Glass ceilings more fragile, women lawyers told

Lowell Goddard
Lowell Goddard
Dunedin's women lawyers were told to keep pushing through glass ceilings to reach their goals, in an address by the chair of the Independent Police Conduct Authority, Justice Lowell Goddard, yesterday.

Justice Goddard spoke to about 60 people during the annual Ethel Benjamin commemorative address at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

Ethel Benjamin, New Zealand's first woman lawyer, enrolled at the University of Otago in 1893 and was admitted to the bar in 1897.

Justice Goddard joined Dame Sian Elias, the current chief justice, in becoming the first women to be appointed Queen's counsels about 20 years ago.

Justice Goddard was appointed to the Police Complaints Authority in February 2007.

In November of that year, changes to legislation saw the authority became the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

Independence brought changes, including a new focus which would see the authority deal with the most serious cases.

Less serious cases would be handed back to police, she said.

There had been a "significant increase" in the number of investigators at the authority, from four to nine in the past few weeks, she said.

Justice Goddard said police actions were arguably much more closely scrutinised than they were 20 years ago.

She spoke about the legal fraternity and said although women were now widely accepted as judges, QCs and senior partners in law firms, there was still a lack of equality in other areas such as Parliament and commercial law.

Women were vital in the legal profession because without them there would be an inequality and less choice for the public.

"She may face glass ceilings but they will be much more fragile than the ones broken before her and they will be much closer to the sky."

 

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement