most distasteful to him, observed 'the current development of events have plainly so proceeded to produce, whether we wish it or whether we do not wish it, a complete revolution in the position of women'. Calling Time at the Bar: Helena Normanton Dr. Judith Bourne, Barrister (non-practising), LL.B (Hons), LL.M, Ph.D, SFHEA, Lecturer St. University, Twickenham. Mary’s exceptional women will be “…only admitted.” This was written by Holford Knight in 1913. Knight was a barrister and an MP, but most importantly a leading proponent of admission to the bar. Did he write this to placate opponents to women’s women’s entry to the bar or did he genuinely mean it? And if he did mean it, what exactly did it mean? Were only exceptional men practising as barristers in 1913? Knight proposed motions to the General Council of the for women to be admitted to the bar, and on each occasion was overwhelmingly rejected. Bar’s AGM asking If we take his words at face value we can see that even supporters of entry were of the opinion women’s that women were not up to the job; his statement is loaded with prejudice and pre-conceived ideas about women. Those prejudices and pre-conceptions remain today as can be seen in recent newspaper headlines: for Men and Women Lawyers forecast for 16 June 2015 Solicitors Journal “Equal Pay 2021” (women should reach pay parity by 2021 the gap is shrinking by 4% each year). – Lawyers Paid Significantly Less than July 2015 Herald Scotland “Female Male Counterparts” 31 of Senior Women 2015 The Irish News “O’Loan: ‘Unacceptable’ Lack Judges” 24 August
most distasteful to him, observed 'the current development of events have plainly so proceeded to produce, whether we wish it or whether we do not wish it, a complete revolution in the position of women'. Calling Time at the Bar: Helena Normanton Dr. Judith Bourne, Barrister (non-practising), LL.B (Hons), LL.M, Ph.D, SFHEA, Lecturer St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. “…only exceptional women will be admitted.” This was written by Holford Knight in 1913. Knight was a barrister and an MP, but most importantly a leading proponent of women’s admission to the bar. Did he write this to placate opponents to women’s entry to the bar or did he genuinely mean it? And if he did mean it, what exactly did it mean? Were only exceptional men practising as barristers in 1913? Knight proposed motions to the General Council of the Bar’s AGM asking for women to be admitted to the bar, and on each occasion was overwhelmingly rejected. If we take his words at face value we can see that even supporters of women’s entry were of the opinion that women were not up to the job; his statement is loaded with prejudice and pre-conceived ideas about women. Those prejudices and pre-conceptions remain today as can be seen in recent newspaper headlines: “Equal Pay for Men and Women Lawyers forecast for 2021” 16 June 2015 Solicitors Journal (women should reach pay parity by 2021 – the gap is shrinking by 4% each year). “Female Lawyers Paid Significantly Less than Male Counterparts” 31 July 2015 Herald Scotland “O’Loan: ‘Unacceptable’ Lack of Senior Women Judges” 24 August 2015 The Irish News
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