Campaign to inspire 100 future female lawyers
By Nicola Laver
A new campaign to inspire 100 young girls and women to become lawyers has been launched by the First 100 Years project to mark the centenary of women being able to practice law.
A new campaign to inspire 100 young girls and women to become lawyers has been launched by the First 100 Years project to mark the centenary of women being able to practice law.
A history project supported by the Law Society, Bar Council and The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx), the First 100 Years project was set up to chart the journey of women in law since the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 allowed women to become lawyers for the first time.
The #GiftHerFuture campaign is calling for individuals and businesses to donate £100 in the name of a young girl or woman (up to the age of 30) who they want to inspire to enter the legal profession.
Each name put forward will then have their name and age displayed on a permanent donor wall at the Supreme Court.
The donor wall, which is backed by Supreme Court president, Baroness Hale, will appear next to the Supreme Court’s first artwork to feature women in law and will be unveiled in December.
Turner Prize nominated artist Catherine Yass has been commissioned to create the artwork, which will be displayed in courtroom two where the first majority-female court – three out of five justices – sat in October 2018.
Anyone can donate £100 in the name of young girl or woman.
However, the First 100 Years’ founder Dana Denis-Smith hopes law firms who believe in social mobility will use it to put forward the names of school pupils from underrepresented backgrounds.
She said: “As we look to the future, the First 100 Years’ legacy will be the way in which future generations across a range of backgrounds have been inspired to enter the profession. I hope law firms will take this unique opportunity to inspire young girls from backgrounds where a legal career might seem out of reach.”
Everyone who gifts and is gifted will receive a certificate from the First 100 Years designed by Catherine Yass.
To donate, visit the JustGiving page quoting GiftHerFuture along with the name and age of the individual being gifted.