Women in Law Project

We were delighted to host the inaugural Madge Easton Anderson Lecture last night, which was delivered by Professor Linda Mulcahy, Statutory Professor of Socio-Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Oxford and Director of the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies. Professor Mulcahy spoke to her paper ‘The Right to Legal Knowledge: Epistemic injustice in a post democratic age.’ This lecture series is designed to commemorate the first woman lawyer in the UK through reflecting on contemporary feminist legal work. Thank you to all who attended and joined the discussion - we look forward to seeing you next year!

"There is a place for you. Whatever your story." This Lesbian Visibility Week we are proud to share the Voice of Amanda Millar, the first openly LGBTQ+ President of the Law Society of Scotland. She has spent her career fighting with and for the most vulnerable and amplifying their voices and it is our privilege to share her story. You can read her Voice here https://lnkd.in/djrrQFVJ #WomenInLaw #Diversity #Equality #Inclusion

We have exciting Friday night plans! Great British Cities with Susan Calman on Channel 5 at 9pm features our very own Professor Maria Fletcher. Susan visited the School of Law at the University of Glasgow to learn about Madge Easton Anderson, the UK’s first woman lawyer.

At the Women in Law Project, we are passionate about creating a space for young people to learn about women in the legal profession and the struggle it took to get us to where we are today. Last week, we had the pleasure of meeting up with our friends at Blairdardie Primary School – who have been working hard on their own project about Madge Easton Anderson and women in law. Thank you to P7, Miss Berg and Jordanna Blockley for a brilliant day.

“I decided to become a lawyer because I grew up in a Traveller family, so it was a bit of an odd, non-traditional background for coming into law. But for me, I spent quite a lot of my childhood up and down the country, and there’s a lot more that goes into that than people think.” In this video from the Women in Law Project, advocate Jordanna Blockley talks about her non-traditional route to law and what she would like to change about the legal profession to make it more diverse, equal and inclusive. https://lnkd.in/eMhBfZXP

This International Women’s Day why not take some time to explore our new Women in Law Project website https://lnkd.in/eF2__HDe At the Women in Law Project it is our mission to research the past, document the present, and advocate for the future of women in law in Scotland and across the world. On our website you can learn more about what we do – from our inspiration, Madge Easton Anderson, to our creative outputs and the Voices of women in law today. We want to hear from any person who would like to work with us. Please get in touch by emailing info@womeninlawproject.org #iwd2024 #investinwomen #inspireinclusion Maria Fletcher Charlie Peevers Seonaid Stevenson-McCabe Catriona Cannon Rachel McPherson

A brief history of female firsts in the Scottish legal profession: 1919 – Passing of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act paying the way for women to become lawyers for the first time 1920 – Madge Easton Anderson became the first female solicitor in the UK 1921 – First female jurors in Scotland sworn in at Edinburgh Sheriff Court  1923 – Margaret Kidd became the first female member of the Faculty of Advocates  1948 – Margaret Kidd appointed first female Kings Counsel in Scotland and the UK 1999 – Lynda Margaret Clark appointed first female Advocate General for Scotland 2003 – Hazel Aronson, Lady Cosgrove, appointed first female judge in Scotland 2005 – Caroline Flanagan became the Law Society of Scotland’s first female president 2006 – Dame Elish Angiolini became the first women to be appointed Lord Advocate 2016 – Leeona Dorrian, Lady Dorrian, became the first female Lord Justice Clerk 2019 – Jill Carrick  becomes the first woman Dean of the Faculty of Procurators in Greenock Who's next and how do we help them get there? Join our "Look Up and Beyond" project to find out. https://lnkd.in/eP6ZzxsZ #womeninlaw #diversityinlaw #lawyers #aspiringsolicitors #femalelawyers #femaletalent #keeptheladderdown #womenempoweringwomen #genderequality Angela Fyfe Catriona MacPhail Jacqueline Moore Lesley Allan Naomi Pryde Rachel Williams Ruth Croman Edinburgh Foundation for Women in Law