Legal profession growth substantially reflects opening to formerly excluded groups

Evidence

A transformation has also occurred in the composition and size of the American legal profession. Initially, the practice of law was largely confined to a relatively small group of native-born white males. But in the late nineteenth century, new groups—women, racial minorities, and immigrants—began to seek admission to the legal profession. Despite legal and social barriers, these groups had gained a tenuous foothold by the early twentieth century. Only within the last few decades, however, have women and racial minorities become a sizable presence within the American legal community. Indeed, the dramatic expansion of the American legal profession in large part reflects the opening of the profession to previously excluded or marginalized groups. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1195

A transformation has also occurred in the composition and size of the American legal profession. Initially, the practice of law was largely confined to a relatively small group of native-born white males. But in the late nineteenth century, new groups—women, racial minorities, and immigrants—began to seek admission to the legal profession. Despite legal and social barriers, these groups had gained a tenuous foothold by the early twentieth century. Only within the last few decades, however, have women and racial minorities become a sizable presence within the American legal community. Indeed, the dramatic expansion of the American legal profession in large part reflects the opening of the profession to previously excluded or marginalized groups. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 768

Categorization

• XREF: Amplifies ch49 data on women surpassing half of law students only in 2016. — connects to: University-based law schooling replaced apprenticeship only within the last century — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1194; Solo practice historically absorbed lawyers barred from major firms by background — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1053; US lawyers per capita stagnated for seventy years then suddenly doubled — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 476 (+2 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1195; G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 768

Broader Connections

• US lawyers per capita stagnated for seventy years then suddenly doubled #complicates (0.75) — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 476