Celebrating Women in Law

8 March 2020 is International Women’s Day.

Later in this piece, we cast a spotlight on our Head of Group for Personal Injury.

But first some background….

2019 has been a year for celebrating women in law. The First 100 Years campaign has sparked events, discussions, networks and prompted the spotlight to be focused upon the many inspirational leaders we have in our field; Lady Hale, Christina Blacklaws and Baroness Helena Kennedy to name a few.

Women in Law have certainly achieved so much over the years and the progress, whilst slow, is still progress. For example, recent figures show that 68% of students studying law at university are female and 62% of trainee solicitors are female. It is, therefore, unsurprising that 61% of newly-qualified solicitors admitted to the roll are female. This is cause for celebration!

However, the statistics for female solicitors in senior positions in law firms are not as uplifting. The Solicitors Regulation Authority article on ‘How Diverse are Law Firms’ reports that although 48% of all lawyers in law firms are women, they make up only 33% of the partnership. The data also shows that the larger the firm is, the fewer female partners you’ll find. The SRA does point out that these numbers are rising year on year – but progress is slow.

This shows that despite the high intake of female solicitors and trainees, there are evidently some obstacles ahead that are stunting career progression for women in law.

There is a stigma in the workplace about marriage, pregnancy, childcare, working flexibly and going part-time; all of which affect the primary caretakers of children. Statistically, a woman is more likely to stay home with her children so those who have the most to lose from inflexible working arrangements and restrictive maternity leave policies are women. (Office for National Statistics, 2019).

The stigma from going part-time is pervasive, with many employees being treated as though they are not serious about their career by going part-time. Approximately one in five new mothers upon returning to work experience harassment or negative comments from their colleagues, employers or managers. This harassment even happens whilst they are pregnant. (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2018). Furthermore, it is clear that this is having a negative impact on career progression and is something that needs to change if the legal profession is to reach 50/50 all the way up to the top.

A flexible, understanding, employer who appreciates the effort that goes in to working full-time and being a parent full-time can change that and make it possible to have a successful career. It is possible to have it all.

Ashtons Legal offers excellent flexible working arrangements with a rare paid time off policy that has boosted efficiency and overall wellbeing whilst reducing sick leave and the practice of keeping back leave just in case…. This past year, Ashtons Legal’s Head of Injury Services Group, Tom Cook, retired after 26 years with the firm. These were big shoes to fill as Tom had steered the ship for many years. Hannah who joined the firm in 1997 and worked her way up from paralegal to partner clinched this role whilst working part-time and managing a busy Personal Injury department.

Here, we conducted an interview with Hannah to find out how it is possible to be a female professional in a law firm and climb the ranks whilst also supporting a family.