Women in the Legal Profession

Judges

Figures from April 2009 show the percentage of women in different judicial posts.

• 8.3 per cent of Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
• 0 per cent of Heads of Division
• 7.9 per cent of Lord Justice of Appeal
• 13.8 percent of High Court Judges
• 14.4 per cent of Circuit Judges
• 13.4 per cent of Recorders
• 0 per cent of Judge Advocates
• 9.1 per cent of Deputy Judge Advocates
• 23.4 per cent of District Judges
• 29.0 per cent of Deputy District Judges
• 27.7 per cent of District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts)
• 27.7 per cent of Deputy District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts)
• 25.5 per cent of Masters, Registrars, Cost Judges and Others
• 36.9 per cent of Deputy Masters, Deputy Registrars, Deputy Cost Judges and Deputy District Judges

On 1 October 2009 Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers will become the first President of the Supreme Court.

Professor Dame Hazel Genn DBE, QC’s report from December 2008 takes an in-depth look at the reasons behind the under-representation of women and other groups within the judiciary. It can be found at http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/docs/report-sen-jud-appt.pdf

Barristers

Figures from 2009 show that:

• 49 per cent of pupils are women.
• 10 per cent of Queen’s Councils are women.

Solicitors

Out of the top thirty UK law firms, the proportion of women solicitors being promoted to partnership level has increased in 2009 by 2 per cent to 27 per cent.

Figures from 2008 show that:

• 44.4 per cent of solicitors were women.
• 70.3 per cent of women solicitors work in private practice compared to 77.2 per cent of male solicitors.
• The average age of women holding practising certificates was 37.1 years compared with 44.3 years for men.
• The average age of women in private practice is 37.1 years compared to 44.3 years for men.
• 63.4 per cent of trainee solicitors were women.
• 24.3 per cent of partners were women and their average age was 43.6 years compared to 47.7 years for men.
• 12.8 per cent of women solicitors were from minority ethnic groups compared to 7.7 per cent of men.
• 63.7 per cent of students enrolling with the Law Society were women. 28.6 per cent of these were from ethnic minority groups.

Figures from 2007 show that:

• 57.4 per cent of women law graduates received a first class and upper second class law degree compared to 52.8 per cent of male law graduates.
• 62.0 per cent of those who applied to join law undergraduate courses were women and 62.2 per cent of those accepted were women.

Sources: The Judiciary of England and Wales, the Law Society and the Bar Council.