Women barristers in Australia continue to face a wide gender pay gap, with the President of the Law Council saying it is a “significant concern”.
In a new report, the Law Council of Australia has revealed analysis that shows just 22 per cent of the overall briefing fee value over the last financial year went to women barristers, a figure that sits well below a target of 30 per cent.
Meanwhile, male barristers received 78 per cent of total briefing fee value in the 2023/24 financial year.
The figures come from the eighth Annual Report of the Law Council’s Equitable Briefing Policy, which was established in 2016 to track progress relating to targets of briefs and their value for women in the profession. More than 500 law firms have adopted the policy.
While the total briefing fee value going to women remains low at 22 per cent, for the third year in a row, women barristers received at least 30 per cent of all briefs. This figure is on target with the policy.
Women barristers are also being recommended more often for both current and new matters. According to the report, women barristers were recommended by another barrister 59 per cent of the time.
Also, the briefing rates for junior women barristers in the 2023/24 financial year sat at a higher figure of 40 per cent.
“There are a number of particularly pleasing indicators, such as the briefing rates for junior women barristers, which was 40 per cent in the 2023-24 financial year; and that barristers reported they were briefed with women barristers 44 per cent of the time, which is an increase of two per cent over the previous year,” said Law Council of Australia President, Juliana Warner.
“However, despite the progress that has been made since the Policy’s inception, there is still more to be done – especially when it comes to overall briefing fee value,” Warner said.
“While women barristers received 31 per cent of briefs, they only received 22 per cent of the overall briefing fee value – well below the target of 30 per cent.
“Progress has been made since the introduction of the Policy in 2016, but the pay gap remains too wide. While the report explores possible reasons for the gap, and a number of entities reported paying more than the target of 30 per cent of all brief fees to women barristers, this remains a significant concern. “
A review of the briefing policy to ensure it achieves its purpose is currently underway.