16 September 2011

Anniversary of women lawyers acknowledged

It is now 115 years since New Zealand women have had the right to practise law.

On 11 September 1896, three years after obtaining the right to vote, Parliament passed the Female Law Practitioners Act.

Several months later, Ethel Benjamin on 10 May 1897 in the Dunedin Supreme Court, became the country’s first woman to be admitted to the profession.

New Zealand Law Society Executive Director Christine Grice said it was extremely important to acknowledge and pay tribute to pioneering women, such as Ethel Benjamin and Gerladine Hemus and Ellen Melville, who paved the way for women in the profession – but there was still room for improvement.

“At 1 September 2011 of New Zealand’s 11 271 practising lawyers, 4 958 (44%) were women (about 44%). However these numbers more than halve when we look at the top echelons of the profession with only 21% of directors or partners women”

“Statistically women are less like to stay in the law than their male colleagues, and less likely to become or remain principals”

Women are also less likely to become judges. In recent times appointments have been made from a wider pool of candidates. Progress has been made which is evident with women in the roles of Chief Justice, Chief High Court Judge and Chief District Court Judge, however women remain under-represented in the judiciary, especially the High Court"

“The New Zealand Census of Women’s Participation 2010 compiled by the Human Rights Commission showed that at 12 July 2010 women made up 20% of the Court of Appeal and 26.5% of High Court Judges. Overall 26% of the judiciary were women”

“To address this gender imbalance in top jobs and the judiciary, the legal profession needs to look at ways it can better support women, who often have different needs to their male counterparts”

“Firms and companies with in-house counsel need to look at adopting flexible diversity initiatives and promote women’s mentoring and networking”

“While a typical New Zealand lawyer is still male, this is set to change within the decade, as female graduates team out of law schools, it is predicted women will outnumber men in the profession by 2018”

“When this shift occurs, in order for the profession to ensure it retains the best legal minds, it must meet the needs of female lawyers.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media