We have questioned whether 2010 would be the year of the attractive lawyer but it seems our question was too narrow. Every year is.

And, as previously noted, thanks to recruiters that is unlikely to change…

Womens Health: Job recruiters have come to learn that sending aesthetically pleasing candidates gets a better reaction from their clients. “I’ll write ‘This person is attractive’ on the applicant’s cover letter before passing her on,” admits a professional who does hiring in the legal field. “Whether they admit it or not, many employers feel that having pretty female employees will reflect well on their firm.”

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You might think it only makes a difference at a superficial level and true brains will shine in the end. However, American studies show the affect of beauty goes deeper than that. Take this one from their National Bureau of Economic Research :

Beauty, Productivity and Discrimination: Lawyers’ Looks and Lucre

1) Better-looking [lawyers] who graduated in the 1970s earned more after 5 years of practice than their worse- looking classmates, other things equal, an effect that grew even larger by the fifteenth year of practice. There is no impact of beauty on earnings among 1980s graduates. 2) [Lawers] in the private sector are better-looking than those in the public sector, with the differences rising as workers sort across sector based on their beauty. 3) Male [Lawyers'] probability of attaining an early partnership rises with beauty.

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So money and looks go together but the study doesn’t suggest that there’s any correlation between being better looking and being a better lawyer. Leaving the question: is it easier to be a beautiful bimbo or an ugly geek?