The IBA has published the findings of its comparative research in 11 countries on five continents: England and Wales, Uganda, Spain, Chile, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Ukraine and Türkiye.

Across all the jurisdictions, women were found to make up 47 per cent of lawyers but 38 per cent of senior lawyers.

Although some conclusions point to deep-seated economic and cultural barriers to equality at the societal level, the report includes insights about the workplace measures considered most effective to attaining gender equality in senior positions.

The largest gaps between the number of female lawyers overall and the number of female lawyers in positions of responsibility were found in Chile, England and Wales, and Spain.

The report was released by the IBA Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) in collaboration with the LexisNexis Rule of Foundation as part of the “50:50 by 2030” project.

IBA president Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama said: “The report confirms what we sensed: the glass ceiling to reach senior positions in the legal profession is powerful.

“We must continue dedicating efforts to this crucial field, advocating for gender equality at all levels and becoming a credible example for other sectors.

“The benefits of a diverse environment have been proven for decades, the measures needed to achieve it have been identified and there is widespread awareness of this issue in many countries.

“What we truly need to do is increase action and accelerate progress. We have the opportunity to achieve gender equality in our profession at all levels within this 21st century. We must not let it slip away.”