Celebrating International Women’s Day

Celebrating International Women’s Day – time to ‘accelerate action’

As we mark International Women’s Day 2025, the theme “Accelerate Action” serves as a powerful reminder that gender equality cannot wait. While progress has been made, the pace of change remains too slow, and systemic barriers continue to hold women back—particularly in leadership roles. This year, we speak with some of our friends and clients – key figures in barristers’ chambers who are driving change within the legal profession, exploring how they will accelerate action in 2025. From tackling gender imbalances in senior positions to ensuring inclusive policies that support women at every stage of their careers, these leaders are committed to making bold, tangible strides toward a more equitable future.

Michelle Green – Senior Clerk – New Square Chambers

Michelle has worked for New Square for over 20 years, moving through the ranks to lead Chambers’ clerking team in 2022. Michelle was featured in The Times following her appointment, to recall her journey in becoming the first BAME female to become a Senior Clerk at the Chancery Bar. Michelle and Chambers made history and continue to make strides in promoting diversity and inclusion within the profession.

“As a senior leader in your chambers, what personal steps have you taken to lead by example in promoting gender equality? How do you ensure that your actions, both within the chambers and outside of it, inspire others to follow suit?”

Life and its responsibilities do not pause to accommodate our working hours. It’s no secret that women often have a deep understanding of the challenges of balancing a career with caregiving duties. I don’t believe I’ve done anything more than any other woman in my position would—I listen, I respond with empathy, and I strive to create an environment of understanding and support.

This is not always an easy conversation for women to have. While there are empowering slogans about women “having it all,” the reality is that something will always have to give. At times, the weight of multiple roles can lead to feelings of inadequacy. My role is to ensure that, at the very least, when it comes to their practice, women in my chambers are treated fairly, receiving equal access to work allocation, business development opportunities, and the unwavering support of their clerks.

I firmly believe in leading by example. My hope is that the women in my set, when asked, can say with confidence that they feel supported, valued, and heard, and that we can continue to build a culture where women don’t have to choose between their career ambitions and their personal lives, but can thrive in both with the right support and understanding.

Sian Huckett – Deputy Senior Clerk – Fountain Court

Sian is an active member of the IBC Management Committee. She is Shortlisted for DE&I Champion of the Year in a Specialist Role in the Women & Diversity in Law Awards 2025.

“With the changing dynamics of work post-COVID, how does your chambers support women in balancing their professional responsibilities with caregiving duties? What steps have you taken to ensure that this is not an additional barrier to gender equality?”

Since returning after lockdown, we have evolved to allow staff increased flexibility, with regular remote and hybrid work becoming the norm. This is a significant shift for us. Both men and women in clerking and other support roles have flexible work arrangements in place, helping them balance professional and caregiving responsibilities and to generally achieve a better work/life balance. While Barristers chambers may not be the most pioneering in terms of flexibility, it’s clear that work patterns have changed since the lockdown, and technology plays a key role in facilitating that. There are no fixed rules about where our members work, though many still come into chambers regularly during the week. We’ve increased the level of open communication between members and clerks since COVID, including around work/life balance and preferred working patterns, regardless of gender or seniority.

We strive to create a supportive environment that allows women in chambers to thrive professionally while also managing family responsibilities. To support this, we schedule client meetings, events, and training opportunities at various times of the day, ensuring those with other commitments can fully engage in client development, internal networking, and training without bias. We also offer mentoring, host initiatives like our Female Advocates Breakfast (founded by Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC) which supports the whole industry and provide access to work-life balance resources through our well-being hub.

By embracing and promoting a more flexible way of working post-COVID, we are making progress in terms of gender equity, levelling the playing field for all.

Faye Stimpson – First Junior Clerk – QEB Hollis Whiteman

Faye has been working at QEB Hollis Whiteman for 20 years, driving excellence and breaking barriers in the clerking profession. Faye is described as a ‘star’ in the most recent Chambers & Partners.

“As a senior leader in a barristers’ chambers, how do you actively inspire and engage others—both men and women—in the push for gender equality? How do you encourage a cultural shift within your chambers to build momentum for long-term change?“

To inspire others, you must be for them what you have needed and need. As a female clerk who has worked in the industry for over 20 years, there are many experiences unique to women that I have confronted and continue to address. Being seen to break down barriers by acting in a manner that is the antithesis of the behaviour of the ‘old guard’ has been my starting point. Building from there I have sought to create a culture of empathy, openness, and encouragement. To support a continued shift in this direction, we need to focus on education, communication, teamwork and transparency. We must concentrate on putting in place robust yet supportive systems: to educate ourselves about the issues affecting the industry, peers and those we support; to talk, listen and understand how members of our team, both barristers and staff have been and are affected by challenges and how to navigate them; to learn and be inspired by others beyond our chambers and industry; to work together to improve the pathway to career pinnacles, clearing the rubble as much as we can on the way; and to foster an environment that allows for dialogue and candour. Most importantly we must keep in place the ladder we have climbed ourselves, never kick it away and, where necessary, hold it still as others climb.

Joe Wilson – Chief Executive & Director of Clerking – St Philips Chambers

Joe is the Chief Executive & Director of Clerking at St Philips Chambers, with responsibility for the overall management and leadership of the administration, ensuring best practice throughout. Joe sits on the Management Committee of the Institute of Barristers Clerks and sits on the IBC’s Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Committee.

