Celebrating 75 years of women silks – excellence in advocacy

Over 350 women KCs and judges joined in celebrations at the Royal Courts of Justice to mark 75 years since women first ‘took silk’ and became King’s Counsel (KC) – an award for excellence in advocacy in the higher courts.

The event, hosted in the Great Hall, was attended by the most senior and most junior KCs from across a wide range of practice areas and circuits.

 

The Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, who took silk in 2003 (#147 in the list of women silks), addressed the KCs and other attendees. She said:

“Women are generally well represented in the legal professions although we still see fewer women in the top positions.

“Progress has been made but the path is much harder for some and we must, as we do tonight, celebrate success – that’s you, all of you here tonight – you are all magnificent and an extraordinary inspiration to the profession and to young aspiring lawyers everywhere.

“As a member of the Judicial Diversity Forum, I work with the Lord Chancellor, and leaders of the Judicial Appointments Commission, Legal Services Board, CILEx, Law Society and Bar Council in coordinating efforts to ensure the judiciary is an inclusive and welcoming place to work for judges, or prospective judges – the pipeline of great talent is so important to this work and must be recognised tonight.”

The celebration event was organised by Mrs Justice McGowan DBE (#120, 2001), Mrs Justice Theis DBE (#143, 2003) and Mrs Justice Morgan DBE (#245, 2011) with support and contributions from the First 100 Years project/Spark21, the Inns of Court (Lincoln’s Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple and Gray’s Inn), Combar, TECBAR, the Professional Negligence Bar Association, the Chancery Bar Association, the London Common Law and Commercial Bar Association, and the Family Law Bar Association.

Mrs Justice McGowan said: “This is an occasion of celebration; following the path laid by those few women so many years ago we have moved increasingly towards greater equality in representation for women coming to the Bar and in being appointed silk. We have not yet reached parity, but we have made great progress, and I am delighted to mark this wonderful achievement.”

Women in silk over the years

In 1949 barristers Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron were the first women in England and Wales to take silk and become KCs under King George VI. Dame Rose’s daughter Hilary Heilbron KC (#29, 1987) attended the celebration at the RCJ.

She said: “I am extremely proud to join with so many others in tonight’s celebration of the achievements of my mother, aged only 34, and Helena Normanton in breaking the mould 75 years ago by being the first women to take silk.

“As a strong and vocal supporter of women’s rights and opportunities for women in the law, my mother would have been delighted to learn of the progress that has been made, slow though it has been (even as late as 1969, she was the only female QC practising at the Bar in the country). She would have been thrilled, as I am, that we have gathered here to recognise not only the achievements of 75 years ago, but also of so many other trailblazing women in the legal profession since then, but there is still a way to go.”

Women had only been permitted to join the Bar 30 years before the first women silks were appointed, with the passing of the 1919 Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act. In 1922 Dr Ivy Williams had become the first woman to be called to the Bar of England and Wales.

In the first 50 years of women silks, up to and including 1998, there were just under 100 (96) women. In the last 25 years (1999 to 2024) there have been 545 more appointed.

In 1991 Patricia (now Baroness) Scotland KC became the first Black woman to take silk (#47) and in 2002 Kim Hollis KC became the first Asian woman (#129). In 2006 June Venters KC (#163) became the first woman solicitor Queen’s Counsel (QC).

In the most recent ‘competition’ announced in January 2024, 32% of the successful applicants were women (30 out of 95). And the total number of women silks ever appointed now stands at 641.

Today, at the practising Bar, women make up 39% of all barristers and 21% of KCs.

Women are also achieving silk as solicitors. Solicitors with higher rights of audience have been eligible to become KCs since 1995. Since then, 65 solicitors have successfully been appointed, 11 of whom are women.

Leading women

Eleanor Platt KC (#19, 1982) has kept a list of all women silks. Each year when the appointments are announced Eleanor writes a personal message to each one to congratulate them and pass on their number. She said:

“I took silk in 1982. Having kept the list of all women silks ever since then, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first two ever is very special. I am very grateful to be able to celebrate with everyone. The list is now up to 641!”

Shirley Ritchie KC (#16, 1979) was the most senior silk in attendance at the RCJ celebration. She became a circuit judge in 1995 thereafter using her married surname of Anwyl. She said:

“Taking silk in 1979 was the most exciting event of my life. Not only was it recognition of my hard work and determination to succeed in my career, but it demonstrated to all that being a wife and mother did not prevent acknowledgement of female professional competence and progress on a par with that of men.

“I applaud those in power over the last 75 years for their common sense, foresight and generosity of spirit in bringing about the appointment of 641 women silks, but most of all, I stress my pride in what each one of us has achieved. Congratulations to all of us.”

Clea Topolski KC (#641, 2024) is one of the most recently appointed silks who attended the celebration. She began her legal career as a paralegal in a busy high street solicitors’ office and initially qualified as a solicitor before securing higher rights and transferring to the Bar. She said:

“True equity in law can only be achieved when we see genuine diversity reflected in the highest held positions. I am committed to supporting this need for change in any way I can. Leadership, to me, means proactively championing progress. As I take my first tentative steps into this new position, I hope to never lose sight of this principle.”