Women in Law and Why Progress Still Matters
Sarah Pickerill
|30 July 2025
Sarah Pickerill, Head of People at Carpenters Group, shared her insights on the gender pay gap, equality, and diversity in the legal industry in a special “Women In Law” supplement of Modern Law Magazine.
Let's be honest, the UK legal industry has come a long way, but there's still a nagging feeling we're not quite there yet. Talented women are present throughout the sector, but their voices often diminish as we move up the leadership track. This isn't just a numbers game; it's about unlocking the full potential of our industry.
Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal a 7% gender pay gap across the UK. Women aged 50-59 in legal roles face the highest pay gap in the sector at 18.9%!
Many initiatives are already underway, with numerous firms laying the tracks for improved equality and diversity. They've implemented various programmes to support women's advancement at all levels, particularly into executive positions.
It's fantastic to see more industry leaders actively participating in women's forums and sharing their initiatives on social media. This visibility is crucial, as it shows both employers and employees that these efforts matter. We are especially lucky here are Carpenters Group to be led by a female CEO and have a female Owner, both of whom work hard to make sure they open the doors for other people via mentoring and support.
While progress is being made, the pace of change often needs to accelerate. Moving from awareness to action requires commitment. Programmes focusing on training, development, work-life balance, flexibility and visibility are needed to support women's advancement.
The good news is that the legal sector offers a fantastic range of career paths for women at all stages of their careers. Working in law is highly desirable for many reasons, including high-quality employment with stability, good remuneration, training plans, social benefits, and a commitment to equality and diversity.
As an industry, we can do more to ensure fair and visible career opportunities for everyone. Women shouldn't feel held back because of their gender. Creating a truly equitable workplace means providing clear pathways to success and implementing transparent processes. This ensures that all employees, regardless of gender, feel supported and valued on their career journey.
"By fostering an inclusive environment and implementing these measures, the industry can truly level the playing field for women to thrive in leadership positions."
Focused Leadership Tracks
Ultimately, companies should recognise that everyone can play a part in building a supportive foundation for female leaders. Setting clear gender and diversity metrics and goals with timelines for achievement is crucial to hold everyone accountable. Management training that addresses the systemic patterns of past gender inequity is essential.
Measures need to combine coaching for top female performers with unconscious bias training for executives. To accelerate progress in narrowing the gender gap, financial incentives for leaders who increase female representation in their teams could be considered. Building female management tracks tailored to the unique needs of women professionals is also important. Leaders need to ensure that life events don't derail careers.
By fostering an inclusive environment and implementing these measures, the industry can truly level the playing field for women to thrive in leadership positions. This isn't just about fairness; it's about good business. When women thrive, our industry thrives. We're talking about increased innovation, improved decision-making. and a stronger bottom line.
Credit: Modern Law Magazine
