Helena Brown is a commercial partner at Addleshaw Goddard, specialising in data protection and IP/IT law. In recognition of International Women’s Day 2022 earlier this week, she pens a highly personal account about the demands she faced as a young lawyer at the start of her career, juggling childcare and work.
I’m going to just admit it… I used to be slightly offended at the suggestion that there was a gender issue in the law. I felt that there was no need to have women’s networks, mentors, positive discrimination…that we really did not need any extra help to progress: we would get there on our own. Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing? Twenty years on and having lived it (or my version of it) I can see why many women simply didn’t continue in the profession. I’d like to say this is a thing of the past – yes, things are measurably better, but we all know there are still bridges to cross.
