Breaking Barriers:

Breaking Barriers: 

How Women Are Reshaping Mexico’s Legal Profession From the Inside Out

When I entered the legal profession in Mexico over thirty years ago, the path to leadership for women was, at best, narrow, and at worst, invisible. While law schools were full of talented women, few of us were seen at the partnership table, or advising on cross-border deals. Today, the legal profession in Mexico is at an inflection point. Gender equity is no longer an abstract goal; it is a business imperative. And the transformation, though overdue, is now being driven by a combination of institutional strategy, lived experience, and with a woman in the Presidency, progressive national policy. 

Back then, women were rarely considered for critical assignments or leadership tracks, not because of a lack of talent, but because of a deep-seated bias: the belief that we would eventually leave the profession to marry or have children. This assumption meant firm leadership often did not invest in our development. We were overlooked for mentoring, high-profile cases, and promotion opportunities simply because our long-term commitment was questioned before we ever had the chance to prove it. That culture of preemptive exclusion was one of the first, and hardest, barriers to overcome.

Breaking Through: A Personal Journey 

In the 1990s, I experienced this bias firsthand, until I and other women around me proved to be so devoted to our careers, we would likely not have time for marriage. In time, our Managing Partner, Aureliano Gonzalez Baz, gave several of us an opportunity for partnership, and soon thereafter, I became the head of our office in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, at 33 years old. This leadership position gave me the ability to empower and promote the women in our office by mentoring, supporting, and learning from one another.

Power in Partnership: Building Together 

Over the years, I have especially valued the steadfast support of Rosa Hilda Posada, my counterpart in our Matamoros office. We have drawn strength from each other’s wisdom, conviction, and empathy. Our collaboration has made the journey less isolating. Knowing we were navigating similar challenges allowed us to build on shared experience, rather than reinventing the wheel alone.

Together, we have mentored dozens of women, confronted outdated norms, and helped cultivate a culture where equity is embedded in our Firm’s identity. Our continued presence and success have powerfully challenged the status quo, offering younger lawyers a tangible example of what is possible.

Our work is far from finished. There are still women entering the profession today who face the same bias we once did.

Confronting Structural Bias

Notwithstanding our personal experiences, the road to partnership in Mexico remains riddled with systemic hurdles. Cultural expectations still frame women as temporary professionals, more devoted to family than work. These biases currently manifest in damaging ways, such as exclusion from important cases, delays in promotion, and a lack of meaningful mentorship from male colleagues.

At Bryanlex, Rosa and I have worked to turn lessons from our own careers into tangible policies:

• Flexible Work:

We pushed for firm-wide remote and flex-time options, not only to support working mothers but to destigmatize work-life balance for everyone.

• Bias-Aware Evaluations:

We standardized performance reviews to mitigate unconscious bias and ensure that all lawyers are assessed on results, not assumptions.

• Early Client Exposure:

Young women at our firm now have structured pathways to client-facing work, building credibility and confidence from the start.

• Maternity Reintegration:

We support women returning from maternity leave with mentoring and flexible ramp-up schedules to allow for ease of adjustment and integration.

Leading for the Next Generation

Our work is far from finished. There are still women entering the profession today who face the same bias we once did. 

To young women lawyers, I offer this:

Find your allies. Build your village. Challenge the norms that don’t serve you, and create new ones that do. 

And when you rise, don’t forget to reach back and lift others with you.

Because when women lead together, we lead better.

To the next generation: You are not alone. With each promotion, each policy change, and each act of sponsorship, the legal profession becomes more inclusive, innovative, and representative. The legacy being built today is one of purpose, partnership, and progress..■

Judith Wilson

Co-Managing Partner, 

Bryan, Gonzalez Vargas & Gonzalez Baz “Bryanlex”

in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-wilson-860bb716/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bryan-gonzalez-vargas-gonzalez-baz/