SBIA PARTNER PROFILE LAW SOCIETY OF IRELAND
Law Society of Ireland: Promoting Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion The Law Society has challenged tradition and is creating opportunities to improve access to the solicitors’ profession and leadership roles within
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s the educational, representative and regulatory body of the solicitors’ profession in Ireland, the Law Society is committed to improving access to the profession, and representation of women and diverse groups. The Law Society recognises that taking action to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion (GEDI) within the solicitors’ profession has never been more important and this cannot be a one-off initiative. Meaningful progress requires consistent and collective efforts. The Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force of the Law Society of Ireland SETTING FOUNDATIONS The Law Society has embedded GEDI policies into its everyday thinking, challenges the status quo and is creating more opportunities to improve access to the solicitors’ profession. A pivotal moment in this journey was the establishment of the Law Society’s Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. In February 2019, the Task Force, which comprised 16 members from various minority, disability and LGBT+ backgrounds, met for the first time to discuss the challenges facing the profession. The objectives of this group were twofold: to facilitate and encourage more female solicitors and solicitors from diverse backgrounds to run for leadership positions in the profession, and to
ACCESS TO THE PROFESSION HAS ALSO IMPROVED THROUGH OUR PPC HYBRID COURSE, WHICH COMBINES ONLINE LECTURES WITH FACE-TO-FACE TUITION TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE ROUTE TO PRACTICE. provide meaningful resources to improve equality and diversity in the profession. Senior Vice-President of the Law Society and Chairperson of the GEDI Task Force, Michelle Ní Longáin, is leading the charge with the Law Society’s GEDI initiatives. “The future that the Law Society is working towards involves more women in leadership roles and a more diverse and inclusive solicitors’ profession. To achieve this, we know we must identify the barriers
facing our colleagues and those seeking to access the profession, and tackle them head on.” The Task Force’s aims and the final recommendations recognise that the work of achieving equality, diversity and inclusion in the profession cannot rest with individuals from under-represented communities alone. For the Law Society, it was vital for those currently in leadership to take proactive steps to ensure that all solicitors feel valued, respected and supported.
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