Women solicitors in a fractured profession: Intersections of gender and professionalism in England and Wales

This paper will explore aspects of the position of women lawyers in England and Wales through a focus on material and cultural change. The last two decades have witnessed a transformation of the English and Welsh legal profession. Change has occurred at numerous levels, from the public image of the profession to the technology underpinning service delivery. However arguably the most fundamental change has occurred in the organisation and composition of the profession. At one end of the spectrum there has been the emergence of the mega commercial firm, a key player in the globalised economy; at the other end the High Street generalist appears to be threatened with extinction, whilst the legal aid sector has been transformed by regulatory reform. At the same time the composition of this increasingly fractured profession has been radically altered by the influx of women. To what extent have women lawyers played a key role in the evolution of the mega firm? How has the decline in traditional, gentlemanly professionalism intersected with and affected/been affected by women lawyers? What material and discursive strategies have been employed to maintain patriarchal power in this changing world? Has professional hegemony been retained by male solicitors throughout the profession, or have some sectors become more 'feminised', and if so, how and why? This paper will draw on a series of qualitative studies of lawyers and bibliographic sources such as the trade press to explore some of these questions.