The Legal Profession Of England And Wales

This workplace gender inequality is similarly evident in both the political and legal arenas, with 2012 statistics finding that ‘10 percent of all Federal Parliamentarians across Australia were women (66 out of 226)’. Furthermore, it has been identified that of the ‘current 932 individuals who make up the private Bar of the Queensland Bar Association, only 19.7 percent are women’, and of the whole of Queensland’s’ magistrates, only 36 out of 93, are women. As these statistics so clearly indicate, women are grossly underrepresented in the political and legal arenas, and the workplace in general. There are varying arguments that can reason this inequality, however, the most persuasive and logical places the blame on the orthodox gender roles that society has adopted and endorsed. As a result of these gender roles, men are automatically assumed to dominate more masculine occupations such as construction, engineering and law, while women often subjected to domestic occupations, such as, childcare, retail, nursing and education. Women are subsequently judged on their perceived gender role and not on their merits or competence, and are therefore unable to ‘equally contribute to and benefit from economic, social, cultural and political life’. The underrepresentation of women in the workplace is astounding and the reasons for why this inequality has riddled the Australian workforce can be answered by

I am fascinated by the complexity of many legal issues and this has drawn me to consider law as a career. The documentary ‘Common’ for example opened my eyes to the controversy surrounding the law of joint enterprise. I particularly enjoy watching such documentaries and following current affairs and my interest in contemporary issues led me to take Law as one of my AS subjects. I live in a rural, agricultural area and land law is an area I would like to study further and having studied Sociology for GCSE, I am also particularly interested in family law.

The subject of law always fascinated me. Unlike medicine, the practicalities of the subject do not dampen my passion for the subject but rather fuel it. Law is engaging because it requires constant adapting and analyzing. With every case comes a unique set of issues. The challenge of having to work within the bounds of the law while also planning a compelling and forceful case for a client is thrilling. Every word holds tremendous power in law. Practicing law requires eloquence. Anecdotal stories are the hallmark of the best lawyers. There exists no third person perspective in law. I admire how good lawyers can form a message that appeals to people’s emotions and reason. I relish the opportunity to study every minute detail of law and become a practicing lawyer because of all the ways it would challenge me.

According to Porter, “A ‘discourse community’ is a group of individuals bound by a common interest who communicate through approved channels and whose discourse is regulated. A discourse community shares assumptions about what objects are appropriate for examination and discussion, what constitutes ‘evidence’ and ‘validity’ and what formal conventions are followed (38-39).” These five texts collectively constitute a community of discourse through their application of common language norms, characteristics, patterns and rhetorical strategies. All of the authors are writing about corresponding ideas and discussing their identical goals; the prevalence of gender inequality in the legal profession and the unjust consequences derived from it. Similarly, all five sources intentions are to oppose the standard viewpoint that gender inequality has diminished and provide evidence to support this claim. Their ideas of remedying gender inequality in the legal profession overlap as well as contradict one another.

Merit –compare and contrast the role of judges ,lawyers and lay people within the English courts.

Institutions welcome diversity, however, they also introduce minorities to a profession of glass ceilings. The number one reason I often see firms and institutions push diversity is for monetary value. Although this may be true, for me, this reasoning of including diversity in the legal system can be flawed and quite off base. It is time to establish real value in minorities and people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. That value requires adequate representation. Having assorted groups of excelling attorneys in the legal profession creates an accurate depiction of recognizing and addressing pressing issues.When minorities thrive in the legal profession it is an adequate reflection of reality, especially in the community and the people attorneys serve. Attorneys play a number of roles, often times, changing the life of their clients, Therefore, it is up to the legal profession to embrace excellence of all backgrounds to better serve the legal community. Diversity in the legal system includes, but is not limited to, race and ethnicity, gender, cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, and disability. Inclusion and diversity in the legal system are a reflective representation of attorneys by bringing people from all backgrounds and all different experiences to make the legal profession more efficient and

“Down the Lawyers Go: A Rhetorical Analysis of ‘Is the Bar Too Low to Get Into Law School?’”

Inclusion is working with diversity in mind to create a culture of collaborative involvement. Pipeline programs concentrated on retaining diverse lawyers focus on promoting inclusion through "mentoring, sponsorships, networking, using affinity groups and other programs to reduce the sense of social isolation that diverse attorneys often experience." (79). While these initiatives can be effective in promoting the retention of diverse attorneys within the profession, they are nonetheless

Acting as a legal practitioner is considered a “great privilege” and “offers the opportunity to serve the community in a profoundly important way.” Lawyer’s roles as officers of the Court and administrators of justice give them a monopoly on the delivery of counselling and representation services. In order to “maintain their capacity to serve the community” , legal practitioners must accept that they are

The legal profession has been around for a long time, as it is one of the oldest information professions . The service it provides is essential, as it

Gender is a critical dimension of judicial diversity illustrated by the proportions of positions awarded to the males and females on the judiciary. There are different ways of rationalising judicial diversity where judicial appointments follow policy and law that promotes equal opportunities. The judiciary needs to show sensitivity to the experiences and needs of the different elements of legal systems where the judiciary requires illustration of diversity for service as well as diverse judiciary with increased accountability of legal democracies. The current preclusion the gender incorporation dictates the alternative dimension regarding judicial diversity. Features of judicial initiatives towards achieving ethnic and gender diversity are assessed through qualitative and quantitative perceptions and experiences of judicial bias.

Explain and critically consider the use of lay magistrates in the legal system of England and Wales.

Today, more than ever before, the legal profession offers a unique opportunities to dedicated individual to make a significant contribution to the society. This post is aimed at help you evaluate law as a career. It should give you a clear understanding of what to expect in your educational path to a law degree and the very significant financial expenses associated with obtaining a law degree.

Critically assess the different sources and characteristics of the English Legal System. To what extents have external influences affected its development.

These numbers clearly reflect a discriminatory trend of law firms in their inability to promote women lawyers to top positions within law firms. As more women graduate law school and join the workforce, changes should be made to promote greater parity in the legal profession. In addition, women lawyers lag behind their male counterparts in pay scale.