The ALB has published their list
Top Female Lawyers – But Challenges Remain
Asian Legal Business (ALB) has released its 2024 ranking of the Top 15 Female Lawyers in Asia, the fourth annual ranking highlights outstanding female attorneys who have made their mark on the Asian legal landscape.
The list, compiled from over 155 submissions spanning 13 Asian jurisdictions, recognizes lawyers who have consistently demonstrated excellence in their work and set remarkable standards within their specific legal domains.
Notable Insights
Several of the ranked lawyers shared their perspectives on the evolving role of women in the legal profession and the challenges they face in the Asian legal market.
As the legal profession in Asia continues to evolve, female lawyers face both persistent challenges and new opportunities.
Recent comments from top female lawyers across the region shed light on the current state of gender equality in the field and the strategies needed to foster a more inclusive environment.
Technological Challenges and Cultural HurdlesMayuree from Kudun highlights two significant challenges facing young female lawyers today: a noticeable gap in IT literacy and the adoption of emerging technologies like AI and machine learning.
She said that female lawyers often lag behind their male counterparts in leveraging these tools, potentially impacting their competitiveness in an increasingly tech-driven legal landscape.
The second challenge lies in navigating male-dominated business cultures, particularly when dealing with overseas clients from North Asian countries.
The emphasis on relationship-building in these cultures can sometimes exclude women from excelling, as trust-building activities may not always be inclusive.
Setsuko Yufu from Atsumi & Sakai (pictured) recalls a time when some firms openly refused to hire women. She notes significant progress, with law firms now tending to hire based on talent rather than gender, a shift that has led to increased diversity and a wider range of career paths for women in the legal profession.
Blossom Hing from Drew & Napier (pictured, left) noted that Singapore stands as an exception to many of these challenges with a more level playing field where young lawyers, regardless of gender.
This environment is attributed to supportive mentorship and a focus on performance rather than gender.
Truc Hien Nguyen from Vilafsaid there was increased competition in a saturated job market, difficulties in maintaining work-life balance, the need to constantly adapt to technological changes, overcoming implicit biases and gender stereotypes, and building strong professional networks in a field often dominated by senior male lawyers.
Making Things Better For Women Lawyers
There was consensus that the profession needed to include implementing diversity initiatives in hiring, job assignments, and promotions; focusing on work-life balance; creating mentorship programs; offering flexible working policies; providing equal access to career development opportunities; and regularly reviewing pay equity and promotion practices.
The Top 15 Female Lawyers in Asia
The list of the top 15 female lawyers are outlined below –
- Karen Abraham (Shearn Delamore & Co, Malaysia)
- Melissa Butarbutar (TnP Law Firm, Indonesia)
- Benedicta Du-Baladad (Du-Baladad and Associates, Philippines)
- Blossom Hing (Drew & Napier, Singapore)
- Denise Jong (Reed Smith Richards Butler, Hong Kong)
- Soojung Lee (Yulchon, South Korea)
- Pat Lynn Leong (Dentons Rodyk & Davidson, Singapore)
- Sonali Mahapatra (Talwar Thakore & Associates, India)
- Truc Hien Nguyen (Vilaf, Vietnam)
- Mayuree Sapsutthiporn (Kudun and Partners, Thailand)
- Aarthi Sivanandh (AZB & Partners, India)
- Miranda So (Davis Polk & Wardwell, Hong Kong)
- Kristi Swartz (DLA Piper, Hong Kong)
- Risti Wulansari (K&K Advocates, Indonesia)
- Setsuko Yufu (Atsumi & Sakai, Japan)
