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Foreword
I am thrilled to celebrate the achievements of women in legal leadership in 2026, especially as I have just reached a crossroad in my own professional journey. I have recently stepped down as Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department.
Over recent years, as we have marked the progress made by women across the legal profession since being permitted to qualify – as recently as 1919 – we have celebrated many firsts: intersectional firsts, Law Society Presidents, Bar Chairs, Court of Appeal Judges, Supreme Court Justices and, of course, our Lady Chief Justice. And that is important. But I am pleased to see that the focus of this year’s Women Who Will is on sustaining and expanding the number of women in senior roles across the profession. We need to be more than a series of one-offs.
As I reflect on my time as a member of the Government Legal Profession -all 33 years of it -I am proud of our track record as an environment where women can thrive and have great careers. As only the second female Treasury Solicitor, I was thrilled that my three deputies were women. I look forward to the day when that is unremarkable -but that is some way off and we cannot be complacent.
Across the profession there remain challenges that inhibit the progression and retention of great women lawyers. Whether that is the sadly increasing gender pay gap at the Bar or the worrying signs that commitment to diversity and inclusion is somehow seen as no longer a priority, or worse, as anti-meritocratic political correctness – all the more important that we collectively continue to tackle these challenges by seeing more senior women rising to the top and ensuring that we create the conditions for success.
There are practical things we can promote – equitable briefing of counsel, more diverse clerks’ rooms, support for returners, and intentional job design to enable genuine part-time work. Visibility is vital too: it inspires people to believe in themselves and their ability to progress. That is where Next 100 Years can and does add real value -by celebrating and eventually normalising women in senior roles.
Dame Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon)
Former permanent secretary, Government Legal Department, Patron, Next 100 Years
Introduction
A letter from Dana Denis-Smith
CEO, Obelisk Support
Each year, putting together the Women Who Will report is a reminder of how far we have come and how much further we have to go. This year marks our 7th edition of this report, started during the pandemic to ensure visibility continued in the midst of a global emergency. The women in these pages do not let you rest on either thought for long. The Class of 2026 is another impressive roll call of role models for our generation of women in law.
Look at what this cohort has built. In-house leaders who joined organisations as their first ever lawyer and have since constructed global legal functions spanning multiple continents. General Counsel who have led complex legal strategy across some of the world’s most demanding infrastructure and technology environments. Fractional leaders redefining what modern legal expertise looks like. Every one of them built something where nothing existed before, and every one of them did it without waiting for permission.
What strikes me about this year’s class is its breadth. We have women leading sustainability and compliance functions in FTSE-listed businesses. Senior counsel working part-time whilst driving landmark policy change on fertility and workplace inclusion, taking their work all the way to Parliament. Risk specialists who arrived through unconventional routes and became among the most authoritative voices in their field. Barristers reshaping how the law treats trauma and accountability. Coaches and educators who are keeping women in the profession who might otherwise have left it. The range is extraordinary as is the consistency of their commitment to lead.
Progress for women in the legal profession has rarely been linear, and it has rarely been easy. But what the Class of 2026 shows is that it continues, and that the women driving it are doing so with a generosity of spirit that deserves recognition. Almost every woman in these pages is not only excelling in her own right but actively creating conditions for others to follow: mentoring, sponsoring, building networks, speaking in schools, changing policies from within. That is what the next hundred years looks like.
Still Rising is more than a title – it shows us what these women leaders are doing, every day, in every part of the profession. We are honoured to celebrate them. Read on and be inspired.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
Dana Denis-Smith OBE
CEO
Obelisk Support
Our Partner, Clio
Clio is the global leader in legal AI technology, empowering legal professionals and law firms of every size to work smarter, faster, and more securely. Purpose-built for the legal industry, Clio’s Intelligent Legal Work Platform streamlines workflows, improves decision-making, and combines powerful technology with industry-leading security. Trusted by hundreds of thousands of legal professionals in more than 130 countries, and approved by over 100 bar associations and law societies worldwide, Clio sets the standard for innovation and client success across the legal profession. Backed by world-class investors and a mission to transform the legal experience for all, Clio is defining the future of legal work through AI.
