THE FIRST WOMAN LAWYER WAS ADMITTED TO THE RHODE ISLAND BAR, ONE OF THE LAST TO ADMIT WOMEN, IN 1920. THIS PRECEDENT DID NOT INITIATE AN OVERWHELMING WAVE OF WOMEN LAWYERS. AS OF OCTOBER, 1974, 60 PERCENT OF ALL WOMEN ON THE RHODE ISLAND BAR ASSOCIATION ROSTER WHO ARE NOW IN THE STATE HAVE BEEN IN PRACTICE ONLY SINCE 1970. HOWEVER, SINCE ENACTMENT OF TITLE VII OF THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, THE TREND TOWARD MORE WOMEN LAWYERS HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING. THE WOMEN LAWYERS IN THE STATE WERE SURVEYED ON SUCH QUESTIONS AS DISCRIMINATION, STEREOTYPING, YEARS IN PRACTICE, MARITAL STATUS. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS FOLLOWED BY PERSONAL INTERVIEWS. THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT WOMEN LAWYERS PREPONDERANTLY ENTER GOVERNMENT SERVICE. FEW OF THE LAWYERS REPORTED A PARTICULAR EXPERTISE OR SPECIALIZATION IN THE LEGAL FIELD. MOTIVATIONS TO BECOME A LAWYER VARIED; HOWEVER, MANY WERE INFLUENCED BY RELATIVES WHO WERE LAWYERS, A DESIRE TO AFFECT SOCIAL CHANGE, AND AN APTITUDE FOR THE PROFESSION. MOST OF THE WOMEN WERE MARRIED OR HAD BEEN MARRIED. SOME OF THE FORMS OF SEX DISCRIMINATION ENCOUNTERED BY THE WOMEN ARE LISTED. THESE WOMEN ALSO FACED CLIENT BIAS. AS A RULE, THE WOMEN LAWYERS DID NOT ENCOUNTER FINANCIAL DISCRIMINATION. THEY ALSO TENDED TO JOIN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. INTERESTINGLY, 22 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN SURVEYED WERE LEFT-HANDED. THE WOMEN INDICATED THAT THEY WERE OFTEN TREATED WITH DEFERENCE IN THE COURTROOM. ON THE OTHER HAND, MALE HOSTILITY EXISTED AND WAS DIRECTED TOWARD SOME OF THE WOMEN, AND A NOTICEABLE FEAR OF COMPETITION MANIFESTED ITSELF IN MANY PETTY WAYS. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT, AS MORE AND MORE WOMEN MOVE INTO LAW, THE NOVELTY OF THEIR PRESENCE WILL WEAR OFF, BUT COMPETITION AND HOSTILITY ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE. (JSP)