Advancing women in the law

The ALA is committed to protecting and promoting justice, freedom and the rights of the individual. Consistent with this purpose is a commitment to promoting diversity, equality, respect and inclusion.

As part of this commitment, the ALA recognises that it should be active in promoting the role of women in the legal profession and calling out discriminatory and abusive conduct towards women within the legal profession. The ALA also recognises that it has a role in creating opportunities for women to progress in the legal profession and assume leadership roles both within the ALA and in the legal profession generally.

The ALA has launched a new gender equality policy to articulate its commitment to implement practical initiatives to address gender inequality in the legal profession and promote these initiatives to its members. The policy includes commitments from the ALA to maintain 50 per cent female representation in membership, and to ensure that 50 per cent of writers for Precedent and 50 per cent of speakers at CPD events are female. The policy also includes practical actions members are encouraged to undertake within their own legal practices.

The ALA's gender equality policy was released on 23 October 2020 at the ALA Annual General Meeting 2020. 

Click here to read the policy.

Click here to read our media release.