In celebration of International Women’s Day, we share the thoughts about International Women’s Day and practising law in-house from five of our members.
Ria Manguray
Legal Counsel, Legal & Governance, Corporate Services, Tourism Australia
What does International Women’s Day mean to you and is it important that we have one? International Women’s Day is a day to honour the many women who have come before the present generation to pave way for opportunities that would otherwise not have been available to women today. Importantly, it is also a day of remembrance for women to take ownership and accountability for building on the momentum of these milestones to completely eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender.
What are some of the great things about being a woman in law? In my opinion, the great thing about being a woman in law is being able to inspire other women.
I am proud to be one of many women who now occupy a historically male-dominated profession. Last year, I had the honour and privilege of participating on a panel at the inaugural ACC Women in the House event in Sydney alongside Jamila Rizvi and distinguished women in the legal profession. The discussion topic was on unconscious bias and gender parity in the workplace. I shared with the audience my experience juggling life as a single parent to a young child whilst undertaking my juris doctor studies and working as a paralegal, and thereafter, managing the demands of both home and a career in the legal profession (let alone trying to maintain a social life). As a woman, as a person of colour, as an immigrant, as a working single parent with limited resources, the chances of success were not in my favour. Following the conclusion of the panel discussion, I was approached by audience members who felt my story resonated with them. This experience revealed the positive impact of sharing my personal journey to show people, especially women, that despite the odd it is not impossible to overcome systemic barriers and achieve success.
Law has historically been a male-dominated industry however the number of females practising law is increasing. Do you see this in your line of work? According to the Women Lawyers Association of NSW, although there is evidence of the predominance of women entering the profession there continues to be significant underrepresentation of women in the most senior roles as partners, in leadership roles, at the Bar and in the judiciary.
Apart from the obvious endemic issues associated with gender discrimination, in my unscientific view, there are less women in law at the top because of the generally held belief that a “top title” is inconsistent with other life priorities. For example, this belief manifests in conversations with female peers in law on concerns over falling behind in their career progression should they choose to start a family. I cannot say my male legal peers have expressed similar concerns (at least not vocally to me). Based on my empirical observation, this contrast speaks volumes on the imbalance between genders when it comes to career development.
As such, equal representation of diverse women at the top will enable women to be less inclined to believe that certain sacrifices in other areas of life priorities have to be made in favour of a successful career.
Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering pursuing a career as an in-house lawyer? A career in-house goes beyond being a legal advisor or technical expert. It leads to opportunities for women to be in positions of influence and leadership in private and public sectors. And we all know how crucial this is to close the gap – so my advice: Don’t think twice about it – just do it!
What is the driving force behind everything you do…what keeps you motivated and driven on an everyday basis? Living a meaningful and purposeful existence is the driving force for me. When it comes to my day-to-day as an in-house lawyer, this means applying myself to the very best of my abilities and valuing relationships with colleagues in the workplace.
Who has been the biggest influence of your success? My mother. She encouraged me to succeed without being afraid of failing. I am also equally and eternally grateful to the mentors and sponsors throughout my career who believed in my abilities and championed me to reach greater heights.
Who are your female icons? Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a female icon in law I deeply respect and admire. She was one of nine women in a class of 500 men at the Harvard Law School (and at the time a parent to a young child), the second woman ever appointed to the US Supreme Court, and overall, a trailblazing feminist being one of the most influential women in recent American history. She demonstrated courage, resilience and humility in fighting for equality as an advocate going after the discriminatory stereotypes that were written in the law. In expressing a desire to see more gender diversity on the US Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg declared“Women belong in all places where decisions are made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.”
How you define women empowerment? Female empowerment means speaking up for yourself, for other women, and for others who are subject to inequalities. We should not accept anything less than equal participation for all.
What message would you like to leave for both men and women on International Women’s Day? Gender inequality is not a women’s issue. It is also not a battle between the sexes. It’s a human rights issue.
Statistics show the gender wage gap in the legal profession is one of the largest in Australia, reported to be 29.7% by Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) in 2017 compared to an all industries gap of 22.4%. There is a long line of literature and studied statistics supporting the same conclusion – that is, it is evident that gender inequality remains at large. Both men and women at home, in the workplace, in communities, and in government are equally responsible in ensuring action is taken to achieve what is only fair and equitable. We must be vigilant because the ending to the gender inequality saga is long overdue.
