Women In The Legal Profession

An interesting article in the Law Society’s Gazette publication this month reports that there is a “female talent drain” in that whilst entry level to the profession appears to be open to everyone, it is not the same once the ladder is ascended in the profession.   The number of female partners in solicitors’ firms is low. Statistics show that there are now more women than men qualifying as solicitors with women representing over 60% of newly qualified solicitors since 1990. However, only 28% of partners in private practice are women. Only half of all judges under the age of 50 years are women.

A Court of Appeal Judge, Lady Justice Rafferty was speaking at the Royal Society Diversity Conference when she stated that “diversity must be maintained beyond entry level to the profession”.

Here at Adams Harrison female partners represent 83% of the firm, with the Managing Partner being a woman!