“In your experience, progress towards gender equality in the legal sector has been slow, despite decades of effort. What specific actions have you taken, or are planning to take, within your chambers to move beyond outdated practices and accelerate meaningful change for gender equality?“

Gender equality at the Bar remains a challenge, with Bar Council and Bar Standards Board reports highlighting slow progress. In our chambers, we actively implement equitable briefing policies, ensuring fair allocation of work and opportunities for all. We support flexible working and parental leave policies aligned with Bar Council guidance and provide mentoring schemes for female barristers to address retention issues. Additionally, we track gender diversity in recruitment and promotion, holding ourselves accountable. Through partnerships with initiatives like Women in Law, we foster an inclusive culture, ensuring meaningful change beyond simple rhetoric.

Jacky Chase – Operations Manager – Essex Court Chambers

Jacky is Operations Manager at Essex Court Chambers and has worked in chambers administration for over 25 years. She sits on the Management Committee of the Institute of Barristers Clerks and sits on the IBC’s Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Committee.

“With the changing dynamics of work post-COVID, how does your chambers support women in balancing their professional responsibilities with caregiving duties? What steps have you taken to ensure that this is not an additional barrier to gender equality?”

At Essex Court Chambers, we have always believed in supporting female staff to achieve the balance they require to continue their career progression whilst providing care to family members. We offer flexible working solutions that can be tailored to suit individual needs, whether that is an adjustment to daily hours, remote working or a combination of both. We have several working mothers in our teams so there is also a wealth of practical support & advice for those with caring responsibilities. Enhanced maternity pay and shared parental leave has been offered at ECC for many years, enabling all staff to achieve a work/life balance.

Sarah Earl – Chambers Director – Old Square Chambers

Sarah is Chambers Director at Old Square Chambers, having joined the set 10 years ago. Sarah has 20 years’ overall experience in people management, both in the chambers environment and the private sector.

“As a senior leader in your chambers, what personal steps have you taken to lead by example in promoting gender equality? How do you ensure that your actions, both within the chambers and outside of it, inspire others to follow suit?”

The key, in my view, is acknowledging that conversations surrounding gender equality in chambers (both membership and the clerks room) are sometimes difficult; it doesn’t make them any less necessary though. From my work with LEX to improving distribution of work reporting across the Bar, allowing sets to focus on the outputs and next steps rather than spending weeks on Excel spreadsheets, to opening conversations around menstrual health and providing free period products; I don’t wish to shy away from meaningful progress. Forcing ‘quick fix’ change is counterproductive, unrealistic and doesn’t lend the topic the weight it deserves. Acknowledging uncomfortable truths and nurturing progress through open dialogue is, in my view, the way to make sustainable advances at the Bar.

In keeping with the theme of IWD this year, accelerating action begins with normalising conversation surrounding inequality at the Bar, whether that’s in the clerks room, in Practice Review Meetings or in conversations with instructing solicitors and organisations. Only then can further meaningful progress be made.

Bill Conner – Director – ABC Chambers Solutions

Bill has a wealth of experience ranging across the various legal disciplines and was a Bar Clerk for over 40 years, with 25 years as Senior Clerk. Bill remains one of the most experienced Bar Clerks currently working in the legal sector.

“Gender inequality is not a one-size-fits-all issue, as it intersects with race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability. How does your company ensure that all women—especially those from marginalized or intersectional backgrounds—benefit from the progress being made toward gender equality?”

When I launched ABC 14 years ago, my drive and motivation was to help people. I have always been passionate about fighting for the underdog, as a Senior Clerk this looked like ensuring everybody’s voice was heard and considered in Chambers. At ABC, this looks like going the extra mile to help a deserving candidate land their dream job and fighting the corner for individuals who may be facing extra barriers, whether that be gender, race, or disability. Some EDI initiatives which we have implemented at ABC to ensure that women, especially those from marginalised or intersectional backgrounds benefit from the progress being made toward gender equality, include:

• A structured hiring process – we always define clear job requirements and use standardised questions for applications and during interviews to minimise bias. We also use a scoring system for interviews and assessments to ensure candidates are judged objectively. As standard our interviews are conducted by two members of our team at one time to reduce unconscious bias.
• We actively encourage applications from diverse candidates and will assist them in overcoming barriers to land the job and achieve their ambitions.
• Our team undertakes regular training on Anti-Racism, Fair Recruitment & EDI.
• We offer accommodations for candidates with disabilities and consider multiple interview formats (in-person, virtual, asynchronous). We offer reasonable adjustments for every candidate and adapt our interview styles for neurodiverse candidates.
• We collect and analyse recruitment data to identify potential disparities in hiring rates, promotions, and turnover among different demographic groups.
• We actively encourage chambers to ensure that they are providing the London Living Wage for starter and entry level positions where possible.

At ABC, we are adhering to the IWD 2025 theme of ‘Accelerate Action’ call to arms. Progress has been slow in the legal industry but particularly within Chambers and there is a need for bold, decisive action to accelerate gender equality. I am moved by the fantastic actions and drive of those who have contributed to this piece and am inspired by the trailblazing men and women who actively promote diversity and equity in chambers and beyond. This year, ABC will be devoting a larger portion of our time to addressing the historic disparities in our industry – we will be hosting a number of events to discuss diversity, contributing to thought leadership pieces and having those sometimes difficult or uncomfortable conversations with our clients about how we can all move towards an equitable future. Being at the forefront of recruitment and access into Chambers life, we take the responsibility very seriously of ensuring that the path is fair and open to all. Even after all my many years working within the Inns, I still get the same level of satisfaction in introducing this wonderful world we work in to those who might otherwise be unaware of the rewarding careers that might be available to them.