Women in Law

As International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023 approaches, we are reflecting on the numerous and varied roles that women play in our society. It’s a time for looking forward, but also reflecting on the past.

With this in mind, we have been thinking back to December 2022, that marked the centenary of the admission of the first woman as a solicitor. Carrie Morrison qualified on 18 December 1922 and since then the legal industry has made amazing steps forward: women now make up 53% of practising solicitors, and 31% of partners in the private sector are women.

Law firms are increasingly conscious of the need to develop a workforce that is representative of society, so that they can better serve their communities, and the population overall. Whilst progress has undoubtedly been made, there is still so much that can be done, and statistics display a potential for even greater diversity in the future within the legal sector.

Johnson Astills is proud to be a women-led firm and in September 2022 was recognised as ‘no ordinary firm’ by the Law Society Gazette. Our Managing Director Helen Johnson spoke to Catherine Baksi about what it takes to run an ‘Oscar-winning’ Legal Aid firm; it was noted that ‘though the gender imbalance is unintentional, it does create a different vibe that makes a positive difference to employees.’

We are now looking forward to the Women and Diversity in Law Awards, that honour the many dedicated individuals working within the legal profession across the UK who are helping to make it more diverse and inclusive. Our fantastic practice manager, Vicki Jones, has been shortlisted as an Unsung Hero in a Leadership Role for this year’s awards.

At Johnson Astills we understand that a career in law can be challenging, but also tremendously fulfilling and rewarding, and so we are keen to promote the profession to individuals from various backgrounds. We attend careers events to help promote law to a diverse student base. Gemma Curtis, one of our Associate Solicitors, works closely with the University of Leicester and De Montfort University, along with local high schools and colleges, to help students who want a career in law. Gemma explains to them what it is like to be a solicitor and her own journey to qualifying, and mentors university students and gives advice on CVs, interviews and obtaining jobs.

At Johnson Astills, we aim to represent the modern face of legal firms. We are friendly and approachable, but efficient and successful in our work. If you have a legal matter and are unsure who to turn to, contact us today by calling 0116 255 4855 or fill in our online enquiry form and one of our team will get back to you.