Mapping Professional Challenges among Female Lawyers in Shekhawati: A Sociological Analysis

Abstract

The legal profession in India is dominated by men, but women lawyers have significantly increased their representation in the legal profession. However, their representation in the courts and semi-urban areas of the country remains limited. This study presents a sociological analysis of the professional hurdles faced by female lawyers in Shekhawati, a culturally conservative area within the northern state of Rajasthan. Based on secondary data on the issue of gender and legal profession, gender and employment in the rural part of the country, and the role of patriarchy in the professional life of people, the study outlines the key challenges faced by women lawyers in their profession, including gender-specific barriers and low retention rates, and courtroom as male-dominated arena, conflicts between family and work, and women lawyers not being included in the process of case distribution and client allocation. The study proposes the use of a mixed method to validate the above themes with the women advocates across the district bars of this region and place the analysis within the sociological frameworks of patriarchy, feminine organization, and intersectionality among others. The study states that the difficulties faced by female lawyers in Shekhawati should not be seen just as workplace or organizational issues. Rather, those challenges are formed by the interaction of the legal domain and a highly patriarchal social structure in the region.