The legal profession is changing. Women solicitors now make up over half of the profession (52%). However, progress towards achieving gender balance at senior levels is slower – less than a third of partners (31%) in private practice firms are women. The pandemic also threatens to derail the momentum that has been building to get more women in leadership in law. According to a recent Law Society poll, the majority of women solicitors believe the pandemic will have a negative impact on gender equality in the profession, making the need to focus on diversity and inclusion and drive change even more important.
In this event, the Law Society will reflect on a year where the pandemic radically changed ways of working. They will consider the opportunities and challenges for women’s career progression, work-life balance, and mental health and well-being. They will look at how existing gender equality initiatives, including the Law Society’s Women in Law Pledge, can be effective levers for change. The distinguished panel will discuss issues such as the role of senior leaders and target setting in driving change, how to build an inclusive culture, and the need to address the differential outcomes for different groups of women.