The legal profession we know today was shaped by women who refused to wait for permission to belong in it. They pushed the industry forward through decades that offered little recognition and even less support, and they kept building anyway.
Today, the women leading firms, mentoring the next generation, and influencing how technology is used in practice are redefining the profession once again.
At Clio, our mission is to transform the legal experience for all. Working alongside firms across the UK, we see the influence of women’s leadership every day -in how they build client relationships, how they approach technology adoption, and how they design working models that recognise the realities of modern legal life.
Supporting Women Who Will is embedded in how Clio operates. It is reflected in the partnerships we invest in, the customers we champion, and the technology we build. We believe firms are stronger when women lead -more innovative, more inclusive, and more prepared for what’s ahead. We are proud to stand with the women defining the future of law. They are building the profession’s next chapter, and Clio is honoured to be a partner in that journey.
Still Rising is more than a title – it shows us what these women leaders are doing, every day, in every part of the profession. We are honoured to celebrate them. Read on and be inspired.
Diversity Statistics: A Snapshot
UK Supreme Court:
- 2022: Only 1/12 Justices are women + None are BAME 8.33%
- 2023: Only 2/12 Justices are women + None are BAME 16.67%
- 2024: Only 2/12 Justices are women + None are BAME 16.67%
- 2025: Only 2/12 Justices are women + None are BAME 16.67%
- 2026: Only 2/12 Justices are women + None are BAME 16.67%
Data: The Supreme Court – Biographies of the Justices
High Court:
2023
- Female 31%
- BAME 6%
2024
- Female* 31%
- BAME* 8%
2025
- Female* 31%
- BAME* 9%
2026
- Female* 29%
- BAME* 5%
Court of Appeal:
2022
- Female 30%
- BAME 5%
2023
- Female 32%
- BAME 3%
2024
- Female* 25%
- BAME* 3%
2025
- Female* 23%
- BAME* 0%
2026
- Female* 23%
- BAME* 0%
Women in Law: 2026
Wellbeing
- of women in law do not believe their current working pattern is sustainable for their long-term health 50%
Health Issues
%
of women in law have experienced health and wellbeing issues affecting their work in the past five years. (Source: Next 100 Years / Obelisk Support Wellbeing Survey, 2026)
Exhaustion
%
of women in law have experienced health and wellbeing issues affecting their work in the past five years.
Changing Jobs
%
of women in law have considered moving job or taking a career break due to health and wellbeing issues.
The Bar – King’s Council
- Women 21.5%
- BAME 10.8%
Law Firms – Partners
- Women 32%
In House – General Counsel
- Women 34%
(Source: BSB Diversity at the Bar 2025, published April 2026)(Source: BSB Diversity at the Bar 2025)
In Top 10 Firms, women account for:
- Trainees 61%
- Newly qualified lawyers 59%
- Lawyers 9-10 years post qualification 52%
Introducing:
The Class of 2026
I see technological advances as the greatest opportunity the legal profession has had in decades. We have a real responsibility to embrace and understand both the challenges and opportunities presented to us.
