The Elle Woods effect: good-looking lawyers are more successful in court, research shows
- Attractive lawyers are more likely to win and get favorable rulings from judges
- This benefit applies to both men and women – and at all experience levels
Whether it’s Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde, Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones or Ally McBeal, there have been plenty of attractive lawyers on our TV screens.
But now a study suggests that smart lawyers are more likely to win their cases and receive favorable rulings from judges.
And this advantage applies to both men and women – and at all experience levels – as it turns out.
As part of his research, a University of Illinois researcher collected data on more than 1,000 U.S. lawsuits and found photos and courtroom videos of the attorneys involved.
He then asked a group of participants to rate the lawyers on their attractiveness.
Research shows that good-looking lawyers are more likely to win their cases and receive favorable rulings from judges. Pictured: Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde
Analysis found that lawyers who were perceived as more attractive had consistently higher success rates and were more likely to win cases outright.
The findings were consistent regardless of the race and gender of both the judges and lawyers. Attractive female lawyers, however, seemed to gain a slightly greater advantage, especially when arguing before male judges.
The investigator said the findings raise “significant concerns” about the fairness of the justice system.
“I think the most important takeaway is that judges are people too,” study author Nicholas Waterbury told me PsyPost.
“When judges are overloaded with work, they rely on the same mental shortcuts the rest of us use to make decisions.
‘Researchers have shown in many settings that attractive individuals have advantages over less attractive counterparts.
this advantage applies to both men and women – and at all experience levels – it turned out. Pictured: Colin Firth as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones
Analysis found that lawyers who were perceived as more attractive had consistently higher success rates and were more likely to win cases outright. Pictured: Calista Flockhart as Ally McBeal
“This research suggests that when judges have to quickly assess a lawyer’s argument, they offer the same attractiveness advantage as everyone else.”
The research, entitled ‘Justice Isn’t Blind’, was published in the Journal of Law and Courts.
It says: ‘In this analysis I have shown that the attractiveness of lawyers significantly increases the chances of success as a lawyer.
‘Voting based on attractiveness is not rational decision-making.
‘Attractiveness should not influence the outcome of legal disputes.
“These findings raise serious normative concerns about equality and underscore the need to adapt traditional models of judicial behavior to account for inherent biases.”