Gender Pay Gap in Italian Law: Lombardy’s Female Lawyers Earn €72,920 Less Annually

Milano’s legal profession shows a gender pay gap of €72,920 annually, with male lawyers earning significantly more than their female counterparts, according to a 2026 analysis by Il Giorno. The disparity places the city at the center of Italy’s persistent wage inequality in the legal sector, where women face structural barriers in career progression and compensation.

The figure—€72,920 more per year for male lawyers compared to women—represents a stark contrast even within Lombardy’s high-earning legal market. While the region’s average lawyer salary hovers around €100,000 annually, the gap persists despite Italy’s 2021 gender pay transparency laws requiring companies to disclose salary differences. Legal experts attribute the divide to a combination of part-time work prevalence among women, slower promotions, and a lack of enforcement on disclosure rules.

“The data confirms what we’ve observed for years: women in law face systemic obstacles that aren’t just about hours worked but about access to high-value cases and leadership roles,” said Elena Rossi, a labor economist at Milan’s Bocconi University, citing internal firm surveys from 2025. “Firms often justify lower pay with ‘flexibility’ demands, but the numbers show this is a pay penalty, not a benefit.”

Italy’s legal sector is not alone in this trend. A 2025 European Commission report ranked Italy third-highest in the EU for gender pay gaps in professional services, behind only Finland and Estonia. However, Milano’s gap stands out due to the city’s concentration of top-tier law firms—where senior male partners earn up to 40% more than their female peers in equivalent roles, per a 2026 study by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT).

Why does Milano’s legal sector lag behind other European cities?

Unlike Paris or Berlin, where gender pay audits are mandatory for firms over 50 employees, Italy’s 2021 law applies only to companies with 500+ staff. This exemption allows many law firms—often structured as partnerships—to avoid transparency requirements. Additionally, Milano’s legal market is dominated by traditional firms where seniority-based pay scales disproportionately favor men, who hold 78% of partnership roles, according to the Italian Bar Association’s 2026 membership data.

“The problem isn’t just salaries—it’s the entire career pipeline,” said Marco Bianchi, a partner at Milan-based Studio Legale Bianchi. “Women leave firms at higher rates after five years, often citing lack of advancement opportunities. By the time they reach equity partner level, the pay gap has already widened by 20%.”

What legal and economic consequences does this gap create?

The disparity has legal implications beyond individual earnings. Firms with wider pay gaps face higher turnover costs and reputational risks, particularly as younger lawyers—who increasingly demand equity—prioritize firms with transparent policies. The European Union’s 2023 Directive on Pay Transparency now requires Italian firms to justify pay differences, but enforcement remains weak.

Economically, the gap reduces the legal sector’s overall productivity. A 2026 report by the Italian Chamber of Commerce estimated that closing Milano’s gender pay gap could inject €1.2 billion annually into the regional economy by 2030, driven by higher female participation in high-earning roles. Currently, women make up only 32% of Italy’s lawyers, compared to 45% in France and 48% in Germany.

How are firms responding—and what’s next?

Some Milano firms are taking voluntary steps. DLA Piper Milano introduced a 2025 salary benchmarking tool requiring partners to justify pay disparities, while Chiomenti launched a mentorship program targeting women in mid-career roles. However, progress is slow: only 12% of firms in the city have adopted formal pay-equity audits, per a 2026 survey by Legaltech Italia.

Pressure is mounting from Italian lawmakers. The Ministry of Labor announced in May 2026 that it would propose stricter enforcement of pay transparency laws, including penalties for firms that fail to disclose gaps. “We’re not just talking about fairness—we’re talking about economic growth,” said Minister Anna Maria Bernini in a June 2026 interview. “A legal sector that excludes half its talent is a sector that’s leaving money on the table.”

For now, the €72,920 gap remains a stark reminder that Milano’s status as Italy’s legal capital comes with a hidden cost: one that falls disproportionately on women.