ABSTRACT

Substantial evidence now exists that women solicitors1 are differentially placed to male solicitors in the legal labour market in England and Wales,2 and that this situation is paralleled in other jurisdictions.3 Furthermore, the differences which exist indicate that women are disadvantaged in terms of earnings, status and promotion chances. This is in spite of the fact that women enter the profession with academic qualifications at least equal to those of men4 and that the larger, commercial law firms appear to favour women when hiring at the junior levels.5 The aetiology of this ‘difference’ is a complex and controversial subject, not least because of the implications which different explanations have for strategies of redress. This chapter attempts a broad overview of the dimensions of cause and strategic response to women solicitors’ disadvantage; a discussion which turns on a consideration of the nature of legal professionalism, and the meanings of difference, discrimination and choice.