The legal profession is changing. Women solicitors now make up over half of the profession (52%). Women are still under-represented at senior levels though and for some women there is a combined ethnicity and gender penalty. One study found that whereas overall women were four times less likely than men to reach partner, black women were six times less likely and in the largest 50 law firms, there are only a handful of black women partners.
In this event the Law Society will discuss how we can shift the dial and increase the visibility and make room at the top for black women lawyers.
They will reflect on a year where we saw black inequality more widely discussed and consider to what extent these conversations have created change. The panel will consider the impact of current gender equality initiatives and how inclusive they are of different kinds of women. They will also provide practical takeaways on navigating a successful career pathway.