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Empowering Women in Law on International Women’s Day

8 March 2023

Here at Redkite Solicitors, we continue to celebrate International Women’s Day with each passing year. The occasion presents a welcomed opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the globe, as well as within our Redkite family.

It is also a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the inequalities that are ever present across the legal industry. Despite the progress made across recent history, further action needs to be taken to achieve gender parity.

As an organisation, we are committed to nurturing a diverse and representative team. This way, we can encourage a happy and healthy workforce and better serve our clients, catering to their unique needs and experiences.

Are women equally represented in the legal industry?

There is no simple answer to this question. Data collected in 2021 by the Solicitors Regulation Authority indicates that 52% of solicitors in the UK are women. Suggesting that there could be an equal representation of female solicitors within the workplace. However, there are apparent differences surrounding the seniority of staff within law firms across the UK.

The metaphorical ‘Glass Ceiling’ is a term that is used to describe the invisible barrier that prevents individuals from being promoted within their industry. Most commonly, this term is used in relation to the gender divide in the workplace, with men often dominating the highest ranks of an organisation.

Despite a relatively equal dispersion of solicitors, there continues to be a significant under-representation of women at the partner level across law firms of all sizes. On average, only 35% of partners are women, demonstrating the challenges faced by women seeking to obtain positions of power in their line of work.

Barriers in the workplace

Due to the apparent divide in senior positions, it is evident that there are barriers that prevent women from reaching these roles. At Redkite Solicitors, we consistently reflect on these issues to ensure measures are taken to remove barriers wherever possible.

One hugely significant decision that often affects a woman’s ability to progress in her field is pregnancy. Whilst maternity leave is necessary during the early periods of a child’s life, the period of leave frequently diminishes opportunities for promotion and development across their career. Organisations across all industries need to support  families in balancing their personal and professional life and at Redkite we’re proud of our culture, which truly encourages a work, life, family balance . These are essential components for gender equality and progression for women.

Empowering women at Redkite Solicitors

Here at Redkite Solicitors, we are proud to foster a highly diverse and inclusive culture amongst our team. At the highest levels of our organisation, women are empowered to climb to the rank of partners and we’re proud of the number of women in senior roles within our firm. Our goal is to create a workplace that caters to the needs of every individual.

We continually seek to break down barriers that prevent any member of our team from achieving their ambitions. We collaborate with our solicitors to help them set an actionable trajectory for their careers. Opportunities for growth and development are continually available to all staff, regardless of gender, sexual identity, disability or race.

Here at Redkite Solicitors, we are not afraid of change. We continually celebrate International Women’s Day in recognition of the incredible women that we are proud to have on our team but also to acknowledge the changes that are necessary for our organisations and others to better address inequalities within the workplace.