Two out of three female lawyers believe their gender will adversely affect their career prospects, new research has found.

The study, which was funded by the Law Foundation, surveyed more than 500 women as part of research into the experiences of junior lawyers in New Zealand.

The women thought a lack of female partners and directors at law firms to provide support and act as role models would make it harder for them to advance.

Photo: 123RF

They were also concerned overt sexism from some male colleagues would work against them.

Most legal employers were still unwilling to provide the flexible hours that would allow them to keep working while raising a family, the women said.

The Law Society's executive director, Christine Grice, said the survey signalled that the work-life balance of lawyers needed to be addressed.

"Women really find it difficult to balance work and life. Now a lot of that may be because the nature of the partnership, and the nature of how we practice law might need looking at."

Although female law graduates have outnumbered male graduates since the 1990s, as of August last year, only 27 percent of partners and directors in New Zealand law firms were women.

"Women really find it difficult to balance work and life, now a lot of that may be because the nature of the parntership and the nature we practice law might need looking at."