Celebratory event marks 75 years of women King’s Counsel in England and Wales

More than 350 women KCs and judges came together in the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice to mark 75 years since women first became King’s Counsel.

The celebratory event was organised by Mrs Justice McGowan, who took silk in 2001 and is number 120 on the list; Mrs Justice Theis; who took silk in 2003 (number 143); and Mrs Justice Morgan, who became a KC in 2011 (number 245).

Lady chief justice Baroness Carr, who took silk in 2003 and is number 147 in the list of women silks, addressed the gathered KCs and other attendees.

She said: ‘Women are generally well represented in the legal professions although we still see fewer women in the top positions. Progress has been made but the path is much harder for some and we must…celebrate success. You are all magnificent and an extraordinary inspiration to the profession and to young aspiring lawyers everywhere.

‘As a member of the Judicial Diversity Forum, I work with the lord chancellor, and leaders of the Judicial Appointments Commission, Legal Services Board, CILEx, Law Society and Bar Council in coordinating efforts to ensure the judiciary is an inclusive and welcoming place to work for judges, or prospective judges – the pipeline of great talent is so important to this work and must be recognised tonight.’

Mrs Justice McGowan said: ‘We have moved increasingly towards greater equality in representation for women coming to the bar and in being appointed silk. We have not yet reached parity, but we have made great progress, and I am delighted to mark this wonderful achievement.’

Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron were the first women in England and Wales to take silk, under King George VI in 1949. Dame Rose’s daughter Hilary Heilbron KC, who attended the celebratory event, became a KC in 1987 making her number 29.

She said: ‘As a strong and vocal supporter of women’s rights and opportunities for women in the law, my mother would have been delighted to learn of the progress that has been made, slow though it has been – even as late as 1969, she was the only female QC practising at the bar in the country.

‘She would have been thrilled, as I am, that we have gathered here to recognise not only the achievements of 75 years ago, but also of so many other trailblazing women in the legal profession since then, but there is still a way to go.’

June Venters KC became the first woman solicitor QC (number 163) in 2006, in 1991 Patricia (now Baroness) Scotland KC became the first black woman to take silk (number 47) and in 2002 Kim Hollis KC became the first Asian woman to do so (number 129).

The total number of women silks ever appointed now stands at 641, 11 of who are solicitors. Since 1995, when solicitors with higher rights of audience have been eligible to become KCs, 65 solicitors have made the grade.

One of the most recently appointed women silks, Clea Topolski KC (number 641) began her legal career as a paralegal, qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and then secured higher rights before transferring to the bar. She said: ‘True equity in law can only be achieved when we see genuine diversity reflected in the highest held positions. I am committed to supporting this need for change in any way I can. Leadership, to me, means proactively championing progress. As I take my first tentative steps into this new position, I hope to never lose sight of this principle.’

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