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31 March 2017 / Matthew Kay
Issue: 7740 / Categories: Features , Profession
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Women in law

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Matthew Kay explores the steps being taken to support women within the legal profession

It is not news to anyone in the legal profession that when it comes to the more senior roles, men still dominate. Statistics from PwC show that on average; just 17% of partners in the top 25 law firms are female and in 2016, recruiter Laurence Simons found that 62% of female lawyers felt their gender had hampered their ability to reach senior legal roles.

However, it is not just that women are not being promoted, but leaving the profession altogether. At the start of this year, the International Bar Association (IBA) Legal Policy & Research Unit (LRPU) launched a global investigation into the reasons behind why women are leaving the legal profession. The IBA LRPU is keen to find out the barriers experienced by female lawyers and how the trend could be reversed.

Gender diversity is being talked about like never before, with stories about equal pay and discrimination in the news daily. Just recently it was reported that the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Weightmans—Jason Slatcher

Weightmans—Jason Slatcher

Weightmans appoint new Chief Technology Officer

Mishcon de Reya—trainees

Mishcon de Reya—trainees

Mishcon de Reya announces trainee retention rate of 86%

Sackers—Charlotte Adams & Fraser Sutton

Sackers—Charlotte Adams & Fraser Sutton

Sackers welcomes two new Graduate Solicitor Apprentices

NEWS
LexisNexis is delighted to announce the launch of the LexisNexis Legal Awards 2027, celebrating outstanding achievement, innovation and impact across the legal profession
The Legal Services Board (LSB) is to take further enforcement action against the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), setting additional performance targets and ‘intensifying’ its oversight, it has said
Regulators missed several opportunities to intervene in PM Law Group before it collapsed, an independent review by City firm Jenner & Block has found
An employer’s vicarious liability for the alleged torts of an employee cannot be transferred by TUPE, the Court of Appeal has confirmed
Tiered fees of up to £1,500 for Legal Ombudsman (LeO) cases could leave firms with little option but to pay out, lawyers have warned
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