As the month in which the International Women's Day is celebrated comes to an end, the International Bar Association's (IBA) President, Jaime Carey, has reaffirmed the Association's commitment to fostering a more diverse and inclusive legal profession.
In addition to participating in a virtual event with the IBA Women Lawyers' Committee (WLC) on 8 March 2025 that celebrated women legal professionals from jurisdictions across the world, he also held a local event to inspire and guide the younger generation of female practitioners in their professional careers in his locale of Santiago, Chile.
With diversity and inclusion at the heart of the IBA, the President highlights a selection of projects and initiatives undertaken:
- Promoting diversity in the legal profession : The IBA has developed a broad set of principles consistent with its policy, promoting gender equality in law firms, corporations and government institutions.
- Strengthening women's access to leadership positions : Through its committees and global networks, the IBA works to increase female representation in decision-making roles, including achieving partnerships and leadership positions in international law firms.
- Establishing the IBA Women Lawyers' Committee (WLC: A platform that collaborates with various organisations to promote gender equality policies and improve working conditions for women in the legal sector.
- Developing regulations and best practice guidelines : The IBA has issued recommendations and studies on gender parity, supported by the WLC, which promote inclusive policies and the retention of female talent in the legal sector.
- Collecting data and raising awareness of the gender gap : Studies have been conducted to analyse the barriers women face in the legal profession, addressing issues such as discrimination and lack of access to career development opportunities.
- Creating the IBA Diversity and Inclusion Council : A body dedicated to promoting diversity in the legal profession, addressing both gender equity and the inclusion of underrepresented groups.
- Publishing the '50:50 by 2030 Gender Project' report : A study based on interviews and data from multiple jurisdictions, highlighting gender disparities in the legal profession and providing specific recommendations to improve parity.
- Encouraging global law firms to adopt mentoring and sponsorship programmes : The IBA has offered support for law firms to implement mentorship programmes for women lawyers, ensuring a strong talent pipeline for leadership roles.
- Creating the 'Male Champions for Change' programme : The initiative recognises and strengthens the role of male leaders as catalysts for advancing gender equality. This initiative highlights the importance of male allies in driving meaningful change and outlines specific actions proposed by the WLC to support and amplify their impact.
- Launching the 'Inspirational Legal Women' podcast : The series encourages inspirational IBA members with interesting careers and remarkable stories to share their thoughts and experiences about what it means to be a woman in the legal profession and how they have navigated different types of workplaces and challenges over the course of their careers.
Mr Carey commented: 'I am pleased to be able to build upon the work of my predecessors, the former IBA Presidents who have utilised their time in the role to fight against discrimination and bias in law. It is part of my priorities for the year to push towards exploring the most efficient ways to advance gender parity at all levels and to strive towards making a tangible difference in the legal profession.'
