Victorian Bar welcomes targets for briefing women barristers

“The Victorian Bar is pleased to see the new requirement for Commonwealth agencies to make all reasonable endeavours to brief or select senior women barristers for at least 25 per cent of all briefs and junior women barristers for at least 30 per cent of all briefs,” said Dr Matt Collins QC, President of the Victorian Bar. 

‘The State of the Victorian Bar’ report released earlier this year showed that members of the Victorian Bar recommend that women barristers, and particularly junior women barristers, be briefed in high numbers, and in significantly higher numbers than the Law Council of Australia’s equitable briefing target of 30 per cent. 

The most comprehensive study of the Victorian Bar ever conducted, the report demonstrated significant improvements in gender and cultural equality and diversity among its 2,062 practising members. 

"There is more work to be done across the profession to support the briefing of women barristers. The Bar is very pleased to see the Federal Government recognising and supporting the increased representation of women and we congratulate the Attorney General the Hon Christian Porter MP and the Minister for Women, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP on this initiative.”   

The State of the Victorian Bar report