally. 

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By working towards increasing representation, greater inclusion, support, and equality, the legal industry might be able to create a better world for lawyers and the communities they serve.