We are delighted to launch our first All's Fair? Female In-House Counsel and Gender Parity report. Our survey, carried out in May 2018, reflects the views of over 100 female lawyers working in-house in Ireland. The results show a picture of female lawyers grappling with the challenges of balancing work and home. The survey suggests that the burden of childcare and running the home may still be falling for the most part on the shoulders of women and that these factors may be impeding the progress of women to the more senior positions. The research also shows that a majority of female in-house lawyers in Ireland believe that quotas are necessary to address gender inequalities in the workplace.

Commenting on the results, Vanessa Byrne, Co-Head of Real Estate, Mason Hayes & Curran, said “Figures from the Law Society of Ireland published in March confirmed what many of us have already observed. There are now more practicing female lawyers in Ireland than male. But 2017 figures, also from the Law Society showed that, on average, 67% of partners at the top six law firms are men. Our survey of in-house counsel shows that this is a widespread issue which needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency. Greater transparency, measures to improve work-life balance, and indeed quotas are all measures which should be deployed in the battle against workplace gender inequality.”

To read the report, please click here.