BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING: AN ANALYSIS OF BARRIERS TO WOMEN INCLUSION IN ADVOCACY IN LIGHT OF ITS INNOVATIVE POTENTIAL
Diversity Management; Innovation; Women in the Legal Profession; inclusion of women.
This dissertation aims to analyze the female inclusion initiatives of the OAB/RS in light of the professional barriers faced by women in the legal profession in Rio Grande do Sul, , in light of the theoretical premise that the inclusion of women is a driver of innovation. The research is based on mapping the subsections of the OAB/RS that have committees dedicated to women’s inclusion, as well as assessing lawyers’ perceptions of the barriers and of the impact of the inclusion initiatives developed by the OAB/RS committees in law firms. To this end, a mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a quantitative survey (with 83 lawyers) and qualitative interviews with institutional leaders. The results reveal a strong consensus regarding the existence of structural barriers, such as the impact of motherhood on career progression, and a professional culture perceived as predominantly masculine. However, the actions implemented by the OAB/RS to mitigate these challenges proved to be little known and were mostly evaluated neutrally, indicating a misalignment between the initiatives carried out and their perceived impact. As a technological product, a technical report was prepared with guidelines to strengthen inclusion policies, with the purpose of fostering a more equitable legal environment and, consequently, one that is better prepared to face innovation-related challenges.