Barrister gender pay gap worsens despite better briefing rate

The news: Briefing rates for female barristers have improved but there is a long way to go on reducing the gender pay gap at the Bar, according to a new Australian Law Council report.

The numbers: The 2022-2023 Equitable Briefing Policy Annual Report revealed the briefing rate for female barristers was 31%, beating the goal set by the profession in 2016. But although the value of briefing fees to women barristers is up on 2016, it has never been as high as the briefing rate and fell to just 20% in FY23.

The context: In 2016, the Australian Law Council launched its Equitable Briefing Policy to drive cultural change in the legal profession and help retain and support the progression of female barristers. The policy is available for adoption by barristers and any briefing entity operating in Australia.

What they said: "Feedback suggests potential reasons for the discrepancy between briefing rates and fees, include the types of clients, calibres of briefs, and areas of work more commonly offered to women," an Australian Law Council spokesman said in a statement. "These structural issues of gender inequality will require further examination and effort to address."