To celebrate International Women’s Day, Director Lucy Hart explains some of the challenges facing women in law, and explores what this year’s theme of #EmbraceEquity could mean for new and experienced female lawyers.
International Women’s Day – Supporting women to thrive in the workplace
On March 8th, the world unites to celebrate incredible women from all walks of life.
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on the history and achievements of women all around the world, but it’s also an opportunity to highlight some of the challenges that women continue to face – in the workplace and in everyday life.
#EmbraceEquity is the rallying cry for this year’s event. The message is that achieving true equality means addressing some of the systemic barriers that hold women back, and creating a level playing field where everyone has the resources and opportunities they need to succeed.
Despite all the progress made in the last few years, International Women’s Day serves as an important reminder about how far we still need to go.
In the workplace, challenges like the gender pay gap, limited opportunities for women to advance to senior positions, biased recruitment practices and inflexible working arrangements continue to affect women of all ages.
Lucy Hart, Director at Sinclair Law says “To change this, we need to support women to thrive in the workplace, to be allies to women, to address the barriers and be proactive in making changes so women can succeed in their careers with an equal outcome.”
What is the difference between equity and equality?
Equity and equality are similar, but pursuing one over the other can lead to worse outcomes for marginalised groups.
- Equality means the each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities.
- Equity recognises that different people have different needs and allocates resources accordingly.
In a classroom, equality would mean giving every student the same textbook, regardless of circumstances. Equity, meanwhile, would mean recognising that some students need different resources.
A visually impaired student, for example, might need a large-print of Braille textbook to achieve the same educational outcome as one of their peers.
Visit the IWD website to find out more at Equality versus Equity: What’s the difference as we #EmbraceEquity for IWD 2023 and beyond? (internationalwomensday.com)
Sinclair Law – Supporting women to thrive in the workplace
Sinclair Law is slightly unusual among law firms in that most of its solicitors and staff are women. However, Lucy Hart is committed to ensuring the firm does not become exclusive or exclusionary.
“I would hate for people to think we’re a ‘Girls Club’ in the same way that other firms were seen as a ‘Boys Club’ in decades past,” Lucy said.
She continued: “We have built a very strong culture of dignity and respect for everyone and would never exclude a colleague based on their gender.
“Having a diverse firm allows us to see things from different perspectives and helps us make better decisions. That’s why I’m incredibly proud of our track record in recruiting, training and mentoring solicitors from lots of different backgrounds.
“We recognise that each of our people have different circumstances and require different needs in order to succeed.”
“I love working at Sinclair Law because the firm has a great culture and management is very approachable. We are all treated fairly, with respect and as equals regardless of our professional status at the firm. I feel that all staff have a voice and our opinions and ideas are always listened to.” – Amelia Fernley, Trainee Solicitor
Where are law’s female leaders?
Despite only being allowed to enter the legal profession in 1919, women have made huge strides in recent decades.
Currently, 60% of new entrants to the legal profession are women. But women are still underrepresented in leadership positions, representing just 28% of private practice partners.
Suzanne Moore, Family Solicitor and Partner at Sinclair Law, said: “In the time I have practised law, some of the barriers facing women have come down, but others are still there.
“The main issues are to do with work-life balance. Most mothers are still primary carers and many women see their legal careers stall when they have children. Some of the big law firms are hesitant to promote women with families, but this definitely isn’t the case at Sinclair Law.”
Our advice for young female law graduates or someone interested in pursuing a career in law?
If you’re looking for your first law firm, choose one where you can see there are women in management positions. A lot of firms say they’re interested in equal opportunities, but this will prove it.
Lucy Hart, Family Lawyer and Director
Don’t let yourself be pigeonholed. Women are overrepresented in some areas of law and underrepresented in others – but you shouldn’t let this influence your decision. What’s important is you choose the area of law that you’re most passionate about.
Suzanne Moore, Family Lawyer and Partner
A good mentor can do wonders for your career at an early stage. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone who inspires you.
Sandra Sinclair, Family Lawyer
To learn more about a career with Sinclair Law and apply, visit: https://www.sinclairlaw.co.uk/careers-at-sinclair-law/
“Working at Sinclair Law is like a breath of fresh air. The atmosphere is a relaxed and inclusive one where everyone is treated equally yet as an individual with their own personal needs considered at every stage. Whilst everyone works hard the culture is that we work to live and not live to work. That means that we have plenty of opportunities to socialise together as well as being supported in our own personal development. This benefits the mixture of ages and experience that we have so that we are a vibrant and effective group.” – Jeanette Birch, Solicitor