New research shows that, despite progress in recent years, much work remains in achieving gender parity at senior levels in legal workplaces.
A new report from the International Bar Association has revealed that while over 50 per cent of Australian lawyers are female, this number drops when considering senior roles. In surveyed law firms, the numbers are even more stark – 59 per cent of firm lawyers are female, but only 42 per cent operate at senior levels.
According to the IBA’s 14th Raising the Bar: Women in Law Project report, women currently account for 30 per cent of barristers in Australia, and only 16 per cent of senior or King’s counsel. Additionally, while 47 per cent of judicial officers in Australia’s highest courts are women, this number is declining.
Law Council of Australia immediate past president Juliana Warner emphasised the structural challenges she faced in the profession: “I have encountered the same obstacles facing many women lawyers as they endeavour to balance a demanding career with family and carer responsibilities.”
This is a commonly cited issue raised by women in the profession. In a soon-to-be released episode of The Lawyers Weekly Show, the national manager of business development for UniSuper, Veronica Barbetta, discussed the realities of parental leave and returning to work: “That’s where I think these biases, this perhaps unintentional discrimination such as not sharing enough work around or sharing the load differently or assuming women aren’t coming back from parental leave, they really do just extend the gap.”
Barbetta also discussed ways of rectifying this. “There are return to work programs that encourage women to come back,” she said, adding: “I’ve seen a lot of firms engage with their staff while they’re on parental leave.”
And this rings true: when asked about initiatives implemented to address gender disparity, surveyed workplaces reported flexible working arrangements as the most effective. Other measures included mentoring, target setting, and specified leadership training.
According to International Bar Association (IBA) president Claudio Visco, the findings are of particular relevance. He said: “Today in Australia most law students are women, and although the proportion of women at senior levels has increased over time, it does still not reflect the overall proportion of women lawyers in the profession.”
The trick now will be to implement said changes to not only support current female lawyers but also future professionals globally.
Amelia is a Professional Services Journalist with Momentum Media, covering Lawyers Weekly, HR Leader, Accountants Daily and Accounting Times. She has a background in technical copy and arts and culture journalism, and enjoys screenwriting in her spare time.
