International Women's Day: Exploring Imposter Syndrome In The Legal Profession

• Published date: 03 March 2022
• Subject Matter: Employment and HR, Law Department Performance, Discrimination, Disability & Sexual Harassment, Performance, Management
• Law Firm: Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP
• Author: Jennifer Wells

Tuesday 8 March 2022 will mark International Women's Day, and the campaign theme this year is #BreakTheBias. Although hashtags are catchy, I was eager to understand what 'breaking the bias' means for my colleagues and I in practice. As we strive to build a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination, it occurred to me that often the biggest obstacle we face in our efforts to value and celebrate our successes is an internal bias toward our own capabilities. Social scientists have linked this inability to recognise or value one's own abilities and successes to a psychological phenomenon known as imposter syndrome.

What is imposter syndrome?

Maya Angelou, Meryl Streep, Michelle Obama; women who are notable public figures and widely regarded as outstanding in their respective fields, but who have also each admitted to not feeling worthy of the recognition that they have received. Have you ever compared yourself to your high-achieving peers and felt inadequate by comparison? Have you quipped at work about being a 'charlatan' or a 'fraud', just waiting to be found out? Have you doubted whether you 'belong' in your chosen profession, or told yourself that you can just 'fake it until you make it'? If the answer is 'yes' to any of these, then you may have experienced imposter syndrome; the anxiety and self-doubt that leads one to question one's professional ability, and even to belittle one's own successes.

While individuals of any gender might develop imposter syndrome during the course of their career, research indicates that women are often more susceptible to its impact and suggests this may be due to lower levels of testosterone (often known as 'the confidence hormone'). Higher levels of testosterone in men may make it more likely that they will push through any self-doubt or feelings of inadequacy, while women are more likely to succumb. The effect of giving in to this self-doubt may be seen in women leaving their profession unexpectedly, or choosing not to seek promotion, citing a lack of confidence in their own ability or in their likelihood of success.

Imposter syndrome in the legal profession

Since International Women's Day was first recognised by the United Nations in 1977, we have come a long way in the fight for gender equality, with women's rights becoming increasingly recognised in law, public policy and by the legal profession. UCAS data shows that 69% of law applicants in 2021 were women; similarly, the Law Society of Scotland...