Anger over gender pay gap in law

Equal pay campaigners hit out at the "gaping chasm" in pay between male and female solicitors after a new report said the difference averaged £19,000 a year.

The Law Society study found that average pay for men was £60,000 compared with £41,000 for women, a wage gap of 32%, although the difference was only 7.6% when other factors such as hours worked and area of law were taken into account.

The research also found that white solicitors earned £10,000 more than black and ethnic solicitors.

Fiona Woolf, past chairwoman of the Association of Women Solicitors, said the gender pay gap was a symptom of the difficulties faced by women in the legal profession, adding: "If legal practices are to win the war for talent, we need to find ways to make flexible work successful - not just for women, but everyone who is attempting to juggle a career with other commitments."

Katherine Rake, director of the Fawcett Society, which campaigns on equality issues, commented: "The gaping chasm in pay between male and female solicitors is highly disturbing, but sadly not surprising. Across the professions, women are paid less than men.

"The paucity of senior flexible roles, long working hours culture, and plain old fashioned discrimination all conspire to shut women out of the boardroom and reduce their wage packet. Attempts to shoehorn women into workplaces made by men for men have failed and resulted in a workplace motherhood penalty.

"The gender pay gap is a national scandal. Equal pay laws require urgent reforms, but we are gravely concerned by the Government's silence on this issue.

"The upcoming Single Equality Act offers a historic opportunity to introduce preventative and remedial measures - including mandatory pay checks for employers. It is time to build a workplace fit for women."

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