We’re starting off The Women in Law Conference 2021 with a warm welcome to all attendees.

expert panel discussion on the global situation of women in legal professions including best practice examples with Swethaa Ballakrishnen, University of California, Irvine | Jarpa Dawuni, Howard University Washington, DC | Divya Dwivedi, Advocate, Supreme Court of India | Rehana Khan Parker, WOZA, South Africa | Paula Tavares, Worldbank

presented by the authors of “The Women in Law Toolkit” the Law Society of England and Wales’ International Programmes Manager Lizzette Robleto de Howarth and Melanie Carter, partner at Bates Wells   One of the key findings was the importance of the significant role of law societies and bar associations in supporting women in law and transformative change within their own jurisdictions. This joint report: reinforces the findings of the 2019 report that there are still considerable challenges for women’s progression in the legal profession suggests a series of activities that can help strengthen the work of organisations to support women in the law This report has been researched and was written under extraordinary circumstances created by the global COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the struggle to achieve greater gender equality, women around the world are currently facing an unparalleled set of challenges. The report provides practical advice, including: making a modest start drawing from the experiences of other women’s groups or chapters within bar associations using free resources finding champions thinking long term The types of suggested activities described in the report range from events aimed at women returners to networking events through to mentoring. The report lists a... Read More

moderated by Franz J. Heidinger | with Martin Gruber-Risak, Patrick Onyemaechi Kainz, Stefan Perner, Armenak Utudjian, Matthew Gimlette, Mark E. Wojcik   “In a male-dominated professional world, change towards equality will only happen if and when the sexes work together. Men who understand the urgency of the matter and who are willing to become true and proactive allies of the cause will facilitate and accelerate the process and thus avoid conflicts.” Franz J. Heidinger

The Women in Law Initiative and the Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Ludwig, invite all attendees to the traditional Vienna Heuriger (wine-cellar) 10er Marie.