As the recruitment season for the Batch of 2026 concludes, Indian law firms demonstrate a notable trend in their hiring practices, favoring female graduates. Data from ten prominent law firms reveals that women constitute 57% of this year’s hires, with 282 women employed versus 216 men, who account for 43% of the intake.
Gender Dynamics in Legal Hiring
The RecTracker 2026 highlights a gender-wise division in recent recruitment. Among eight firms providing comparative data from the Batch of 2025, this year’s total hiring of 477 is reduced from a minimum of 542 last year.
Firm-Specific Hiring Trends
Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas (CAM) has recruited 100 freshers through campus placements, with a female-to-male ratio of 63:37. This marks a decrease from 170 hires in the Batch of 2025.
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co (SAM) has secured 92 new graduates, with a 40:60 male-to-female ratio. These hires include 48 from campus placements, 34 via pre-placement offers (PPOs), and 10 through other channels, showing an increase from 70 hires in the previous cycle. The compensation remains at ₹20,00,000 annually.
Trilegal has hired 90 graduates, an increase from the previous batch’s 80, maintaining a balanced gender ratio of 50:50. Most recruits are from the firm’s internship program, with an unchanged salary package of ₹19,50,000.
Khaitan & Co recruited 85 freshers, with 18 from Day Zero placements and 67 via PPOs. The gender distribution is 55% women and 45% men, down from 106 hires last year. The compensation package is set at ₹22,50,000, down from the previous year’s ₹23,00,000.
J Sagar Associates (JSA) hired 48 graduates, with a 56:44 ratio favoring women. About 40 hires were through PPOs, consistent with last year’s numbers. JSA emphasizes regional diversity by recruiting from state and national law schools, with compensation benchmarked against peers.
CMS Induslaw engaged 30 freshers, with 57% women. Most hires were through PPOs, with a consistent hiring count from last year. The average package stands at ₹18,72,000, subject to variations across practices.
Saraf and Partners welcomed 19 law graduates.
S&R Associates hired 18 graduates, primarily through PPOs, with a gender split of 33% women. This is a decline from the previous year’s 21 hires.
Argus Partners retained 14 new recruits, maintaining last year’s numbers, with women constituting 71%. The recruits were from nine different law schools, with notable contributions from NUJS Kolkata.
Talwar Thakore & Associates (TT&A) recruited 11 freshers, with a gender ratio slightly favoring women.
HSA Advocates brought in 10 freshers, primarily focusing on real estate and compliance roles.
Together, these eleven firms have so far recruited 517 fresh graduates from the Batch of 2026, showcasing a growing trend of gender diversity in legal recruitment.
