During the last few years, the Bar Council has been on a mission to improve the lot of women barristers practising at the Bar.

Its record helping women gain a louder voice on the Bar Council, however, is not so hot. When Jacqui Perry, the chair of the Association of Women Barristers, asked the Bar Council whether her association could have a special seat on the council,
she ran into a brick wall.

Although there is provision in the council's constitution for seats to be set aside for some special interest groups such as in-house barristers, women's groups are not included.