In March 1923, the first woman was admitted to the legal profession.  Four decades later, in 1962, the first woman of colour was admitted to the legal profession.  The year 2023 marks 100 years of women in the legal profession and 61 years of women of colour in the legal profession.  Over the years (slow) progress has been made towards creating an egalitarian legal profession from among others, a racial and gender perspective.  One of the greatest achievements that have been made in the transformation of the legal profession is seen on the bench, which the Constitution demands, be reflective of the demographics of the country.

In celebration of 100 years of women in the legal profession, Group One hosted a women in law symposium titled “Celebrating the Continued Contributions of Women Practitioners to the Legal Profession” to mark the official opening of the new members’ lounge, the Bailey and Dennis Fine Library on the 26th of August 2023. The Bailey and Dennis Fine Library was officially opened by Madam Justice Suldulker of the Supreme Court of Appeal and our Group Leader Mohammed Chohan SC. The excellence in law Women’s symposium celebrated the contribution of women practitioners to the legal profession on Women’s Month.

At the symposium, a panel of esteemed women judges and legal practitioners discussed transformation imperatives across the judicial spectrum including: the role of the Judicial Service Commission in its appointment of judges; the role of a judge in a democracy; the impact of identity and marginalised experience on adjudication; the experiences of women practitioners; the experiences of women judges; and the impact and potential of the Legal Sector Code.