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In the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice, 350 women silks celebrated 75 years since Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron became the first women to take silk in England and Wales. The Bar Council reports
‘Ladies and… ladies,’ began the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, as she welcomed around 350 women silks to the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice on 1 October 2024 to celebrate 75 years since the first women in England and Wales became King’s Counsel.
The historic event was organised by Mrs Justice McGowan, Mrs Justice Theis and Mrs Justice Morgan, following months of planning and, through the Inns, getting the invitations out to as many female KCs as possible.
Alongside Eleanor Platt KC, who in 1982 became the 19th woman silk and who keeps the list of all women silks (see box), the Lady Chief Justice welcomed Shirley Ritchie KC (who became a Circuit judge in 1995 under her married surname Anwyl) as the most senior silk in attendance. HH Anwyl described taking silk in 1979 – becoming the 16th woman silk – as ‘the most exciting event of my life’.
In 1949 Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron took silk under King George VI, just 30 years after women were first permitted to practise at the Bar (with the passing of the 1919 Sex Disqualification [Removal] Act).
Dame Rose’s daughter Hilary Heilbron KC attended the ‘celebration of the achievements of my mother, aged only 34, and Helena Normanton in breaking the mould 75 years ago by being the first women to take silk’. Reflecting on what her mother would have made of the event, Hilary added: ‘She would have been thrilled, as I am, that we have gathered here to recognise not only the achievements of 75 years ago, but also of so many other trailblazing women in the legal profession since then, but there is still a way to go.’
Such sentiments on progress were reflected in Baroness Carr’s speech as she spoke of presiding over the most recent silk ceremony with the number of women applicants ‘at a record high’ of 78 and 38% of those appointed to silk being female.
‘So, great progress – but no room for complacency,’ she warned. ‘[A]lthough progress has been made in improving the prospects for women in the law generally, the path is much harder for some women compared to others.
‘We must focus on how intersectionality can impact representation, where gender combines with other protected characteristics. As an example, there are relatively fewer women from minority ethnic backgrounds in silk.’
A particular highlight for many attendees was the opportunity to celebrate with their former pupils/supervisors. Dame Elizabeth Slade’s ‘star pupils’ Mrs Justice Eady, President of the Employment Appeal, and HHJ Alison Levitt KC were in attendance as was HHJ Levitt’s pupil Beth O’Reilly KC who took silk in the last competition. HHJ Levitt said: ‘Three “generations” of women silk pupils/supervisors, from the retired to the newly appointed. I feel very proud.’
Throughout the evening, groups of women came together to capture the moment with fellow silks in their Circuit or working in their practice area, recognising the extraordinary breadth of talent and achievement, with many forging the path as ‘firsts’.
Eleanor Platt’s list now stands at 641 with Clea Topolski KC the most recently appointed silk. ‘Leadership, to me, means proactively championing progress,’ Clea said. ‘As I take my first tentative steps into this new position, I hope to never lose sight of this principle.’
In the most recent silk competition announced in January 2024, 32% of the successful applicants were women (30 out of 95). The total number of women silks ever appointed now stands at 641. Today, at the practising Bar, women make up 39% of all barristers and 21% of KCs.
The Bar Council runs a silk and judicial mentoring scheme. Find out more here.
Criminal silks capture the moment.
Event photos: Jam Pond Photography
‘Ladies and… ladies,’ began the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, as she welcomed around 350 women silks to the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice on 1 October 2024 to celebrate 75 years since the first women in England and Wales became King’s Counsel.
The historic event was organised by Mrs Justice McGowan, Mrs Justice Theis and Mrs Justice Morgan, following months of planning and, through the Inns, getting the invitations out to as many female KCs as possible.
Alongside Eleanor Platt KC, who in 1982 became the 19th woman silk and who keeps the list of all women silks (see box), the Lady Chief Justice welcomed Shirley Ritchie KC (who became a Circuit judge in 1995 under her married surname Anwyl) as the most senior silk in attendance. HH Anwyl described taking silk in 1979 – becoming the 16th woman silk – as ‘the most exciting event of my life’.
In 1949 Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron took silk under King George VI, just 30 years after women were first permitted to practise at the Bar (with the passing of the 1919 Sex Disqualification [Removal] Act).
Dame Rose’s daughter Hilary Heilbron KC attended the ‘celebration of the achievements of my mother, aged only 34, and Helena Normanton in breaking the mould 75 years ago by being the first women to take silk’. Reflecting on what her mother would have made of the event, Hilary added: ‘She would have been thrilled, as I am, that we have gathered here to recognise not only the achievements of 75 years ago, but also of so many other trailblazing women in the legal profession since then, but there is still a way to go.’
Such sentiments on progress were reflected in Baroness Carr’s speech as she spoke of presiding over the most recent silk ceremony with the number of women applicants ‘at a record high’ of 78 and 38% of those appointed to silk being female.
‘So, great progress – but no room for complacency,’ she warned. ‘[A]lthough progress has been made in improving the prospects for women in the law generally, the path is much harder for some women compared to others.
‘We must focus on how intersectionality can impact representation, where gender combines with other protected characteristics. As an example, there are relatively fewer women from minority ethnic backgrounds in silk.’
A particular highlight for many attendees was the opportunity to celebrate with their former pupils/supervisors. Dame Elizabeth Slade’s ‘star pupils’ Mrs Justice Eady, President of the Employment Appeal, and HHJ Alison Levitt KC were in attendance as was HHJ Levitt’s pupil Beth O’Reilly KC who took silk in the last competition. HHJ Levitt said: ‘Three “generations” of women silk pupils/supervisors, from the retired to the newly appointed. I feel very proud.’
Throughout the evening, groups of women came together to capture the moment with fellow silks in their Circuit or working in their practice area, recognising the extraordinary breadth of talent and achievement, with many forging the path as ‘firsts’.
Eleanor Platt’s list now stands at 641 with Clea Topolski KC the most recently appointed silk. ‘Leadership, to me, means proactively championing progress,’ Clea said. ‘As I take my first tentative steps into this new position, I hope to never lose sight of this principle.’
In the most recent silk competition announced in January 2024, 32% of the successful applicants were women (30 out of 95). The total number of women silks ever appointed now stands at 641. Today, at the practising Bar, women make up 39% of all barristers and 21% of KCs.
The Bar Council runs a silk and judicial mentoring scheme. Find out more here.
Criminal silks capture the moment.
Event photos: Jam Pond Photography
In the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice, 350 women silks celebrated 75 years since Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron became the first women to take silk in England and Wales. The Bar Council reports
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