Celebrating 75 years of women silks

‘Ladies and… ladies,’ began the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, as she welcomed around 350 women silks to the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice on 1 October 2024 to celebrate 75 years since the first women in England and Wales became King’s Counsel.

The historic event was organised by Mrs Justice McGowan, Mrs Justice Theis and Mrs Justice Morgan, following months of planning and, through the Inns, getting the invitations out to as many female KCs as possible.

Alongside Eleanor Platt KC, who in 1982 became the 19th woman silk and who keeps the list of all women silks (see box), the Lady Chief Justice welcomed Shirley Ritchie KC (who became a Circuit judge in 1995 under her married surname Anwyl) as the most senior silk in attendance. HH Anwyl described taking silk in 1979 – becoming the 16th woman silk – as ‘the most exciting event of my life’.

In 1949 Helena Normanton and Rose Heilbron took silk under King George VI, just 30 years after women were first permitted to practise at the Bar (with the passing of the 1919 Sex Disqualification [Removal] Act).

Dame Rose’s daughter Hilary Heilbron KC attended the ‘celebration of the achievements of my mother, aged only 34, and Helena Normanton in breaking the mould 75 years ago by being the first women to take silk’. Reflecting on what her mother would have made of the event, Hilary added: ‘She would have been thrilled, as I am, that we have gathered here to recognise not only the achievements of 75 years ago, but also of so many other trailblazing women in the legal profession since then, but there is still a way to go.’

Such sentiments on progress were reflected in Baroness Carr’s speech as she spoke of presiding over the most recent silk ceremony with the number of women applicants ‘at a record high’ of 78 and 38% of those appointed to silk being female.

‘So, great progress – but no room for complacency,’ she warned. ‘[A]lthough progress has been made in improving the prospects for women in the law generally, the path is much harder for some women compared to others.

‘We must focus on how intersectionality can impact representation, where gender combines with other protected characteristics. As an example, there are relatively fewer women from minority ethnic backgrounds in silk.’

A particular highlight for many attendees was the opportunity to celebrate with their former pupils/supervisors. Dame Elizabeth Slade’s ‘star pupils’ Mrs Justice Eady, President of the Employment Appeal, and HHJ Alison Levitt KC were in attendance as was HHJ Levitt’s pupil Beth O’Reilly KC who took silk in the last competition. HHJ Levitt said: ‘Three “generations” of women silk pupils/supervisors, from the retired to the newly appointed. I feel very proud.’

Throughout the evening, groups of women came together to capture the moment with fellow silks in their Circuit or working in their practice area, recognising the extraordinary breadth of talent and achievement, with many forging the path as ‘firsts’.

Eleanor Platt’s list now stands at 641 with Clea Topolski KC the most recently appointed silk. ‘Leadership, to me, means proactively championing progress,’ Clea said. ‘As I take my first tentative steps into this new position, I hope to never lose sight of this principle.’ 

Eleanor Platt KC, keeper of the list of women silks:

‘I was called to the Bar in 1960 and took silk in 1982. At that time, I became the 19th woman to take silk. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to see who were the “first 18” and the idea was born: I would collect the names of all female silks each year, keep a list in order of seniority with additional information, and write to each silk with a copy of the list and their place in it. I have done this ever since.

‘In those days, the announcements were always on Maundy Thursday and I wrote handwritten letters enclosing the updated list. New rules were introduced in 2006 by which time there had been only 147 women silks. After 2006 many more women barristers have been honoured so that today, we have 640 female silks. I invariably received replies, also handwritten, thanking me. Once it became unmanageable to write and post handwritten letters, they became emails and attachments. In more recent times, not every new silk has replied to my email, but most do.

‘I suppose that in total I have written over 600 letters and emails. It is always a great pleasure and privilege to write to the new women silks. Last year there were 36 and this year 30. The list now comes out earlier in the calendar year. These days, I have to ask to get the list in order of seniority as it now comes in alphabetical order!

‘I sincerely hope that once I can no longer keep the list someone will want to take over and follow on. It is quite rewarding. My list started as King’s Counsel from 1949 to 1951 (King George V1 died in February 1952), became Queen’s Counsel when Elizabeth II started her reign, and now looks as though it will be King’s Counsel for the foreseeable future. Although we will never exceed the numbers of the men, as there have been male KCs and QCs for many more years than women – the first ‘silk’ ever was, in fact, Sir Francis Bacon in 1597, QC becoming KC in 1603 – we are doing our bit properly now after a slow start.’

Silk statistics 2024

In the most recent silk competition announced in January 2024, 32% of the successful applicants were women (30 out of 95). The total number of women silks ever appointed now stands at 641. Today, at the practising Bar, women make up 39% of all barristers and 21% of KCs.

Silk mentoring

The Bar Council runs a silk and judicial mentoring scheme. Find out more here.