Female NZ lawyers increase dramatically

Source = NZLS website:

Women now hold 43% of practising certificates issued to New Zealand lawyers, according to the New Zealand Law Society.

Figures from the Society’s registry show that in mid-July 2010, 10,843 practising certificates had been issued. Of these, women held 4,707.

The dramatic increase in the number of women in the legal profession is shown by the fact that just 7% of practising certificates were held by women in 1980. This grew to 22% in 1990 and 34% in 1990.

The total number of New Zealand lawyers has also increased over the past few decades. In 1980 there were 4,016 practising certificates issued. This grew by 47% over the next decade to 5,900 in 1990, and then by a further 40% to 8,287 in 2000. In the past decade the number of practising certificates has grown by 31%.

The number of practising certificates issued to barristers is the other key area of growth. At present there are 1,495 practising certificates on issue to barristers. This has grown by 60% from 2000. The number of barristers grew by 251% in the decade from 1990 to 2000.

Global Women Forum

New Zealand Global Women Forum 2010Innovation: Crossing the Global Chasm

For more info see: http://www.globalwomen.org.nz/

7 SEPTEMBER 2010, AUCKLAND

For New Zealand to prosper and grow our businesses – large and small – need to take their business to the world.

It takes resilience and courage to make the leap across the global chasm – the theme of New Zealand Global Women’s second forum being held in Auckland on September 7.
An impressive array of business leaders will describe how they are rewriting the way we do business with the world.

Wendy Pye will describe building a $100 million a year publishing empire in the United States. Dame Jenny Shipley will explore the mega trends shaping trading with the most mysterious and challenging of markets – China.

Presenters include the face of MAC and Jo Malone in New Zealand, Rowena Roberts; Trilogy skincare founder Sarah Gibbs and philanthropist and arts patron Dayle Mace.

Crossing the Global Chasm follows Global Women’s highly successful inaugural forum Thinking Globally. It offers women from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors an unrivalled opportunity to hear from, and network with, some of our top business brains.

Pay disparity

http://www.nacew.govt.nz/publications/quality/women/section1.html

The Economic Rationales For Narrowing The Gender Pay Gap

Woman in partnership

Of the 6 people promoted to partnership at the Australian law firm Freehills this week - 4 were woman.

The firm said the high proportion of women reflects the growing representation of women studying law and entering legal practice with commercial law firms.

Freehills’ CEO Gavin Bell said ‘We only ever promote to partnership based on merit and a strong business case, and it’s pleasing to see we have the quality of people who can offer our clients the best legal and commercial advice in the market,”.

In March this year, the federal Government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) listed 12 law firms with offices in Australia as demonstrating they have policies and practices supporting women across their organisations. Freehills was one of those firms.
Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Baker & McKenzie, Allens Arthur Robinson, Blake Dawson, Cooper Grace Ward, Holding Redlich, Gilbert + Tobin, Maddocks, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, McCullough Robertson and Sparke Helmore were also acknowledged.

The law firms were ranked among 95 total organisations on the government’s employer of choice for women list. “By applying for and receiving this citation, these organisations are not only meeting the pre-requisites and criteria, but are publicly declaring their commitment to making their workplaces equitable,” EOWA acting director Mairi Steele said. “They know they are not perfect, but they are working hard to make their organisations good places for women to work.”

http://www.thenewlawyer.com.au/article/women-rank-high-in-partnership-promotions/518707.aspx

Women regulating Wall Street

Check out this article by Michael Scherer in the May edition of Time magazine about 3 women making a difference to the USA financial scene. No minor feat where only 3% of the Fortune 500 companies have a women CEO!

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1988953,00.html

2010 Ethel Benjamin Address

The Rt Hon. The Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE QC PC gave the 2010 NZ Law Foundation Ethel Benjamin Address in Dunedin on 7 May. Lady Hale was the first (and still is the only) woman law lord, and sits on the UK's new Supreme Court. The theme of her address was "dignity". The Address is hosted by OWLS and is supported by the NZ Law Foundation, the Otago Branch of the NZLS and the Law Faculty of the University of Otago.

Check out these links for further information on the Address:

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/105122/struggles-law-women-celebrated

http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/docs/speech_100507.pdf

More Women Directors wanted

This National Business article ties in nicely with the success of the WIL Committee's latest event "So you want to be a director..."

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/more-women-company-directors-needed-says-minister-121548