Reactions to the Persistent Gender Disparity in Student Note Publication

Abstract

Gender disparity remains an unrelenting issue in the legal profession. In “The Persistent Gender Disparity in Student Note Publication,” published in the Yale Journal of Law and Feminism, I (along with Nancy Leong) presented original empirical research documenting a significant gender disparity in student note publication. Examination of the notes published during a ten-year time span in the general-interest law reviews at fifty-two schools reveals that women authored approximately 40% of student notes, while men published about 60%. Our article discussed the range of explanations for the disparity and explored its significance. We concluded by offering some preliminary ideas about what can be done to remedy the disparity. The reactions to our research proved to be nearly as interesting as the research itself. This article contextualizes these reactions as well as their implications for our original work. Part I summarizes the findings of my earlier work. Part II presents a collection of reactions to both the collection of the data undergirding these findings as well as the findings themselves. Part III places these reactions within a broader context of the legal community and its approach to gender disparities generally. I conclude that responses to gender disparity appear to be shifting, making the chances for productive change more likely.