The purpose of this study is to examine issues surrounding the retention of women in criminal law in Ontario, exploring whether women are leaving the private practice of criminal law at higher rates than are men, and whether women face specific challenges in criminal defence work. This report outlines the findings from a series of studies on the experiences of women in the practice of criminal law in Ontario. Four distinct sets of data were used to try to understand the issues surrounding women in the private practice of criminal law: • Focus groups • Data from Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) • Data from the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC) • The results of a survey in late 2015 of women who are members of the • Criminal Lawyers’ Association (CLA)