Women in Criminal Law exists to promote women working in the criminal justice system.

 

We will provide information, encouragement and support to women in criminal law, helping them to develop their connections to progress within their own field of practice, chambers, firm or organisation. Our aim is to break down barriers to success by providing appropriate support to women. This will include advice and skills training, enabling women to prepare for senior roles in the CJS.

We are committed to providing a voice for the thousands of women who work in this sector.

 

We aim to create as diverse a network as possible. Prosecutors or defenders, those whose work is privately or publicly funded – you are all welcome. We all face the same structural challenges.

 

We would provide an opportunity to kick back and enjoy each others’ company and support. We would inspire each other. We would share our burdens, fears and anxieties, and provide a space to process and discuss the sometimes traumatic and often difficult criminal cases we work on day in day out. 

 

We would inform, challenge and encourage recruiters and senior management in organisations (whether chambers, solicitors firms, government organisations & etc.) to ensure that women’s careers are actively promoted and developed.

 

We will provide mentoring and support to new entrants to the profession, as well as to returners.
We will give advice about career breaks and flexible working arrangements.

 

We will also provide a forum for debate and discussion of issues affecting women working in this sector and we will represent those women so that the Government, and organisations such as the Bar Council and Law Society have an organisation to come to for input on issues which are of particular interest and concern to women. This would involve, for example, providing feedback on government proposals for reform of the criminal justice system.

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