Women Torque BACK

This week’s guest is not the first ever female transport lawyer but she’s in the first three. She is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court and 
101 years ago she was not even allowed to be a solicitor. Indeed in 1913 the Law Society refused to allow four women to sit the Law Society examinations. 

The Court of Appeal upheld this ruling that women were not "persons" within the meaning of the Solicitors Act of 1843.

It was not until 1919, when the Sex Disqualification Act was passed, that women were allowed to practice law.

The first woman  to pass the examination  and be admitted to the role of solicitor was Carrie Morrison in 1922.

In 1931, nine years after Carrie  had been admitted, still only about 100 women had qualified as solicitors. 

The numbers continued to rise relatively slowly but as recently as 1967 less than 3% of solicitors were women.

Today almost a third of solicitors are women including Laura Hadzik of the parish of BACKhouse Jones. 

In this podcast Laura circles  BACK to tell the story of hurdles she has  overcome. 

For the record she wears rigger boots and lipstick  and does not think they are mutually exclusive. Prince William once warmed a seat for her on a train journey. Listen how here.