Irish claim a first as women solicitors overtake men

The solicitors' profession in the Republic of Ireland is claiming a world first, as the number of female practising solicitors outstrips that of men for the first time.

As at the end of 2014, there were 4,623 female and 4,609 male practising solicitors – only 92 years after the first woman was admitted to the Irish profession, in 1923.

Even in 1970, there were only 71 women solicitors compared with 1,278 men. In 1990 the figures were 946 and 2,593, but by 2000 there were 2,141 women to 3,386 men. Since the mid-1990s the number of women entering the profession has exceeded the number of men.

A similar trend has taken place in Scotland, where the latest figures from the Law Society of Scotland show that the profession is currently 49% female and 51% male, but 61% of those under 45 are female.

Teri Kelly, the Law Society of Ireland’s director of representation and member services, said: "To our knowledge, this is the first time a female majority has existed in any legal profession anywhere in the world.”

She commented: “Women currently dominate the state’s senior appointments in law and justice. Last year saw the appointment of the first female Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan, and the third female Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald. These appointments can be added to the first woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Susan Denham; the first woman Director of Public Prosecutions, Claire Loftus; the first woman Chief State Solicitor, Eileen Creedon; and the first woman Attorney General, Máire Whelan."