Women Who Will
Previous Cohorts
2020
In House Community
Dr. Laura Janes
Caroline Halliday
Danette Joslyn-Gaul
Caroline Brown
Rebekah Martin
Ruth Murphy
Deborah Stevens
Carol Paton
Sarah Thomas
Nilema Bhakta-Jones
Private Practice and the Bar
Oxana Balayan
Keily Blair
Kirsty Brimelow KC
Anita Jewitt
Alison Eddy
Hilary Meredith
Rachel Welch-Philips
Priscilla Osoba
Claire Wills
Rehana Popal
Trailblazers
Malvika Jaganmohan
Tessa Khan
Karlia Lykourgou
Shanika Amarasekara MBE
Sabrina Mahtani
Rebecca Perlman
Louise Whitfield
Natasha Rattu
Alexandra Wilson
Jenifer Swallow
2021
In House Community
Emily Lilley
Amy McConnell
Christa Hotton
Kate Lowe
Banke Odunaike
Rebecca Mills
Leeanne Whaley
Private Practice and the Bar
Samina Iqbal
Ana Paula Telleria
Maria Patsalos
Lucy Cole
Sue McLean
Emma Hughes
Kama Melly KC
Tracey Dovaston
Kerry O’Connell
Trailblazers
Yasmin Lambert
Elizabet Hardy
Penelope Warne
Anne Bodley
Susan Cooper
2022
In House Community
Emma Haywood
Clair Curran
Kirstie Ross
Dipika Aggarwal
Merley Okine
Margot Day
Holly Moore
Rachel Ford
Sarah Hemsley
Omolara (Lara) Lucas
Private Practice and the Bar
Natalie Sutherland
Jessica van der Meer
Anna Ashford
Helen Burnell
Mandy Aulak
Akima Paul Lambert
Trailblazers
Martha Rolle
Aleksandra Wawrzyszczuk
Catherine McGregor
Claire Barnett
Harriet Johnson
Paulette Mastin
2023
In House Community
Stacey Quaye
Patricia Ratnam
Charlotte Hall
Fiona Mills
Kendall Langford
Rebecca Mayfield
Laura Leanca
Kaori Toyama
Jaishree Jaisinghani Vyavaharkar
Private Practice and the Bar
Afsana Akhtar
Iryna Kravtsova
Orlagh Kelly
Barbara Mills KC
Lisa Quinn O’Flaherty
Jodie Hill
Simranjeet Kaur Mann
Hannah Strawbridge
Fiona Teague
Trailblazers
Baroness Sue Carr
Amanda Brock
Charlotte Smith
Siobhan Taylor-Ward
Caroline Flanagan
2024
In House Community
Debra Coady
Bridget Lambie
Esi Eshun OBE
Jenifer Swallow
Maxine Finding
Veena Patel
Emma Di Iorio
Justinia Lewis
Louise Dreadon
Corina Painter
Kelly Stapleton
Laura-Meg McGlone
Cristina Costache
May Winfield
Mandy Kaur
Private Practice and the Bar
Yanthé Richardson
Hilary Ross
Hetty Gleave
Nthabiseng Serabele
Gemma Roberts
Kathryn-Ann Stamm
Trailblazers
Shabana Mahmood MP
Sarah Sackman MP
Emelda Nomvula Khoza
2025
In House Community
Aimee Nisbet
Catie Sheret
Dina White
Yinsey Wang
Lisa Ardley-Price
Luisa Edwards
Nanna Hepke
Natasha Ballantine
Sara Geramipoor
Sarah Rosser
Private Practice and the Bar
Chelsea Brooke-Ward
Elizabeth Blair
Kathleen Harris
Misha Patel
Salma Maqsood
Sharn Khaira
Sobashni De Silva
Teresa Cullen
Shruti Trivedi
Phoebe Whitlock
Trailblazers
Amy Rose
Catherine Dunmore
Claire Waxman
Sharon Thomas
Helen Croft
Women in Law Timeline
METHODOLOGY
In compiling this report and identifying the Class of 2026, the teams at Obelisk Support and Next 100 Years received nominations from senior General Counsel and other legal leaders, while also incorporating women recognised by the judges of the Next 100 Years Inspirational Women in Law Awards 2025. Additionally, they conducted independent research across published and social media platforms. The report highlights these exceptional women whilst acknowledging that this represents only a fraction of the talented female professionals in the legal industry. By showcasing these outstanding individuals, the report aims to inspire greater recognition and appreciation for the numerous Women Who Will making significant contributions to the legal profession.
References
Judiciary – Compositions
- Biographies of the Justices -UK Supreme Court: Available at: https://www.supremecourt.uk/about/biographies-of-the-justices.html
- Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal -Courts and Tribunals Judiciary: Available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/who-are-the-judiciary/ senior-judiciary-list/lord-and-lady-justices-of-appeal/ [Accessed May 2026].
