Women in Criminal Law celebrate their first anniversary

Today Women in Criminal Law celebrate their first anniversary, and in the last year they have achieved much in connecting and promoting professional women across the criminal justice sector. Their mission is to support and inspire, mentor and socialise, empower and encourage.

A year on from their launch in March 2018, Women in Criminal Law are celebrating their first year’s successes with a black tie dinner at the Andaz 1901 Ballroom tonight.

Founded by Doughty Street's Katy Thorne QC, the organisation has come a long way in 12 months – they have over 300 members and nearly 2000 followers on Twitter. They have assisted in opposing the Flexible Court Operating Hours which placed particular pressure on women with caring responsibilities, and they have been invited by the Judicial Appointments Commission to sit on their Advisory Group for selection policies.

WICL have also set up a mentoring scheme, with over 40 matched mentoring pairs, and, in January, launched their judicial mentoring scheme, which matches up women in small group circles with a judicial mentor. Events hosted have followed the theme of career progression and development and they have hosted experienced career consultants and networking professionals. They are rightly proud of their achievements so far and would welcome women to join them, if you haven’t already, to help them ensure that women are properly represented at the top levels of our professions: partnership, silk and judiciary. WICL's membership comprises solicitors, barristers, paralegals, clerks, judges and members of CILEX alike from prosecution and defence and with that their cross-professional relationships are becoming ever stronger. They are looking forward to the next year ahead and building on their fabulous first year foundations.

You can join WICL as a member on their website - please click here - and follow them on Twitter at @WomenInCrimLaw.