As legal practitioners we are all responsible for doing what we can to promote and achieve equitable practices. The lack of knowledge of, or connection with, female junior counsel is a barrier to equitable briefing practices. One of the areas that requires greater commitment from all firms and our clients is the advancement and retention of female counsel.

The Lifting the Bar series provides a platform where we can get to know leading female barristers across different areas of practice, with a particular focus on the NSW Government sector.

In our first edition we profiled female junior counsel in disputes and inquiries.

In the second edition, we have focused on the area of employment and safety law. Ten female junior counsel have been profiled and we once again get to learn so much from their generous contributions.

The industrial bar has traditionally been one of the areas that has been quite male dominated, particularly at the senior/junior level. So for this edition, we canvassed this publication with a number of senior male counsel in the area of employment and safety and they were very quick to point us in the direction of their female colleagues – which was wonderful.

Use this publication when it is time to prepare a shortlist of barristers in the area of employment and safety for a matter, or when you are providing instructions on who to brief. You will be able to consider and include at least one of these featured barristers – so keep this handy!

We hope you enjoy this edition of Lifting the Bar.