- High Court Chancery Division Judges: Available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/who-are-the-judiciary/ senior-judiciary-list/chancery-division-judges/ [Accessed May 2026].
- High Court King’s Bench Division Judges: Available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/who-are-the-judiciary/ senior-judiciary-list/kings-bench-division-judges/ [Accessed May 2026].
- High Court Family Division Judges: Available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/who-are-the-judiciary/ senior-judiciary-list/high-court-family-judges/ [Accessed May 2026].
Judicial Diversity Statistics
- Ministry of Justice, Diversity of the Judiciary: Legal Professions, New Appointments and Current Post-Holders -2024 Statistics: Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary2024-statistics
- Judiciary and Bar Standards Board, Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy Statistics 2026: Available at: https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/JudicialDiversity-and-Inclusion-Strategy-Statistics_2026web.pdf
- MoJ Judicial Diversity Statistics 2025 (published July 2025): Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/diversityof-the-judiciary-2025-statistics
Solicitors – Diversity
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, Diversity in Law Firms’ Workforce: Available at: https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/equality-diversity/diversity-profession/ diverse-legal-profession/
• Law Society, Annual Statistics Report 2024
Bar – Diversity
- Bar Standards Board, Diversity at the Bar 2025 (covering data as of 1 December 2025, published April 2026): Available at: https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/static/dd916c89-8287-442bb1748c91b54b619c/Diversity-at-the-Bar-2025.pdf
- Bar Standards Board, King’s Counsel Statistics: Available at: https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/news-publications/researchand-statistics/statistics-about-the-bar/kings-counsel-statistics.html
- KC Appointments -96 new KCs announced January 2026: Available at: https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/latest-news/success-rate-falls-againas-96-new-kcs-are-named
- Counsel Magazine, Gender and Fair Access to Work 2025: Available at: https://www.counselmagazine.co.uk/articles/gender-fair-access-towork-2025
Download the full report
Next 100 Years
Next 100 Years is the successor project to the First 100 Years and is dedicated to achieving equality for women in law. The project aims to accelerate the pace of change by encouraging collaboration across the legal profession, improving the visibility of women in law and supporting the women lawyers of the future.
The project is powered by Spark21, a charity founded to celebrate, inform and inspire future generations of women in the profession. It builds on the success of the First 100 Years project which was created to chart the journey of women in law in the first 100 years following the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919, which paved the way for women to become lawyers for the first time. The five-year project culminated with the centenary celebrations in 2019.
Next 100 Years continues the work of the First 100 Years, capturing the inspirational stories of today’s pioneering women lawyers, educating the public on the legacy of the legal pioneers of the past and driving the change needed to create an equal future for women in the legal profession.
Obelisk Support
Obelisk Support is a market leader in flexible legal services, providing businesses with access to a highly skilled, diverse talent pool. Founded in 2010 by Dana Denis-Smith OBE, the company champions inclusion and innovation in legal resourcing – especially for those balancing professional ambitions with personal commitments.
The Women Who Will initiative reflects Obelisk’s belief that the legal profession must evolve to be more representative, more inclusive, and more human. By spotlighting female legal leaders and addressing systemic barriers, the report aims to inspire and influence change across the sector.
Obelisk Support is also proud to offer a free Legal Returners’ Development course each year often in partnership with our esteemed great Women Who Will cohorts who generously share their time and experience.
This publication has been prepared for general guidance on matters of interest only, and does not constitute professional advice. It may be subject to change or update without notice. You should not act upon the information contained in this publication without obtaining specific professional advice. No representation, assurance or warranty (express or implied) is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or data contained in this publication, and, to the extent permitted by law, Obelisk Legal Support Solutions Limited, its members, employees and agents do not accept or assume any liability, responsibility or duty of care for any consequences of you or anyone else acting, or refraining to act in reliance on the information contained in this publication or for any decision based on it.
© Obelisk Legal Support Solutions Limited 2026
Company number: 07312074
Next 100 Years is a campaign of Spark 21 | Registered charity number: 1167825