IWD: A Reflection on 100 Years of Women and the Law

Following the tragic events of this week, I have thought back to the past two weeks and considered how my position might have been different if I was a woman.  I now recognise just how incredibly ‘normal’ it has become for women to be warned against walking alone at night, which is something I have never had to consider as a man.  This dichotomy between the experiences of men and women has been made clear by the reaction across traditional and social media.

Kingsley Napley continue to support International Women’s Day to help forge a more gender equal world. As a firm we pride ourselves on having a workforce made up of over 69% women, with more than 50% in the partnership. However, we know that much work still has to be done in the legal sector and beyond.

When you cast your mind back to last summer, you may have hazy memories of enjoying an aperol spritz during the heat wave, listening to Lewis Capaldi on every radio station, or your attempts to desperately avoid buying plastic bottles and single use cups.

We all have family responsibilities, regardless of our gender.  Today’s parents typically want to be equally involved in family and parental responsibilities. 

While great leaps forward have been made and women-led movements have been gaining unprecedented attention and support (see the #metoo movement), minority ethnic women are often left behind as these struggles are compounded with the intersection of their race / ethnicity and gender.

Marcia Longdon, Partner in our Immigration department, writes for The Law Society Gazette for International Women's Day 2019.

The Home Office has this week published an updated version of the Government’s Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy. The VAWG action plan was first introduced in 2016 and this week’s refresher outlines 54 key measures the Government plans to implement to support those women and girls affected by violence.

It is impossible to let International Women’s Day pass this year (particularly for a female lawyer) without remarking on the fact that this year will mark 100 years since women were permitted to join the legal, and certain other, professions. 

Maybe it was the opportunity to debate anything but Brexit, but the January 2019 release of Gillette’s new advert ‘Believe’ was a hot topic among my friends.

First day back at work tomorrow. Just like Nina Simone I am ‘Feeling Good’ as I mentally plan the year ahead. Last year’s slate has been wiped clean. In the absence of abject failure, there is always hope. As ever, the plan is to simultaneously be a decent wife/mother/family member, run a house, produce high quality work, develop my career, participate in the community and find more time to live. I propose to take it one day at a time, but tomorrow and the rest of the year will look like more like this...

The judicial profession in the UK is lagging behind on the journey towards gender equality. A 2016 study by the Council of Europe found that only 30% of professional judges in England and Wales were women. Only two Member States had worse records of employing female judges than the three constituent legal systems of the United Kingdom (England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). This blog looks at the importance of balancing the bench, reflects on the achievements of pioneering female judges and considers what can be and has been done to ensure more women enter the ranks of the judiciary.

This year marks the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 which allowed women to enter the legal profession for the first time.

People ask why, 100 years after (some) women were given the right to vote, International Women’s Day is still celebrated. The results of Kingsley Napley's survey reveal that 85% of us think the purpose of IWD is to discuss what remains to be done to achieve gender parity. In terms of what does still remain to be done, you simply need to flick through this year’s IWD blog series to get an idea of just how wide ranging the issues are. 

As mothers to young children and Supervisors in the finance department we often find that these worlds collide. We have acquired a set of skills that are transferable in the workplace and particular in the management of time and people.

I meet people of all ages and stages of life going through separation and their knowledge and participation in respect of the family's finances varies greatly.  In my experience, in a long marriage where the wife has stopped working to have children and the husband is the main or sole earner, this impacts on the roles each take on during the marriage.

The other day I discovered the story of an impressive and yet little known woman in politics. What struck a chord wasn’t just how qualified she was, as a doctor, but also how young she was when she entered public life, at just 32.

We’re lucky. We’re a top 100 law firm with a female Managing Partner and female Senior Partner. Over 75% of those who work here are women. More than 50% of the partnership are women. Half the firm’s management team are women. The statistics are good. We are certainly unusual in professional services.

Oprah’s 2018 Golden Globes speech was widely praised, even sparking now denied rumours of a potential 2020 presidential run from the American icon. Her speech was made in the context of women speaking up about sexual assault

In a now infamous interview President Trump said "No, I wouldn't say I'm a feminist. That would be, maybe, going too far. I'm for women. I'm for men. I'm for everyone. I think people have to go out ... and they have to win. And women are doing great, and I'm happy about that."

Since 2001, Ogunte has been developing expertise in supporting women in social enterprises and the solidarity economy to help grow their operations, their impact and develop their leadership.