More than a third have experienced a drop in income. However, the reduction in income has not been accompanied by a corresponding drop in working hours―only 6% of employers had reduced respondents’ formal working hours with just 3% requesting reduced hours themselves.
One solicitor
said: ‘Our firm has seen 80% of the staff furloughed.
‘The only two
kept at my office were the mother of a five-year-old trying to home school and
myself, currently pregnant. The strain on both our mental health has been
outrageous.’
One barrister
said: ‘As a young, healthy woman with no children I am one of the few people in
chambers able to continue going to court throughout this time.
‘The pressure
is immense. It felt like I became responsible for bringing new work into
chambers overnight, and that I didn't have a good reason for not accepting
work. I'm exhausted.’
Nearly 900
women responded to the survey. 91% of the respondents are working from home,
11% have had confirmed or suspected COVID-19 and 17% have had a family member
with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. One in five has volunteered or acted pro
bono during the crisis.
Two-thirds
reported that the organisation they work for has furloughed staff.
Three-quarters of the women said their firm or chambers was handling the crisis
well and the majority were optimistic their businesses would bounce back once
the crisis was over.
Half of those
with young children reported they were taking on more childcare
responsibilities than their partner. Nearly one third had to reduce their
working hours in order to do so. 73% were finding the situation hard to juggle.
One law firm
partner said: ‘All staff apart from partners have been furloughed, so I am
working at home around the clock whilst having to juggle a four-year-old and an
ill husband.
‘It is
exhausting and at the same time I am dealing with the reality that the firm
just may not survive this.’
Some 65% were concerned that the lockdown was ‘exaggerating’ existing inequalities between men and women with more than half voicing concerns that diversity initiatives will fall by the wayside as financial pressures grow post-crisis.
However, there
was also a widespread expectation of increased acceptance of requests for home
working or flexible working after the crisis is over, with 83% anticipating a
change in the profession.
Dana
Denis-Smith, founder of The Next 100 Years and CEO of Obelisk Support, said:
‘The survey shows that women in the legal profession are being hit hard by this
crisis.
‘Many are
attempting to do the impossible and there is a reluctance to admit they are not
super women. These life changing events will affect the legal profession for
years to come and I hope that we learn the right lessons.’
