Despite more flexible work practices being implemented by law firms, this isn t yet boosting the number of woman partners. The Law Society announced the inquiry Wednesday after an extensive survey into how many women are working in the state s legal profession. The inquiry will undertake to work out what contributes to the situation of why woman aren t climbing the legal staircase to partnership and what can be done to dismantle the barriers, Nick Meagher, President of the Law Society told The Legal Insider. The legal profession is traditionally conservative and male.
Common perception is that partners in law firms are male, play rugby, drink beer and eat beef.
The Law Society wants to break down the domination of males. The inquiry has been instigated by NSW Law Society President Elect, Kim Cull. She released statistics Wednesday indicating that more women are entering the legal profession than men. But Cull said she is still concerned about a lack of female partners. Investigating the issue will be a priority for the Law Society in 2002, Cull said in a statement.